Tuesday, April 16, 2002
Are Reds as good as 7-5?
Early reviews are mixed
By John Fay, jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds left Philadelphia feeling pretty good about themselves. They won four of six on the road trip. They showed the ability to come back. They got the offense cranking without Ken Griffey Jr., their biggest bat.
Their bullpen, expected to be good, was exceptional.
Even the starting pitching, expected to be the one weakness the Reds couldn't overcome, kept them in all but one game on the trip — and they won that one, anyway.
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REDS VS. HOUSTON ASTROS
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Where: Cinergy Field.
When: Today, Wednesday, 7:10 p.m.; Thursday 12:35 p.m.
Radio: WLW (700 AM).
TV: Today, Wednesday, Fox Sports Net.
Records: Reds, 7-5 second place in National League Central; Astros 5-7, fourth place in NL Central.
The arms: Today - RHP Jose Acevedo (2-0, 4.09) vs. Dave Mlicki (0-2, 4.91)
Wednesday - RHP Jimmy Haynes (1-1, 6.23) vs. LHP Carlos Hernandez (0-0, 9.00)
Thursday -- Chris Reitsma (0-1, 6.14) vs. RHP Roy Oswalt (2-0, 2.84).
The bats: The Astros rank second in the National League in hitting and third in runs. Jeff Bagwell does not have a home run this season and has only driven in four runs. Lance Berkman (four homers, 12 RBI) and Richard Hidalgo (two homers, 11 RBI) have been the big run producers.
The rest: The Astros took last season's series from the 11 games to six. The Astros lost two of three to the St. Louis Cardinals over the weekend.
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Other than the shoddy defense and occasionally unexplainable baserunning, it has been a good first two weeks of the season for the Reds. They return home with a 7-5 record and in second place in the National League Central as they open a three-game series against Houston tonight.
It should be noted that last year's team started 6-6, reached 15-10 and still lost 96 games.
But there certainly have been signs that this year's team can be improved. The next 18 games — all against heavy hitters such as the Astros, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers — will give a better clue.
“We think we can be a good team,” Sean Casey said.
That is probably a lot truer now than before Opening Day. The Reds had an awful spring training record (9-22), the worst in club history. That and coming off an awful year do not instill a lot of confidence. A bad start could have been a disaster.
Though they have played terribly at times, the Reds have managed to win more than they've lost. And they have shown some character by coming back to win four straight games before losing Sunday. There are reasons to believe the Reds can be competitive:
• The bullpen. It looks as good as any in baseball right now. Neither Scott Sullivan (9 1/3 innings) nor Gabe White (8 1/3) has given up an earned run. White is looking like a reliable lefty who can get right-handers, as well as left-handers. out. Sullivan and White are a pretty good bridge from starter to closer.
Closer Danny Graves is 5-for-7 on save opportunities, but the two blown saves came when he entered in difficult situations (runner at third, one out; bases-loaded, no outs). When he has pitched just the ninth, he has been automatic.
The Reds also have two middle relievers who throw more than 95 mph. Scott Williamson and Luis Pineda each has closer stuff. If they get consistent, look out.
That has added up to 21 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings by the bullpen.
“I don't know if it can continue,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “But it's certainly shaped up as a solid bullpen.”
• The starting pitching. The Reds didn't have anyone like Joey Hamilton last year. Hamilton is a veteran with a track record. He is healthy now. He has pitched on a tightrope — he allowed baserunners in his first 16 innings — but he has been effective in all three starts (1-0, 2.50 ERA).
The other four members of the rotation — Elmer Dessens (0-3, 2.70), Jose Acevedo (2-0, 4.09) Jimmy Haynes (1-1, 6.23) and Chris Reitsma (0-0, 6.14) — have mixed in some quality starts, as well.
“They've understood the message: Throw strikes, (keep the ball) down,” Boone said. “They're not making mistakes in crucial situations.”
• Juan Encarnacion. If he hits .270 to .280, he will be a steal, considering the Reds saved millions to acquire him and Pineda from Detroit for Dmitri Young.He has tremendous power. He has basically been a Griffey-like presence in the lineup since Griffey has been out. He is among the league leaders in home runs (four), RBI (11) and hits (26).
• Barry Larkin. The shortstop has not had a good start at the plate (.195). But the Reds are 7-3 when he starts.
“To me, he makes just a huge difference,” Boone said. “He gives you that good at-bat right when you need it. When he's out, you miss his bat. He has the best chance of getting a hit off the other team's best pitcher when he makes his best pitch.”
Take Larkin out of the lineup, and the drop-off will be hard to overcome. Gookie Dawkins has a big-league glove, but he looks overmatched at the plate at times.
There are, of course, just about as many reasons to write off the good start as a mirage: The bullpen can't be this good forever; NL pitchers will adjust to Encarnacion; the starting pitching still is unproven; Larkin and Griffey have battled injuries already.
But unless Larkin joins Griffey in missing significant time and the starting pitching completely sours, the Reds can overcome the rest.
Most troubling about the Reds this season, however, is the one problem they likely can't keep overcoming — mistakes. The defense has been atrocious (12 errors, .973 fielding percentage), and the Reds are continually getting runners thrown out at the plate.
“We're playing a little better,” Boone said. “We're having two or three mistakes a day — like the other team does. Our goal is, at some point, maybe by the end of the year, to have a mental and physical error-free game.
“You strive for that. As these guys grow up and become veteran players, hopefully, it will get better. It's not something that happens overnight.”
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Are Reds as good as 7-5?
