The Return of the King: Baseball's Best Hitter Returns to Cincinnati

And There Was Much Rejoicing

by Ryan Bramwell

Do you remember the day we all learned of the Votto injury? It was July 15th, and it was just plain awful news.  The Reds had a mere one-game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates and had not been playing their best ball of late.  An arthroscopic surgery took place on July 17th to repair the torn meniscus cartilage in Votto's left knee.  His expected return to action was 3-4 weeks and all was bleak in Reds country. 

Yet the Reds managed to go on without their potent three-hole hitter and confident first-baseman.  They reeled off win-after-win as they began to build a lead in the Central.  Then we learned that Votto had reinjured the knee while performing a sliding drill in his rehabilitation stint and another surgery was scheduled.  On August 10th, Votto underwent his second surgery in just a few weeks and the team would have to continue to play without the game's greatest batter.  And they did so in tremendous fashion.  As we have discussed here on this very blog, the Reds players seemingly found themselves, their roles, and their abilities during their time without Votto on the field. 

We saw some truly amazing baseball during the absence of Joseph Daniel Votto.  Brandon Phillips moved to three-hole and has since brought his batting average up to .300 as he has proven himself to be the best second baseman in the National League both offensively and defensively.  Ryan Ludwick had a miraculous July and August as he has shown Cincinnati fans that Jocketty and company were geniuses when they picked him up in the winter.  Ludwick will most certainly be the Comeback Player of the Year and be resigned by Cincinnati in the offseason.  Then there is Todd Frazier.  What can I say?  I've made it readily apparent that Todd has been my favorite Red outside of Votto.  He is a wonderful baseball player and a tremendous clubhouse guy.  Only Ryan Ludwick had better luck at the plate than Frazier during the Vottopocalypse.  Frazier saw time mainly at first base and third base, and he played them like a gold-glover.  He was a vacuum and made a point to the brass and to Dusty Baker with his defense and confidence to play a variety of positions when called upon.  Todd Frazier will be the National League's Rookie of the Year for 2012 (he also just won the Rookie of the Month award).  Scott Rolen finally got himself going during this period as well as he batted .321 in July and .323 in August.  His OBP during those months was an incredible .413 and .425.  The play of Chris Heisey and Ryan Hanigan should not be overshadowed either.  It was a real, true team effort in every sense of the phrase. 

Tomorrow marks the first day we will see Joey Votto on the field in eight weeks.  The Reds went 33-16 during his absence and even cruised to the best record in baseball overall at one point.  The Reds went through the trade deadline without making much noise, much to the dismay of a lot of fans.  But they did snag closer Jonathan Broxton as their only move.  And in hindsight, it was probably the best thing the organization could have done.  They bolstered an already dominant bullpen and grasped the nickname the "New Nasty Boys" with the addition of Broxton to go alongside Marshall and Chapman.  With all the winning, the unveiling of Ludwick/Frazier, spectacular starting pitching, dominant relief pitching, and overall excellence we nearly forgot that the best Redleg of them all had been sidelined since mid-July. 

Ladies and gentlemen, Joseph Daniel Votto is back.  The number three spot in the lineup is now filled so tightly that even using the phrase "tighter than O.J.'s gloves" would be an understatement.  And with that, there is a domino effect that allows the Reds lineup to blossom into it's absolute full potential.  The top-of-the-order is no longer a nagging issue, as Brandon Phillips and his .300 average will take over the top spot.  The number two spot is a question still, but it is guaranteed that whoever bats in front of Joey will see some hittable pitches.  So that alone takes care of batters 1-2-3.  Then there are hitters 4-5-6, the middle of the lineup.  Ryan Ludwick, Jay Bruce and Todd Frazier.  I think that'll suffice in any arrangement, don't you?  And when you have a guy with an OBP of .465 hitting in front of that kind of middle-of-the-order...well, you can smell those RBI's already can't you?  Then there's a wide variety of options at the bottom: Hanigan (terrific OBP-guy, himself), Stubbs, Heisey, Cozart, etc, etc. 

Remembering what we are getting back:

No trade-deadline addition or waiver pick-up of any caliber by any team this season will match the importance, the production, or the enthusiasm of what the Reds obtain when Joey Votto returns to the lineup.  Joey Votto has been the best offensive player in baseball over the past two and half seasons according to many sources and statistics.  The Reds have seen a significant boost in play from everyone during his departure as noted earlier, and now they add a true great into the mix to bolster an offense that needed that one extra weapon.  And if Votto were a weapon he would be a nuclear bomb.

BA .344, HR 14, 49 RBI, .465 OBP, 1.065 OPS

• Bleacher Report: Joey Votto Staking His Claim as the Best Hitter in Baseball
• ESPN: Joey Votto Literally Having A Babe Ruth-Type Season
• Huffington Post: Joey Votto Hits 3-Homers, Walk-Off Grand Slam

Remember Mother's Day?

