Cin City: Red numbers not always a bad thing
Confidence breeds success and what better way to build confidence than riding on the coat-tails of a hot streak. The Cincinnati Reds went 5-1 from Monday through Sunday this past week, picking up crucial series wins on the road against both the Phillies and the Mets improving their road record to above .500 at 13-12.
The Reds currently stand at 31-19 at this point in the season, and believe it or not that is only good enough for second place in the NL Central division behind fierce rivals St.Louis. One look at the numbers behind the Reds’ production however suggests it might not be long before the Reds wrestle their way to take pole position at the top.
The Reds hold a points differential total of +62 (3rd best in the MLB), and only the Colorado Rockies have scored more runs than them in the National League. The Reds also boast the 3rd best on-base percentage (.355) in the entire MLB. Their success doesn’t stop there, as they continue to make huge improvements on the defensive side too. With the return of Johnny Cueto and some inspiring performances from the likes of Mike Leake recently, the Reds’ rotation are slowly but surely getting back on track.
At this point they hold the 4th best ERA (3.32) in the MLB as well as a league leading 1.18 WHIP. The Reds are holding their opponents to a batting average of just .237, good for 4th best in the Majors, and Reds starters have the 5th most quality starts in the country with 30.
A lot of the offensive success has come down to stellar seasons thus far from the key figures on the roster, particularly Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto. Votto who was struggling earlier in the season has gone about his business in a no nonsense fashion, making no excuses for his drought.
Today his stat-line reads as one of the most prominent in the league, alongside a resurgent Brandon Phillips whose RBI numbers are arguably somewhat surprising given his role in the team, but with the entire roster batting well around him, RBI opportunities are rife in Cincinnati right now.
Joey Votto: AVG .353 R 41 HR 8 RBI 23
Brandon Phillips: AVG .284 R 31 HR 8 RBI 42
This week, the Reds play a 4-game set with Ohio rivals, the Cleveland Indians, (2 home, 2 on the road) before closing the week with a 3-game series against the high-flying Pittsburgh Pirates, another division series that will help build some momentum as the Reds continue their bid to lead (and defend) the NL Central once again.