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.

Reds injury report

The Reds are missing a total of six players who have participated in games at the Major League level for the team due to relatively serious injuries. This has forced Cincinnati to call up minor league subpar talent such as Curtis Partch, Pedro Villareal, and Corky Miller to fill innings and buy time to get the regulars healthy. The Reds would be lucky to get a majority of these players back before September call-ups in order to make a run at the end of the season. It isn't always the best team that wins the World Series. It is usually the hottest team that makes the playoffs at the end of the year that carries its success over to the late rounds of the playoffs. The Reds could use some reinforcements to make that run.

Ryan Hanigan: Hanigan has missed almost a month now as he tries to regain his starting catcher form after a sprained wrist. Hanigan is the best catcher in the league with the exception of Yadier Molina at handling pitching staffs. Devin Mesoraco has stepped up at the plate for the Reds with some home runs and a .253 batting average, but he was behind the plate when the Reds gave up almost thirty runs in two games against the Cardinals. Hanigan is a steady presence in the bottom part of the order and a solid veteran. The latest reports say Hanigan is set to return either tomorrow or Friday in the second game against Oakland or in the opener of the Padres series. The Reds will probably hold off Hanigan until that game Friday because of Mesoraco's sudden hitting burst.

Ryan Ludwick: Everyone wants to see Ludwick back in action playing left field for the Reds. The Reds played their best baseball last season with Ludwick in the fourth spot in the order in the second half of the year. Ludwick is working on his third week with a rehab assignment, currently sporting a 2/28 line for the Louisville Bats. Ludwick is working the rust off and can't be expected to start off with a hot streak when he returns this weekend, but just having a proven commodity in left field and a revamped batting order should kickstart the offense. Ludwick's freak shoulder injury on Opening Day is now behind him and he should be able to focus on helping to get the Reds back to the playoffs.

Sean Marshall: It's a mystery as to whether or not Marshall will return to the bullpen this season. Marshall, Jonathan Broxton, and Aroldis Chapman made up the best 7-8-9 bullpen stretch team in the league, and one of the best trios the league has seen. Marshall had been progressing in his bullpen sessions and probably would have been sent on a short rehab assignment if not for a setback on his shoulder and re-examination on July 30 after throwing. Marshall is the most far off from a comeback besides Johnny Cueto and obviously Nick Masset. Marshall shouldn't be counted on until September, although he may not find his way back at all this year.

Jonathan Broxton: Broxton last threw in a game on August 3 and now the big news of the day is that Broxton will return tomorrow and be available to pitch. Broxton has been missed while the Reds have covered for him with a mixture of Alfredo Simon, Sam LeCure, and JJ Hoover. Despite a tendency to pitch himself into trouble at times, Broxton has a career 3.17 ERA and was an outstanding setup man after coming over at the trade deadline in 2012. Pedro Villareal is the most likely candidate to head back down to Triple A with the Broxton move, which will instantly upgrade a shaky bullpen.

Johnny Cueto: Cueto still hasn't started throwing again since his last start and re-injury of the lat muscle that has plagued him since Game 1 of the NLDS in 2012. Once Cueto does start to throw off the mound again, he might need to rethink his approach and change his windup. Cueto has been missing from the rotation since June 28, and although Tony Cingrani is 5-1 with an ERA in the low 3's, Cueto is the best pitcher on the team. Much like Marshall, Cueto won't be counted on until right before the playoffs. It will take some time before Cueto can make it back to pitching in the big leagues, so he will need multiple bullpen sessions and a second rehab assignment. Cueto is 4-2 with a 3.33 ERA despite his inability to pitch in multiple consecutive starts.

Nick Masset: Will Masset ever reach the MLB and pitch again? It's a fair question after Masset's surgery on his shoulder last September. Masset looked like he would be back with the Reds before that surgery in 2012 and even this year before he was shut down in June after a bullpen session. The bottom line is Masset cannot stay healthy after pitching with his best stuff in trial runs on the mound. He hasn't been with the Reds since 2011 and won't be back until Spring Training in 2014. That might be his last shot to regain his position in a MLB
bullpen with the Reds where he pitched 75 innings with a 3.71 ERA in 2011.

Rich Hidy
Cincy Sports Spot

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

Broxton's injury opens door for Simon

The Reds discovered that it wasn't just soreness that plagued setup man Jonathan Broxton. Broxton has a shoulder injury that will cost him time on the major league ball club. He will enter his first stint on the DL since the Reds traded for him from the Royals at the deadline last year.

Alfredo Simon has been Manager Dusty Baker's pitcher of choice to assume the role of the eighth inning. Simon was a valuable member of last year's NL Central Division champs. He was the primary long man as fellow long reliever Sam LeCure usually mopped up innings in pressure spots. Simon was used when the starting pitching wasn't at its best and there was a need for a relief pitcher to enter the game for more than a single inning.