Marty's Call: Mother's Day Goosebumps

Game 136: Reds Don't Labor Much on This Day as Cueto Gets Rare Loss

Reds Drop First Game Against Phils; Bruce Homers Again

PHI 4  8  0  (65-70)
CIN  2  6  0  (82-54)

W: Tyler Cloyd (1-1)
L:  Johnny Cueto (17-7)
S: Phillippe Aumont (1)

Box Score

• Johnny Cueto: 7.0 IP, 4 R, 8 H, 0 BB, 5 SO.  He was very good until the 5th inning when he allowed back-to-back hits from the #8 hitter and the pitcher which led to a Jimmy Rollins 3-run jack in the next at-bat.  Like I said, Johnny was pretty solid other than that time frame.
• Jay Bruce homered again (30).  Unfortunately it was a solo shot that didn't do more than put the Reds within two runs at the end of the game.  Fortunately, it certainly seems as though Jay is back on one of his patented hot streaks and at the right time.
• Ludwick had a pair of hits including a double (24).
• Phillips and Frazier had the only other two knocks for Cincy.  Only hitters 3-thru-6 had hits in this one.
• J.J Hoover and Logan Ondrusek both pitched perfect frames in the 8th and 9th innings.

Game 135: 5-Run 8th Proves Difference in Win Over 'Stros.

Arroyo Just Misses 12th Win; Bruce Hits 3-Run Homer in Reds Big 8th Inning


CIN  5  9  0  (82-53)
HOU  3  9  2  (41-93)

W: Jose Arredondo (6-2)
L: Xavier Cedeno (0-1)
S: Aroldis Chapman (34)

Box Score

• Two hits apiece for Xavier Paul and Brandon Phillips
• Jay Bruce had the big hit of the night, a homer (29) that drove in three runs (87)
• Heisey had a pinch-hit double
• Stubbs singled and walked
• Frazier and Cairo also had hits
• Arroyo was very good but did not factor in the win: 6.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 SO.
• Jose Arredondo was terrible:  1.0 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 SO.  Awful.
• Jose Arredondo was the game's winning pitcher: See above line for details.
• Broxton and Chapman were both magnificent: 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 SO Apiece.

Game 134: Oh, Man. Let's Not Have Another One of Those.

Bailey's Terrific Start Blown By Poor Offense, Valdez's Defense.

CIN  1  7  1  (81-53)
HOU  2  4  0  (41-92)

W: Wilton Lopez (6-3)
L: Sean Marshall (4-5)

Box Score

• No Red had more than one hit on the night.  Bruce and Rolen had doubles.
• Wilson Valdez let a ball go through his legs at second base (where he was filling in for an ejected Brandon Phillips) in the 9th inning, which allowed the winning run to come home.
• Homer Bailey was brilliant: 8.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 9 SO. 

Moving beyond baseball?

By Joseph Dant

So, seeing as I am the fan of a team that has been out of contention since about April, I suppose I will be the one to do the first non-baseball post. As was noted in my profile, I am a rabid Notre Dame football fan. I was raised as a fan, and my devotion has only grown as I've aged.

Something that has been discussed ad naseum on ESPN recently is the idea of Notre Dame's relevancy. How relevant is a team that hasn't won a national championship in 25 years, or even contended for one (realistically) in nearly 20? I pride myself on trying not to be a blind fan just spouting rhetoric. I try to take a measured approach and be realistic with my opinions and expectations. In that vein, I have several reasons as to why I believe that Notre Dame is still very relevant in the upper echelon of college football.

What determines value? I have always believed that something is only worth what someone is willing to give you for it. Notre Dame was offered by the BCS a seat as the only independent school on their council. They were offered a huge television contract by a major network. Are these an indicator of value? I think they are.

What determines the "power schools" in college sports? Success is a major part of the equation, but I would postulate that the ability to draw to high-end recruits is just as important. Despite the fact that they are not in an exactly desirable location, despite the fact that they are not in a major conference, and despite the fact that they have not been a success on the national championship front for years, Notre Dame still manages to attract top 10 recruiting classes annually. I have heard many analysts state that Notre Dame means nothing to younger athletes. If that is the case, then why do so many of the top athletes keep choosing to attend the school?

I also think that Notre Dame holds its relevance in the fact that it is one of the few traditional powers that can hold aloft its athletes on the academic level. The school has refused to lower its academic standards to pick up a few more wins. This is what all of the other schools say they do or that their goal is to have great "student athletes", but few of them actually measure up when it comes time. Does being more than a so-called football factory equate to relevance? I think that until the NCAA comes out and admits that football is the minor league program for the NFL and eliminates the academic requirements, it absolutely does.

