Reds midterm report

[missionhockey21]

Reds midterm report
Disappointing start has led to midseason overhaul
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- With a boosted payroll came boosted hopes of contention for the Reds. But a 10-13 April, an 11-18 May and a 9-16 June quickly dashed those hopes.

Manager Dave Miley, closer Danny Graves and second baseman D'Angelo Jimenez were all sent on their way as the disappointment unfolded, while a rash of injuries has often made the clubhouse look like Triple-A Louisville North.

The playoffs are out of the picture, so as the second half dawns, with interim manager Jerry Narron at the helm, the organization's hopes have been made much more down to earth.

Winning is still an expectation, as always. But so is player development and simple, sound execution.

"Our No. 1 priority is for us to combine all three elements -- offense, pitching and defense -- to consistently play a fundamentally sound game on the field," general manager Dan O'Brien said. "I know that sounds basic, and it is. But in the first half, our struggles involved all three facets in some fashion. In the second half, we need to get all three together to play a more consistent, clean game."

Narron put the outlook much more simply.

"We're going to do something about this," he said after a recent loss. "We're not going to be throwing our hands up and saying we can't do anything about this."

Club MVP: Felipe Lopez wasn't even a starter when the season began, but he seized the shortstop job, hit for average and power near the top of the order and showed improvement defensively.

Call him 'Ace': Aaron Harang has been the only Reds starter to consistently keep his team in ballgames. And in May, when he went 3-1 with a 1.93 ERA, he was as strong as any other pitcher in baseball.

Greatest strength: Though it has had many moments of frustration with runners in scoring position, Cincinnati's offense is still among the most dangerous in baseball. Witness 12 comeback wins when down three runs or more.

Biggest problem: Pitching, pitching, pitching. Be it on the starting front or in the bullpen, the Reds just haven't had much consistency from their arms.

Biggest surprise: No one could have imagined Miley, Graves and Jimenez would all be gone by the midway point. The normally meticulous O'Brien didn't waste much time cleaning house.

Team needs: Pitching is always a priority with the club. And with the farm system depleted by some early, unforeseen callups, some good, young arms are in order for the future. The Reds are still without a bona fide No. 1 starter.

Oh, doctor: Paul Wilson is out for the year after arthroscopic shoulder surgery on June 17. ... Ramon Ortiz missed almost all of April with a strained right groin. ... Wily Mo Pena missed virtually all of May with a strained left quadriceps muscle. ... Ryan Freel missed the last couple weeks of the first half with an inflamed second toe on his left foot. ... Luke Hudson wasn't available until June because of a strained right shoulder. ... Josh Hancock remains on the disabled list, where he's been all season with a strained right groin. ... Ben Weber has been out since May 9 with a bulging disc in his neck.

He said it: "Right now, we're buzzards. We can't kill anything and nothing will die." -- pinch-hitter Jacob Cruz, on the Reds' struggles this season

Mark your calendar: Aug. 23-25: The Reds make their first trip to Washington, D.C., to take on the Nationals; Aug. 26-29: The Reds head to Pittsburgh in a matchup with the Pirates that could be a battle to avoid the cellar; Sept. 30-Oct. 2: The Reds become the last team to visit Busch Stadium in St. Louis during the regular season.

Fearless second-half prediction: The Reds go open for business and make a flurry of sales before the trade deadline.

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[redsrbetter]

I agree on the MVP and Ace for the first half. I hope Harang ends this season very strong. We really need him and Claussen right now. Lopez was without a doubt our team MVP.