NLCentral_Cincinnati Reds

2014 Cleveland Gameday HQ

CINCINNATI REDS 5-YEAR SCORECARD 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 WINS 90 97 79 91 78 RUNS PER GAME 4.31 4.13 4.54 4.88 4.15 RUNS ALLOWED PER GAME 3.64 3.63 4.44 4.23 4.46 OPENING-DAY PAYROLL (millions) $107 $88 $81 $76 $74 Jay Bruce 2014 STRENGTHS: • The starting and relief pitching may be the division’s strongest • Speed at top of order with middle-of-order power • Good overall defense 2014 WEAKNESSES: • Batting in clutch situations • Depth behind the first five starters • Lack of power bats on bench The Reds won 90 games for the third time in four seasons in 2013, but their final-weekend falter and loss in the wild card game led to a change of manager and a change of course in offensive strategy at the top of the order. There’s plenty of talent here, enough to challenge for the division again. HITTING The Reds were third in the NL in runs, despite ranking eighth in batting average (.249) and seventh in homers (155). An on-base percentage of .327 (second in the league) helped. A lot of that was Shin-Soo Choo, who is now in Texas—although Joey Votto was also seemingly always on, walking 135 times, with a team-high .435 OBP. Enter Billy Hamilton. The fastest man in baseball—he’s been timed at 3.3 seconds from home to first—Hamilton could singlehandedly match, if not pass, the 2013 Reds’ team total of 67 stolen bases, provided he adjusts to big league pitching and gets on base. That sets the wheels in motion for 2013 All-Star starters Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto, a four-time All-Star, and 2010 MVP, and slugger Jay Bruce, who has averaged 32 homers and 102 RBIs each of the last three seasons. Bruce’s 109 RBIs last season were a career-high. The Reds have offense one-through-eight, as even the bottom of the order, Ryan Ludwick and Todd Frazier have 20-homer power. NL Central BOB LEVEY/GETTY IMAGES SPORT


2014 Cleveland Gameday HQ
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