Bottom part of Reds' order heating up

When the Reds are able to get hitting out of the bottom of their order, they tend to dominate games. This phenomenon has been on display over the past few games with the 6-8 spots in the order being able to make solid contact and find the gaps off of the opposing pitchers.

In game one of yesterday's doubleheader, with the Reds' regulars on the field against former Moeller pitcher Eric Surkamp, Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart, and Devin Mesoraco were each able to get at least two hits. Frazier looks like he is swinging the bat very well recently. He is now nine for his last twenty-one with six RBI's and four doubles. Frazier has had a hit in eight of the last nine games, and has multi-hit games in the last three outings, including three hits in game two of the doubleheader with Cozart and Mesoraco starting the game on the bench.

Devin Mesoraco is the hottest hitter on the team since the All Star Break. He is hitting .474 in his last nineteen at bats with two homers and six RBI's. Mesoraco is getting more of an opportunity to play with Ryan Hanigan on the shelf with a wrist injury. Mesoraco certainly is on track to become an everyday catcher at the Major League level, and he may have earned some of Dusty Baker's trust by raising his batting average to .258 and still handling solid pitching performances by Bronson Arroyo and Tony Cingrani. There aren't many catchers in the game who can hit like Mesoraco. Joe Mauer and Buster Posey are the exceptions to the rule that catchers aren't usually able to excel at hitting. Mesoraco can join that elite club of top hitting catchers if he becomes the normal starter.

Zack Cozart may finally be getting out of his slump and feeling more comfortable batting lower in the order. Cozart always is consistent in the field, but now he is stringing together some impressive hitting performances and is a big reason the Reds have scored so many runs against the Giants. Cozart is hitting .350 in his last twenty at bats, and was 4/4 with a homer yesterday in the early matchup. Cozart will get less and less grief from the fans if he can raise his batting average up to where it was in the .250-.260 range last season. The Reds don't need as much production from the seventh spot in the order with a good glove like Cozart, but if a player like Cozart continues to get hits, it is a bonus that can lift an entire team up to playing at an advanced level.

The Reds have averaged 5.83 runs per game in the six they have played since the All Star Break. These runs have come off of some notable pitchers on successful teams in
Pittsburgh and San Francisco. Yes, Joey Votto and Shin-Soo Choo are finding their strokes and returning to their elite form, but young players with bright futures such as Frazier, Cozart, and Mesoraco are really giving a boost to Dusty Baker's lineup.