Sunday, May 12, 2002
Reds chatter
Enquirer staff and news services
Win it now: So, can you steal a division title early?
With the Reds off to a quick start, could they steal the Central Division title, for which they were picked to finish fourth at best?
Here's a look at the starts for the most successful recent successful Reds teams:
1990
91-71, first place NL West.
The start: The Reds started 9-0 and went wire-to-wire.
After 35 games: 26-9, first place by 8 1/2 games.
1994
66-48, first place NL Central (work stoppage ended season)
The start: The Reds jumped to a 13-5 start.
After 35 games: 22-13, first place by 3 1/2 games.
1995
85-59, first place NL Central
The start: The Reds were 0-6, but got even at 10-10.
After 35 games: 22-13, tied for first in the NL Central.
1999
96-67, second place in the NL Central by 1 1/2 games (Team lost wild-card playoff to Mets)
The start: The Reds were 0-3 and spent five consecutive games in sixth place.
After 35 games: 17-18, fifth place in NL Central, 5 1/2 out.
The kiddie corps
Here are how Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns, who combined are two years younger than Dodgers reliever Jesse Orosco (45), stack up among NL leaders, entering Saturday:
Dunn
On-base percentage: 7th, .424
Slugging Percentage: 20st, .532
OPS (On-base plus slugging): 16th, .941
RBI: 5th, with 28
Although Kearns doesn't yet qualify, here is where he would stand:
Batting average: 1st, .410
On-base percentage: 2nd, 538
Slugging Percentage: 4th, .672
OPS (On-base plus slugging): 3rd, 1.210.
Ex-Red of the week
Dmitri Young's stay as a Tiger has gone progressively downhill since he signed his $28.5 million contract.
He played only 14 games before being sidelined with a hernia. Now, it looks as if he will miss four-to-six more weeks if he elects to have hernia surgery.
In addition, reports out of Detroit indicate new General Manager Dave Dowbrowski doesn't like him and wants to try to trade him.
The Week Ahead
Monday at Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m.
Tuesday, at Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m.
Wednesday, at Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m.
Thursday, at Milwaukee, 1:05 P.M.
Friday, at St. Louis, 8:10 P.M.
Saturday, at St. Louis, 2:10 p.m.
Sunday, at St. Louis, 2:10 p.m.
Monday, at St. Louis, 8:10 p.m.
The skinny: Good teams can make a living beating the bad teams, and the Brewers sure qualify as the bad. The Reds swept three from Milwaukee last week. The Cardinals are always tough at Busch — they're 8-7 there this year.
Reds Stories
Kimmel claims 'Channel 5-155'
Speedway notebook
Brazilian force stays at front of pack
Fisher turns in fastest Indy qualifying time by woman
Junqueira takes pole at Indy
Four Big Ten teams headed to NCAA championships
Freshmen make Muskies matter
Michigan snags Big Ten tournament title
NKU baseball plays for GLVC title today
Kings 115, Mavericks 113, OT
Leafs' Tucker to miss rest of Battle of Ontario
Red Wings 4, Blues 0
Sharks 5, Avalanche 3
Baffert plots new strategy
Day Trader wins Matt Winn Stakes
Artistry of early baseball cards on display at Toledo museum
Maruyama hanging on at Byron Nelson
Patriots new home opens with soccer game
Sarah Hughes' whirlwind tour stops in Queen City
Trinidad stops Cherifi
Coming up this week
Page Two power rankings
NFL mothers find support in each other
Bengals Q&A with Mark Curnutte
NFL insider
Lakota East wins 2 games
Lloyd victory is school first
She's 'Mom' at home, 'Coach' on court
Group aims to create equity in new national equestrian league
Kentucky 12th Region tennis tournament
Saturday's results
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Reds chatter
