Ludwick's return comes with team's best chance

Even though it is still only August with over a month of regular season baseball left to play, there are few chances like the upcoming seven games for a team to feast on lower level opponents. The Reds have a chance to get on a roll against the Cubs and Brewers, two division rivals with just over fifty wins. The Pirates and Cardinals are faltering right now, and the Reds find themselves within five games of the first place mark. The Reds have had trouble getting over fifteen games above .500 this season, but they have a good chance to do so by executing in two winnable series.

The Reds are going to insert Ryan Ludwick back in left field tonight in the sixth spot in the order. Ludwick is an explosive bat even when he is not necessarily hitting well. Even the threat of a power hitter like Ludwick will change the way pitchers approach the Reds' lineup. Ludwick will probably need multiple at bats to hit like he did in the second half of last season, but he allows the Reds to shift their order to benefit the top of the lineup.

The Reds are now rejuvenated by the likes of Ludwick, Jonothan Broxton, and Ryan Hanigan, three players who are now ready to insert their veteran sway into the clubhouse. Broxton provides another security blanket for Aroldis Chapman to help close out tight leads. Hanigan is just the ideal catcher as a pitcher's best friend. He hasn't hit all season long, but that's not why the Reds need Hanigan. Hanigan just provides a comfort level that is unmatched behind the plate. Homer Bailey will benefit most from having his no hit catcher back in action.

The Reds came up with an extra inning win against the Padres on Sunday. The Reds haven't had clutch victories really since the beginning of the year when Shin-Soo Choo and Todd Frazier were hitting the cover off of the ball. Yes, that was a long time ago. However, Joey Votto is starting to find the gaps in his hitting once again, rather than accepting walks. Brandon Phillips is also regaining his stroke after a forty plus game slump. All of these factors are contributing to the Reds now having a final chance to make a push for the division. Things are really starting to come together nicely for the heavily favored Reds, a team that was expected to break through and dominate in 2013.

The Reds get to turn to their best stretch of the rotation against the Cubs with Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, and Bronson Arroyo all taking the hill. Latos and Bailey are the two hard throwers of the staff, and both have been impressive against Chicago. Latos is 4-2 with a 3.28 ERA against the Cubs, while Bailey has collected seven wins against Chicago. Bronson Arroyo is the best of them all against the Cubs with twelve wins and a 3.04 ERA with over one hundred strikeouts.

Baker botches Reds' chance for sweep

The Cincinnati Reds had a tremendous opportunity over the weekend to earn a three game sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of two teams ahead of the Reds in the division standings. Cincinnati took care of business over the first two games of the series after standout performances by Chris Heisey and Brandon Phillips in five run outbursts by the offense in each game. Game three was totally in reach to pull out a victory for the Reds, but the pitchers duel between Pirates ace Jeff Locke and Homer Bailey went south in the seventh inning with the game tied at one.

Dusty Baker elected to leave Homer Bailey in the game after six solid innings where he consistently reached 95-99 MPH on the radar gun. The only problem with leaving Bailey in to face the Pirates in the seventh was that Bailey had already thrown about one hundred pitches for the game. Bailey went up against the bottom part of the Pirates' order and clearly was laboring after getting Garrett Jones to strike out swinging. He gave up a double and a couple singles to make the score 3-1, putting the onus on the Reds' offense to make up a large deficit in just a few innings.

Baker really should have just taken Bailey out after Michael McKenry's double. McKenry is one of the worst hitters in the Pirates' lineup, and for him to hit the ball sharply in that situation showed that Bailey needed to be relieved. Plus, the way the bullpen has been pitching lately from top to bottom has taken a lot of pressure off of a previous issue on the team. The Reds aren't even worried about getting Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall back anymore. After McKenry's double, Bailey was at the 110 pitch mark and did not need to throw any more in his start. Baker claimed that he was trying to get Bailey the win in the game, but one win for a pitcher doesn't warrant a possibility of a tired arm or blowing a tie game due to a starter's fatigue, which is exactly what happened. I don't blame Bailey for the loss; I blame the manager who had JJ Hoover ready to go in the bullpen and could see the trouble brewing. Bailey is now set back for a start because he threw over 120 pitches in the game. Bailey will have to throw less pitches in his next start just a week and a half after the All Star Break because of Baker's blunder.

