For Cincinnati Reds, 2010 Is Not Over Yet...But 2011 Is More Likely

It’s not quite panic time in Cincinnati, even after the Reds were beaten today and got swept in the three-game series by the Cardinals. Going into the series, the Cardinals had a huge advantage in the pitching matchups for two of the three games.

Cincinnati is ahead of schedule as far as the rebuild is concerned. They were supposed to be struggling this year and then next year would be the year that they took the next step forward. This series showed that they are still (likely) a year away from being championship contenders, but at least this year, they have a shot and will be able to carry that momentum into next year.

The glaring hole that the Reds have shone blindingly in this series and is the reason why the Cardinals will be a serious threat come October: Starting pitching. The Cardinals have two of the 10 best starting pitchers in the National League (Carpenter & Wainwright). The Reds don’t have that kind of dominant shutdown starter…yet.

Johnny Cueto has the talent and the stuff to become that kind of guy, he is still only 24, and has been in the league for three years already. He has taken steps forward this year to become a true No. 1 starter. If Edinson Volquez can cut his walk rate down, then he can join Cueto and give the Reds that dominant one-two punch to match the Cardinals.

All this isn’t to say that the Reds are completely finished this year, they are only a game back after getting swept.

They have one of the top two or three MVP candidates in the National League this year in Joey Votto. Mike Leake has shown glimpses of being a very effective starter at a very young age. Remember he skipped the minors completely and began his career in the majors. They have one of the most exciting and intriguing pitching prospects in all of baseball in Aroldis Chapman, though whether he will be a starter or reliever remains to be seen.

The only real problem with the Reds right now is that they are still a young team. They weren’t expected to make their move until 2011, but they are ahead of schedule and though they may not get to play in October this year, next year will be a very fun and interesting year in Cincinnati.