Simon finished last season with an ERA under 3 after being a starter and reliever for much of his prior career with Baltimore. Simon has started the season almost as well as he finished last year. Simon has been efficient with his pitches, and his ERA is respectably in the 3's. Simon is a veteran of the league and knows that it takes mixing pitches to be successful at the major league level. He has a fastball that can reach 96 miles per hour, and throws a hard breaking ball as well. Simon is pitching the way the Reds wanted Broxton to pitch after signing him to a 2 year extension. 

If Simon continues to bridge the gap between starting pitching and Aroldis Chapman, the Reds bullpen could be locked down like it was in the second half of last year. Simon was originally just a cheap option to throw in a game when the Reds first acquired him. He has turned into a sought after commodity who can help the Reds maintain leads in the innings they have the most trouble.

The case for a 2 inning closer

The Reds have lost some crushing games in the late innings due to an inconsistent bullpen. In the last 5 days, Cincinnati's bullpen has blown two games with leads heading into the final couple of innings. The extra inning games have not been kind to Cincinnati either. If the Reds want to win the NL Central Division for back to back years, they have to figure out a way to nail down wins after their starters are through.

Aroldis Chapman has been the team's most dominant reliever by far this year. He has only blown a total of 2 saves in his 19 opportunities, and when his location is on with his slider, Chapman is one of the game's toughest pitchers to hit. Chapman was originally training to be a starter on his road to the majors, meaning he has the ability to throw multiple innings in a short stretch of time. The Reds should use their best reliever in the bullpen in the eight and ninth inning roles to help them nail down some games that the weaker relievers have shown a propensity to lose for the team.

Chapman has the lowest opposing batting average out of any pitcher on the team with over 10 innings pitched besides Johnny Cueto at .175. He has had a great season in terms of control with a low WHIP of 1.03. Chapman has really developed into the pitcher the Reds thought he would be when they signed him for the 2010 season. Jonathan Broxton and Sam LeCure have not been able to handle the late inning roles with much consistency. Their ERA's are higher than they should be, and the runs they have given up tend to do a lot of damage in the tight spots in games. Chapman's ERA is tied for lowest on the team at 2.17, and he has been able to handle pressure situations with his team holding a short lead.

If the Reds want to break out of disappointing losses, pitching Chapman in the eighth and ninth innings is the way to go. Throwing a lot of pitches has not been a problem for Chapman. He hasn't hurt his arm due to overuse in quite some time.
Most of the Reds' starters have shown the ability to pitch through the seventh inning this season, and if the Reds can find a way to hold the other team scoreless in the eighth and ninth, they will soon find themselves 20+ games above the .500 mark.

A bolstered bullpen makes the Reds virtually unbeatable

The Reds last season coasted to the postseason thanks in large part to an almost unstoppable bullpen. Aroldis Chapman, Sean Marshall, Jonathan Broxton, Jose Arredondo, and Alfredo Simon each had ERA's under 3, and Chapman also had 38 saves. The bullpen this season has been much less reliable. Broxton blew a lead and a chance for a sweep of the Pirates yesterday, but there have been problems in the pen all season long.

Sean Marshall has bounced on and off the DL this season, leaving the Reds without a solid 7th inning man and a premier left handed specialist. Marshall has long been considered the best against lefties out of the bullpen in the game, and having to use Manny Parra in that role has caused the team to struggle somewhat. Parra has a 6.23 ERA in 10 appearances. Neither Broxton, Chapman, nor Logan Ondrusek have been nearly as effective this season. Chapman has blown 2 saves at this juncture and has looked disinterested on the mound at times. Broxton has looked lost on the mound for most of this year. His best pitch, the fastball, has seen a decrease in velocity of at least 3 miles per hour. Broxton has allowed an opponents batting average of .241 and has an ERA of 4.63. Arredondo has been suspended this season by the Reds' Triple A affiliate, and Ondrusek didn't even make the opening day roster.

Sam LeCure has by far been the Reds' most reliable bullpen pitcher. He picked up his long man role from last season right where he left off with a 1.16 ERA in 23.1 innings pitched. LeCure has tremendous control of his pitches and is as crafty a pitcher as any. Alfredo Simon and JJ Hoover are also decent options for the team, although I wouldn't put them in the game in a tight situation in the ladder innings. The Reds better hope Broxton finds himself as the summer moves along after the team invested in the big man for two more years. Chapman and Broxton were in such a rhythm last season in the 8th and 9th innings that the game was virtually over after the 7th if the Reds had the lead. The Reds are one of the best pitching teams in the majors, but unless the bullpen gets a little better, the outings the starters have provided the team won't matter much.