Dusty Baker has the reputation of leaving pitchers in game about an inning too long. Baker's reputation held true in Sunday's game. A manager should be the reason a team wins, not the reason a team loses. The manager's job is to monitor his players and know when enough is enough. Bailey had thrown a great game up to that point in the seventh, but sometimes, a standout performance doesn't always net a victory. Baker should have been content with six dazzling innings in which Bailey displayed his best stuff on the mound.

There is nothing wrong with going to the bullpen in the latter part of a game. That's why those pitchers are on the team. The Reds ended up putting one more run on the board in the eighth inning, but fell back in the standings once again with a 3-2 loss. The team is five games back of St. Louis again and three back of the Pirates. Who knows what could have happened if Baker took Bailey out of the game before the seventh or after that double with one out. The Reds could have limited the damage to no runs or just one run, and it could have resulted in a pivotal sweep. A sweep would have meant the Reds would be within a game of the Pirates and a manageable four back from the Cards. Baker should be respected as a top notch manager and one of the winningest of all time, but he made a key mistake yesterday that cost the Reds a big game.

Interview with legendary Reds writer Hal McCoy

If there has been one staple in Cincinnati Reds baseball over the past few decades, it is Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News and Fox Sports Ohio. McCoy rivals Marty Brennaman as the most recognizable figure covering Reds baseball in the media, and his knowledge of the team and the game makes him widely respected around the league.

McCoy began covering the Reds at the right time in the midst of the great Cincinnati teams of the 1970's. McCoy invented the nickname of one of the most recognizable teams in the history of baseball, "The Big Red Machine," featuring Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, and Joe Morgan. Almost every casual baseball fan has heard of that saying to describe the unstoppable force that was the Reds in the 70's, and McCoy is the man responsible for the fitting phrase.

McCoy was also elected to Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame in the Class of 2003 when he was honored with the J.G. Taylor Spink Award by baseball writers across the country. He has seen and covered a large majority of the great triumphs such as World Series victories, and the downfalls of the organization like the Pete Rose gambling scandal throughout his illustrious career.

Today, Hal McCoy still covers the Reds for the forty-first time after going into the baseball writing business out of college at Kent State where he also played the sport of baseball. McCoy updates his blog with the Dayton Daily News, The Real McCoy, quite frequently by documenting his analysis on Reds games and other developments across baseball such as the All Star Game. One of McCoy's latest pieces is about the final All Star vote and how baseball fans got it right by not electing Yasiel Puig to the NL roster. 

McCoy also devotes his time during Reds home games to answering fans' questions on Fox Sports Ohio's website in the Game Day Center. He will answer all questions about the Reds thoughtfully and honestly. McCoy hasn't allowed an optical stroke that has partially blinded him since the early 2000's to impede his ability to produce top notch journalism. I recently had the chance to ask Hal McCoy some questions about the Reds at the halfway point in the 2013 season as well as a few other topics on the minds of Reds fans.

Rich Hidy: How would you compare the 2013 Reds at the midway point to last year's team and other Reds teams you've covered in the past?

Hal McCoy: That's a tough one due to the fact I've covered 41 Reds teams. And every team is different, so you can't slot them into a comparison with another team. As for last year's team, well, other than Joey Votto being out so much of the second half, last year's team was healthier. Votto was the only one missing and the rest of the team stepped up and filled the gap. With so many guys hurt this year it will be more difficult to cover all the holes.

RH: Zack Cozart has been struggling in the two hole going 2 for his last 25. Is there a quick fix on the roster? What do you think about Votto batting in the two spot?

HM: If there was a quick fix, manager Dusty Baker would implement it. There isn't. No true No. 2 hitter on the roster. Despite what the guy in Sports Illustrated said (and too many people have grasped this idea), Joey Votto is a No. 3 hitter. You try to have your best hitter in the three-hole to drive in runs and Votto clearly is the team's best hitter. He would be wasted in the two-hole.

RH: When this team gets healthy, how much of an impact do you expect Ludwick and the two relievers to have on the Reds in trying to climb up the division standings?

