So far, not too bad

[JohnU]

Tough loss Sunday to the CFs but looking at the math, the 31 wins so far is in line with what you have to have to get to post-season -- 16 wins a month. Still one shy of it but any win between now and June 1 and that's the target.

St. Lousy has to cool off a little though there's no reason to suspect they will go into a team slump. I think the Parrots are due to stumble, however.

Interleague play is the great equalizer for divisional races.

 

[bengaldoug]

Ah, the dirty birds will cool off. They've been getting all the breaks so far.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I don't want to pee on our parade, but the Reds have played 60% of their schedule against sub .500 teams- Many barely qualifying as MLB teams. That isn't going to last forever.

 

[JohnU]

96 gets you post-season and 16 wins a month will accomplish that.
Anytime you win them, they count.

 

[eburg5000]

I guess the Cubs are trying to make a big deal out of Cueto throwing over some guys head. They said it inspired them to comeback and win the game. They said "it woke a sleeping giant". I say what sleeping Giant? sure isn't the Cubs

 

[redsfan03]

Cueto was a moron for throwing that pitch. Completely unnecessary. He's a head case, but it's laughable to think that the Cubs were "awoken" by that pitch. They've been in an induced coma for years. No reason to think they'll wake up now...

And as much of a head case that Cueto is, Matt Garza, the clown who has been complaining about the pitch so much, is even more of a head case.

 

[JohnU]

Cueto was fazed because DeJesus was trying to make a joke out of his at-bats, stepping out, pretending to be in no hurry. Right before the pitch, Marty and Cowboy said Cueto was clearly frustrated that DeJesus was up there doing it again as he had all day. It had zero impact on the game. The bad pitching by Ondrusek was the problem. If anybody is making an issue of it, it's the bored Chicago media. Same people who blame Dusty for ruining all the young pitchers.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Modern day players are cunts. Bob Gibson would have drilled the bum in the ribs. Why not ? It's a dead ball... Throw over their head and it's a wild pitch. The Cubs couldn't score in a ho house with a credit card. Let them talk.

 

[JohnU]

17 wins so far in May. That's where we need to be. Every month.

 

[bengaldoug]

We need 20 or so this month. That will give us an edge for months with tougher schedules.

 

[JohnU]

16 wins a month = post-season
15 wins a month = maybe a wild card
14 wins a month = maybe third place
13 wins a month = sellers at the deadline
12 wins a month = you are the Cubs
11 wins a month = you are the Marlins (though these guys might win 8 games a month)

 

[Hit-n-Run]

If you look at the teams with the best ERA's in the N.L (Cards, Reds, Pirates, Diamondbacks, and Braves in that order), those top five teams are the same teams that would make the playoffs if the season ended right now.

With the exception of the LA Dodgers last season, the top five ERA's were the playoff teams last season. If you believe the Reds are one of the best pitching staffs in the league, then you have to believe they're going to be there in the post season.

Can they win in the post season? Who knows for sure.

That's why I love this game, you just never know.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Good point by hit&run...pitching is a requirement for post season. That's kind of my point, about our Reds tendencies to embarrass themselves against post season opponents, in season and in post season- pitching is required, but isn't the whole requirement. To put it bluntly, you have to out score the opposition on a regular basis, and 10-2 on Monday doesn't make up for just 3 runs in the next 2 days. Just about all post season teams pitch, so often, the difference in winners and losers is seen elsewhere- offense, defense, baserunning.

The more those things are similar, the more important situational and managerial differences impact the W-L. I'm happy the Reds are pitching and playing D, but also want to see a little more application of some of the situational play we've seen lately-the squeeze, advancing on productive outs, etc. even when in-aided by sub .500mistakes like passed balls and bases loaded walks.