Cincinnati Reds Need To Generate Some Momentum As Regular Season Winds Down

It has been a banner season for the Cincinnati Reds organization, as very few people forecasted this type of success.

With the success comes raised expectations, however.

With just a few weeks left, the Reds aren't playing very good baseball at the moment, and it's a bit concerning.

Going 5-5 in their last 10 games against teams like the Pirates, Diamondbacks, and Astros just fuels the fire for the Reds' critics who claim we are tired and have already peaked.

It doesn't mean that we don't appreciate what we have seen during the totality of this season, however.  I feel like whenever I voice my complains, I get a "but they are in first place!  What are you complaining about?" sort of response

True, but I believe that when you are bad, you want to be good, and once you get good, you want to be better.

Thankfully, the St. Louis Cardinals cannot get anything going, as the division lead is still safe, but as we head into October, teams like the Phillies and Rockies appear to be clearly better than the Reds, as they have a ton of momentum.

It's obvious that certain guys need some rest.  I cannot fault Dusty Baker for waiting until Cincinnati clinches.  He knows that teams in recent years, such as last year's Mets, have blown big leads in the final few weeks.

Even when they do clinch, then there is the matter of jockeying for better playoff positioning, so how much rest will guys like Scott Rolen, Brandon Phillips, and Joey Votto actually get?

Additionally, the Reds are still looking for a third postseason starter.  Homer Bailey, Travis Wood, and Edinson Volquez each have a few shots left.

And maybe, just maybe, Francisco Cordero returns to the form that he was a few weeks ago.

Regardless of the current issues, I love talking about these things, as opposed to the usual "Can the Reds play spoiler?" angle.

Keep pushing, though.  It's a 162 game season