Adversity Beckons the Cincinnati Reds

I look back to July 16th, listening to Marty on my MLB.com audio feed when an announcement was broadcast in Great American Ball Park concerning Joey Votto. As my heart leapt into my throat I heard him relay the news that Joey would be out 3-4 weeks following the surgery to clean up his knee. In shock I listened to the Reds go on and lose the game and then drop 2 of 3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks. I remarked to a friend that I thought the Reds would still be okay, but they needed to win half of the games they played until Joey could return. I spent time imagining scenarios where the Reds could survive the next month. The word ‘maturity’ was not the word that I used when I described what I thought the team needed and yet it seems to be the theme several of the players have embraced.

This team lost its superstar and may have discovered the missing ingredient in a championship season. Consider the numbers:

Game	AB	Runs	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA	Outcome
16-Jul	34	3	9	3	1	9	.265	Loss
17-Jul	27	4	5	3	6	11	.185	Win
18-Jul	35	1	8	1	0	8	.229	Loss
19-Jul	31	7	6	6	5	6	.194	Win
20-Jul	31	3	8	3	1	6	.258	Win
21-Jul	32	6	10	6	2	3	.312	Win
22-Jul	29	2	8	2	0	5	.276	Win
23-Jul	46	8	17	8	3	9	.370	Win
24-Jul	37	4	11	4	6	7	.297	Win
9 Games	302	38	82	36	24	64	.271	7-2
Season	3262	408	820	388	292	751	.251	57-40

It may be a small sample but without Joey Votto, who with a tip of the cap to Ryan Braun, Matt Kemp and Andrew McCutchen, is the best position player in the National League. Yet the Reds team batting average sans Votto is 20 points higher. HIGHER! The team has played as a team. And a few players who may not have been playing to their ability have stepped up. Let’s look at their totals:

Player	AB	Runs	H	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OPS
Jay Bruce	27	3	5	3	4	6	.185	.661
Zack Cozart	28	5	7	1	2	5	.250	.693
Todd Frazier	36	3	11	3	1	8	.306	.685
Ryan Hanigan	19	2	4	1	3	4	.211	.581
Chris Heisey	20	3	5	1	1	4	.250	.536
Ryan Ludwick	27	4	8	7	1	6	.296	.974
Brandon Phillips	36	7	14	9	2	4	.389	1.077
Scott Rolen	24	1	7	3	4	4	.292	.963
Drew Stubbs	31	6	11	5	4	9	.355	.912

While Bruce and Hanigan have struggled a bit and Cozart and Heisey have treaded water, the rest of the everyday players have excelled. Ludwick, Phillips, Rolen and Stubbs all exceed an OPS of .900. The one who excites me the most is the rise of Drew Stubbs, can you imagine the damage Votto would do with Stubbs always on base?

: Cincinnati Reds center fielder Drew Stubbs (6) hits a home run against the Houston Astros during the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park. The Reds won 4-2. Photo Credit: Thomas Campbell-US PRESSWIRE

Game Break: Drew Stubbs just blistered a double off Francisco Cordero and has driven in 2 runs in the 9th inning for the second game in a row.

For the Reds to have success in the playoffs if they are successful in their drive to win the division, they must have production from the team, not just Joey Votto. This stretch without Joey may define the 2012 season and may represent so much more.

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