Cincinnati Reds starting to fire on all cylinders again - The rotation is settling down now - both Cueto and Leake are on fire. Arroyo not only pitched 7.2 but also hit the gqme winning RBI in his last start. Hopefully May was the bad month and they can kick on from here.

Cincinnati Reds look to build on success
Series with Indians important to continue recent momentum

Written by
John Fay

CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Dusty Baker was asked if he was ready to move beyond interleague play. His team, after all, hasn't exactly worn out the American League.

Baker dismissed the notion Cincinnati was ready for interleague play to end.

"We want to salvage this interleague before we think about leaving it," Baker said. "If you think about leaving it, that's kind of conceding what you've got left."

Salvaging is impossible at this point. And, were there concession speeches in baseball, the Reds would have given one long ago. Cincinnati is 5-10 in interleague play this year.

They wrap up play against the AL with a three-game series against the Cleveland Indians that begins today at 7:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park. The Indians swept the Reds from May 20-22 in Cleveland.

What this series does, other than allow Cincinnati a chance to tie for the Ohio Cup, is allow the Reds to build on the good series in Tampa Bay. Cincinnati won two of three from the Rays, and it was the Reds' first winning series in interleague play in four tries.

A good showing against the Indians would set the Reds up well for the final seven games going into the All-Star Break, which are against the teams they are trailing in the NL Central.

The Reds go to St. Louis for the first of three Monday. After St. Louis, Cincinnati plays a four-game series at Milwaukee, which leads into the All-Star break.

"We have 10 days to go," Baker said. "We'll try to win as many games as we can before the break. I always tell my guys: This is like basketball right before the first half ends. You can get a quick 3-pointer, steal an inbounds pass, have the layup.

"Hopefully, we can pick up a couple of games while guys are thinking vacation. The teams we're playing aren't necessarily going to be thinking that. We've got work to do."

The key to success with the Reds continues to be starting pitching. In the just-concluded streak against AL East, Cincinnati was 1-4 when it didn't get a quality start (three earned runs or less in six innings pitched or more). It was 4-3 when it did.

Overall, it is 35-13 when getting a quality start. The Reds put up quality starts in all three games against the Rays. Starters were 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA in the series.

If Cincinnati can get starts like that in the Cleveland series, it might be able to salvage interleague play: if only a bit.

Dontrelle Willis has been called up by the Reds and will start on Sunday against the Brewers.

Now my love for the D-Train is pretty well known on here and I've stuck by him and always followed how he is getting on since we traded him.

Would love for him to make a good go of this chance he has.

I'm pulling for him anyway

Rab, what is the feeling in Cincinnati are you going to be making any moves at the deadline? You are 4.5 games back but there doesn’t seem to be the same feeling round the team compared to last season. Is that a fair thing to say?

I think it's a classic case of a young team taking a step backward after over achieving the year before. I think the hope is they will mature together by 2012 and 2013, perhaps last year they thought they were further forward on the plan.

Hitting and pitching and defence just don't seem to be gelling day to day and game to game like last year.

It's a young team struggling to find its footing, they might benefit from some stability that a signing would bring but I guess the feeling is that this season may already be gone and money,(if there is any!), is better spent for next year. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think they'll find the consistency to challenge this year.

So long as they stay together they may yet blossom. They're pretty good to watch when it goes well.

End of Season Report

Not what I was expecting from a play -off potential team - A losing season. I hope it might be a blip - see previous post, but they need to look at the S/R

Baker had as many as 8 starters to choose from after Spring Training and less than 5 by the start of the season. With Volquez and Leake up and down to triple AAA and a weakened Arroyo.

It'll be interesting to see if the Reds can get some where in the off season. How much for Joey Votto - a decent hitting left fielder and a top draw starting pitcher might do it.

What's the problem with Chris Heisey? Is this another NL Central boss who can't see the forest for the trees regarding a talented OF? (LaRussa - Rasmus)

Nothing - but might be just a bit too average. ( .254) They need a bit more from out there if Votto goes.

Rob

What are the chances that the Reds actually trade Votto? It’s been mentioned as a possibility, with the Blue Jays rumoured to be interested, but I think the Reds would want a lot more than a team would be willing to give up.

It's an interesting question. The feeling I get from websites is that The Reds would like to get a deal for suitable players, but as you say does anyone want him bad enough? Jockety announced that he would be busy in the off-season although cynics suggest that may just be a reference to the number of golf courses he plans to play!

The other big topic is Dusty Baker - time for a change? For me- it was down to pitching - not sure how much of that blame rests with him.

Some movement in the Redlegs camp at last

Mat Latos for a Volquez, Alonso Boxberger and Grandal

Quite a lot but Lato might just be good out of the box. Reading some Padres fans stuff- he's better that people are suggesting - biggest problem was the Padres offence.

I'm happy to lose Volquez - I thought he let us down too often but three top prospects is a lot, hopefully if we can add to this and fill up the gaps and we might be OK.

They are trying anyway.

It was a good offseason so far for the Reds before this deal. The Brewers have lost Fielder and Braun could miss 50 games while the Cardinals have lost Pujols.

It will be a while before we know who wins this deal as the Padres have got some really good prospects and the Reds have the top of the rotation starter that they wanted. I have read in a few places that they are looking to add another starter so it will be interesting to see what they do next.

I like this

They might not seem like much of a surprise pick for 2012 when Dusty Baker's gang won the division in 2010 before slowing down in an injury-riddled 2011 campaign, but the Reds did finish 79-83, so a bounceback that culminates in a World Series has to qualify as at least a mild head-spinner.

The just-completed multi-player blockbuster deal for right-hander Mat Latos should serve notice to the rest of the NL that the Reds are all-in. They like the top of their rotation now, with Johnny Cueto and Latos fronting a crew that will also feature veteran Bronson Arroyo and young guns Mike Leake and Homer Bailey. And then there's Aroldis Chapman, the lefty with the 105-mph fastball. What if he becomes a starter? What if he stays healthy all year?

With Joey Votto still signed on and a lineup nicely filled out with Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs and Scott Rolen, there should be plenty of pop to support a stingy staff. It might just be 2010 all over again[I]

He'll lose 7 o 8 MPH off his far too straight fastball, and be hittable, and when he is hit it will be hard.Probably still good enough to be a number 4, or even a 3 in your rotation, but I think he'd have much more value as a closer; although he does remind me an awful lot of Billy Koch.