HM: I fear with all the time he has missed that Ludwick might not have much of an impact. But even if he doesn't produce, it will enable Baker to put him back in clean-up and put Brandon Phillips back in the two-hole. That, alone, should help. As for Sean Marshall and Jonathan Broxton, well, as of this writing the bullpen has gone 11 straight games without giving up a run. And I'm not a big Broxton fan. I believe the bullpen is fine without him, but the Reds have a big investment in him and will slip him right back into the set-up role.

RH: How do you judge Mesoraco this year in the big leagues? Do you think his ceiling as a young player is still high?

HM: Mesoraco is still young and still learning. Catching is probably the hardest position to learn because there is so much involved. I've been disappointed a bit in his defense, he has taken a step back. But he will improve on offense and has enough pop to be a productive player.

RH: What's one thing fans might not necessarily know about this year's team and how they get along in the clubhouse?

HM: While there is no true clubhouse leader like Scott Rolen, the clubhouse is outstanding. All the players get along and support each other - even the extra guys like Xavier Paul, Derrick Robinson, Cesar Izturis and Jack Hannahan. They all know their roles and accept them. Todd Frazier could eventually be a leader, but this is only his second season and needs to become a better player to take a leadership role.

RH: How have you enjoyed covering the Reds this season especially? What's the best part about your job?

HM: I just love covering baseball in general - the Reds and every other team. I love getting to see all the great players come through. And I enjoy interacting with players on the Reds like Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo and Mat Latos. They all have different personalties and they are fun to interview.

RH: How did Homer Bailey's no hitter stack up to some of the others you've seen like Browning's perfect game?

HM: Homer was probably even more dominating than Browning's because Bailey is a power pitcher and Browning was a finesse pitcher. I got the feeling that both teams just wanted to get the game over when Browning pitched. Because of rain the game didn't start until 10 p.m. and it drizzled most of the game and there were few fans in the stands. The opposing pitcher, Jerry Reuss, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Bailey only walked one, so was one batter away from a perfect game, too, and he totally dominated the Giants.

RH: As one of baseball's most distinguished writers, how do you feel about the direction the game is headed?

HM: I have loved baseball all my life - it has been my life. So I won't bite the hand that fed me and fed me well. The game is great, even with the DH, which I abhor, and the two wild cards. I don't like wild card teams winning the World Series when they didn't even win their divisions, but it does make it more exciting for the fans and keeps interest longer. That's a good thing. To me, though, the game is so great that it is tough for anybody to mess it up too much. 

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

Homer goes the distance for second no hitter

Let's take some time today not only to celebrate America's independence, but also to remember and give proper recognition to Homer Bailey's pitching performance on Tuesday night. Bailey threw his second no hitter in two years on Tuesday against the Giants. To put into perspective how rare this performance is for baseball players, all time great pitchers Greg Maddux and Roger Clements have never quite performed to the no hit level throughout their careers. Bailey has thrown the last two no hitters in the majors in his fifth and sixth years in the majors, showing just how far he has come from being the stubborn young pitcher who got himself in trouble by relying on his explosive pitches just a few years ago.

Bailey is still just 27 years old, and to have already thrown two no hitters is remarkable. Bailey joins fellow Texan Nolan Ryan as one of 31 pitchers to throw multiple no hitters. Since Brian Price has joined the Reds as the team's pitching coach, Bailey has progressed more and more and is now considered a solid number two pitcher in a rotation. Bailey has come a long way since being drafted in the first round out of high school by the Reds and entering their minor league system in 2004. He has always had the talent to become a premier pitcher in the game, but it was a matter of maturing and learning the art of pitching for Bailey to succeed. 

Bailey's fastball is his best trait as a pitcher and he certainly has relied on that pitch during his time with the Reds. When Bailey needs to throw his best pitch and locate a strike, he will dial up the fastball at speeds that reach 97 miles per hour. For a long time, that's the only pitch Bailey seemed to use. Bailey was overconfident in that single pitch, throwing it over and over to major league hitters until they caught on and started crushing the ball. Bailey's low point came in 2008, when he went 0-6 with a ballooned 7.93 ERA. Bailey was sent back to Triple A three times before he finally remained in Cincinnati on a full time basis from 2011 to present day. 

