The Enquirer

The Reds' freefall has been eerily familiar to what occurred last season.

In first place by two games (34-22) on June 6, they have gone 24-41 to fall 21 1/2 games out entering Saturday. The injuries mounted.

Ken Griffey Jr., Austin Kearns, Brandon Larson, Paul Wilson and Danny Graves all are on the disabled list. And last season?

On June 14, they were 34-32, only 2 1/2 games out of first place. Then, the Reds went 25-61 to finish 69-93, in fifth place 19 games back. The injuries?

Barry Larkin, Kearns, Griffey, Ryan Dempster, Jose Acevedo, Adam Dunn and Larson all suffered season-ending injuries.

Good teams do that to bad ones

The Reds have lost 13 of 16 games to St. Louis this season. That has helped the Cardinals make a mockery of the NL Central.

But that is not unusual. Good teams often prey on the weak.

The Big Red Machine was a great example of that. In 1975, when the Reds went 108-54, they went 15-3 against Atlanta, 11-1 against Chicago, 13-5 against Houston and 13-5 against San Francisco.

In 1976, when they were 102-60, they went 12-6 against Atlanta, 13-5 against San Diego and 12-6 against Houston.

Trivia question

Larkin tied Johnny Bench for third on the club's all-time games played list (2,158) Friday. Who is second on the list behind Pete Rose's 2,722 games played?

Remember him? Chris Reitsma

The Reds' setup men in the bullpen have been ineffective of late.

And what of Reitsma, who was traded to Atlanta for young pitchers Bubba Nelson and Jung Keun Bong?

Reitsma is John Smoltz's (32 saves) primary setup man. Reitsma entered Saturday 6-3 with a 3.64 ERA, with 23 holds and one save in 64 games.

Todd Jones led the Reds with 22 holds before he, too, was traded.

Remember him? II Russell Branyan

The Reds allowed him to become a free agent last offseason after he hit .216 with nine homers and 26 RBI in 176 at-bats.

Back from injury, he is playing third base for the Brewers and has hit .311 with six homers and 14 RBI in 15 games.

By the numbers

6: Quality starts (six innings, three or fewer runs) by Reds starters in 27 games entering Saturday.

7.26: Starters' ERAs in that time.

1955: The last time the Reds had as many as four consecutive losing seasons, the last of 11 straight. They are on pace for their fourth this season.

17: Times catcher Jason LaRue has been hit by a pitch this season. He tied Frank Robinson's club record of 20 HBPs last year.

13: Players the Reds have placed on the disabled list this season.

17: Times those 13 players were put on the DL.

Trivia answer

Dave Concepcion is second on the Reds' all-time games played list with 2,488. Larkin is 12th on the all-time list of games played by shortstops. Concepcion is sixth.

Up next

Why, here's a switch. The Reds will open a nine-game homestand Tuesday against the Cardinals.

The teams will have played their entire 19-game season series since June 18.

Arizona and Houston each then come in for three-game sets.