Reds: Don’t lose heart, Cincinnati can still win the National League Central

The Cincinnati Reds still have a shot at winning the National League Central. I know some fans may find that hard to believe, but it’s very possible. During multiple times during this season the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, and even the Reds have looked capable of winning the division and being a tough out in the postseason.

It goes without saying this division is up for grabs, and it’s going to come down to which team wants it the most, not who may or may not have the most talent. If I were a betting man, I’d wager my money on Cincinnati.

Don’t give up on the Reds just yet. There’s a lot of baseball to be played.

There have been two running themes most have probably noticed in 2021. The first being the feeling that Cincinnati just can’t get over the hump. One step forward and two steps back has become a slogan I often find myself muttering.

Part of that has been beacause Cincinnati has been the benefactor of some of the worst luck I’ve ever seen. Whether it be factors out of the team’s control such as injuries, or self inflicted bad luck like the multiple suspensions (most of which were unwarranted). But the ball doesn’t lie, and I believe it won’t lie for the Redlegs when the 2021 season concludes.

I fully believe that you get what you put in, and the Reds will eventually get back to full strength, and this cloud of bad luck will run it’s course. Reds fans in 2021 are blessed with a team that can score runs in bunches, and they absolutely do not quit.

Every player on the team is chomping to get into the batters’ box. For the first time maybe in my life, I have found that even if the Reds have a six or seven run deficit, I think to myself, “Well they can come back.”

The Reds have lost seven one-run games this season.

The Reds sit 4 games back of first place in the division, and with all the bad luck they have suffered, that’s pretty good. Cincinnati has lost seven one-run games this season. If the Reds were to have come out victorious in four of those games, Cincinnati would be tied for the division lead. But, that’s baseball.

If the Cincinnati Reds are serious about contending for this division as the dog days of summer roll on, they’re going to have to address the bullpen in the near future. The Reds relief corps has been one of the absolute worst I’ve ever seen. The lone bright spot in this Reds bullpen has been Tejay Antone; David Bell’s only reliable reliever.

The nucleus of the pen Lucas Sims, Sean Doolittle, Heath Hembree, Ryan Hendrix, and especially Amir Garrett haven’t hardly been able to miss a bat all year. None of those five relievers sports an ERA under 4.00, which is absolutely abysmal for relief pitchers.

Am I saying the Reds will win the World Series? By no means, but if the Reds can make some moves at the deadline to sharpen up this bullpen, Cincinnati can definitely win the division, and be a team that nobody wants to play in the postseason.