The last two seasons have initiated the resurrection of Bailey's first round potential. Not only has Bailey recorded the two no hitters, but he has kept his ERA right around three and a half. Bailey threw over 200 innings last season and won 13 games. This is thanks in large part to a self developed split finger fastball and two above average pitches, a slider and a curveball. When Bailey can locate his off speed pitches consistently, he is a tough pitcher to make contact with. 

The 6'4, 230 pound Bailey looked like a warrior on Tuesday. He was locked in and unbelievably focused throughout the game. The old Homer Bailey would get overanxious from the pressure of the last few innings with a no hitter in tact, and make a mistake by throwing an elevated fastball over the plate. The 2013 Homer Bailey was calm and collected, reassuring himself that he had already thrown one no hitter before this one and that he had the rare ability to do so again. Bailey was one pitch away from a perfect game, executing his lone walk on a 3-2 count. Bailey's pitch count wasn't elevated even heading into the final stretch of the game. He threw under 100 pitches heading into the ninth inning. He struck out nine hitters, including the Giants' star hitters Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence. The only trouble Reds fielders had to go through to preserve the no hitter occurred when Joey Votto made a heads up play to force the Giants to ground into a fielder's choice by firing the ball to Todd Frazier at third base and getting Gregor Blanco by a step. Ryan Hanigan should get a great deal of credit for Bailey's pitching as well. Hanigan is second only to Yadier Molina in handling pitchers, and has molded his game with the Reds to become an elite defensive catcher. Hanigan set up Bailey's pitches with special skill, and the catcher and pitcher were on the same page the entire night.

Homer Bailey will continue to improve to work towards consistent dominance. Bailey has just one more year before his contract runs out, and if he wants to cash in big in Cincinnati, he needs to continue to pitch like he has the last couple seasons. The city of Cincinnati certainly appreciates a pitcher who can entertain fans on any given night with a masterful pitching performance like Bailey's no hitter. Former Reds pitchers with no hitters Tom Browning, Jim Maloney, and Johnny Vander Meer would be proud of Bailey's feat. Bailey still has plenty of time to earn more no hitters. He could easily play 10 more seasons in the big leagues, and at the rate that he is throwing no hitters right now, who knows, Nolan Ryan's record of 6 could be in trouble.

6-man rotation could help Cueto

The Reds last year went 162 games without having to use a starter besides the pitchers in the opening day rotation. The ability to keep pitchers healthy has been more of a struggle this year for Cincinnati, as starter Johnny Cueto has been bothered by a strain in a back muscle since his playoff start last year. When Cueto pitches, opposing hitters struggle. The 19-game winner in 2012 is 3-0 with a 2.17 so far this season. He has 34 strikeouts, and opposing batters hit .157 against the righty. Cueto is also the best pitcher the Reds have on their home field. The bottom line is Cueto is a top 5 starter in the majors, but if he can't stay healthy, he is no use to the Reds.

A rotation with six pitchers may be the solution to Cueto's health concerns. It seems that Cueto can make a few starts in his normal schedule, but after those consecutive starts, he gets hurt again. Cueto labors at times on the mound, and may lack the ability to throw over 100 pitches on a consistent basis. Adding an extra pitcher to the rotation would give Cueto an extra day to recover from his previous outings on the hill.

Who would represent this extra pitcher in the rotation? Tony Cingrani, of course. Cingrani is another pitcher who could benefit from an extra day of rest. The hard throwing left hander can widen fans' eyes with his speedy fastball. Cingrani is certainly a fastball pitcher, but can mix in an occasional off speed pitch. He is also a strikeout pitcher, and runs up pitch counts because of his propensity for getting hitters to swing and miss.

The only two pitchers to worry about in a six man rotation are Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake. Arroyo and Leake don't throw pitches at high speeds, so they don't need as much rest as Cueto, Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, and Cingrani. The best part about Arroyo and Leake, however, is their ability to adapt to situations and adjust to things being thrown at them throughout their careers. Both have maximized their talents by pitching smartly and not trying to overpower hitters. Leake has survived moves to the bullpen and to Triple A in his early history as a Red. Arroyo has managed to never miss a start, and has been the consummate professional since first entering the league with the Pirates in 2000. I think once again, in a six man rotation, Leake and Arroyo could adjust to a different situation.