Now, by no means am I equating relevancy with success. If there is one thing that should be readily apparent by reading my posts, it is that I am an incredibly cynical sports fan. I am always waiting for the other shoe to drop. As opposed to being excited about the fact that we beat Navy 50-10 to open the season, I worry that it will inflate the ego of the team and cause us to overlook opponents. I have been burnt too many times to be an optimistic fan.

The argument for Notre Dame's relevance is the same as the argument for the Cubs' relevance. Yes they have not been overly successful in recent years, but they are both still very relevant and hold a lot of sway in their respective sport.

Everybody's Seeing Red Nowadays

Go Searchin'! Articles on the Reds are a Dime-A-Dozen These Days.

• Here's one of my favorites from over at Grantland.com:
• "The Reds' Embarrassment of Riches Problem" by Jonah Keri
• Excerpt: "Todd Frazier has reached base in 22 straight games. He's hitting .294/.354/.554, making him a top-25 hitter in his rookie season. In the past 30 days, only Buster Posey, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and teammate Ryan Ludwick have put up bigger numbers. In that same 30-day stretch, the Reds have gone 19-11, blazing to the best record in baseball and giving themselves a shot at their first World Series in 22 years."
• Grantland.com again: on this week in the NL Central
• "The Red Menace" by Shane Ryan
• Excerpt: "They even seem collapse-proof at this point, with lots of remaining games against teams like the Cubs, Astros, and Phillies. Time to pay attention, America."
•  From Bleacherreport.com
• "10 Things the Cincinnati Reds Need to Do to Top Nationals For NL Home Field" by Kyle Newport
• "5 Reasons the Reds Will Go Deep Into the MLB Playoffs" by Joshua Ramsey
• "5 Ways to Keep Reds' Todd Frazier in the Lineup When Joey Votto Returns" by Joshua Ramsey

Game 133: Best Team Beats Worst Team. Simple Enough.

Quality Start From Mikey, 3-Run Shot From the Beaumont Bomber; Reds Win 4th Straight.

CIN  9  13  1 (81-52)
HOU  3  9  1 (40-92)

W: Mike Leake (7-8)
L: Fernando Abad (0-2)

Box Score

• Recap:
• Mike Leake was solid last night for six innings in Houston, Texas.  Although he didn't need much, he had plenty of help from the offense.  The Reds had five extra base hits on the night; three doubles and a pair of longballs.  Jay Bruce hit a homerun off a left-hander giving him a pretty cool distinction according to the Elias Sports Bureau: " It was Bruce's 28th home run of the season and his 10th off a left-handed pitcher; he had hit 12 homers off lefties in 2010 and 11 last year. Bruce is the lone left-handed hitter with 10-or-more home runs against left-handed pitchers in each of the last three seasons (that is, 2010, 2011 and 2012). And he has tied the Reds' record of three straight seasons with 10-or-more lefty-on-lefty homers; Ted Kluszewski (1953-55) and Adam Dunn (2004-06) are the others who did that."  So that's pretty neat-o in my book. 
• Reds Offense:
• Brandon Phillips: 3-for-5 with his 29th double and his 71st RBI.  The best second-baseman in the National League plays for the Cincinnati Reds and is batting .300 on the year.
• Zack Cozart: Two big hits for Cozy on the night; the first was a two-run homer (15) that sailed into the Crawford Boxes in left that gave the Reds an early boost.  His second hit was launched even further but landed just under the yellow line off the tall wall in left-center for his 32nd double.  (Maybe having Heisey behind him rather than Stubbs helps a little?)
• Heisey and Navarro:  Heisey had a pair of singles and two RBI (29) as he continues to swing the bat very well as of late for the Reds.  He always got an uncontested, stand-up steal (6). It's hard not to imagine what it would be like to have Chris in the daily lineup over Drew right now. Navarro also had a pair of hits last night including a double.  Last night was most likely Dioner's last go 'round with the Reds big club barring any unfortunate scenarios.
• Jay Bruce: Jables reached base three times by walking twice and pelting a three-run homerun (28) that put the game out of reach.  It was also Jay's 82nd, 83rd and 84th runs batted in.
• Frazier and Ludwick:  Both had a hit on the night.  Ludwick also drew a walk.
• Miguel Cairo:  The old fart came in to pinch-hit in the 8th and battled out a long at-bat in which he ended by singling over third base and driving in a run (12). 
• Reds Pitching:
• Mike Leake: 6.0 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 SO.  Mikey scattered some hits but was really only in trouble one time in the game when he allowed back-to-back jacks in the 4th inning.  Outside of that, Leake was splendid.  When "Leakey" is going strong, he is a very good number five pitcher and would be welcomed in that role by any ballclub.
• LeCure and Simon:  3.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K.  LeCure looked terrific in his one inning as he didn't allow squat and struck out a batter.  Simon got into some trouble in the 8th and allowed a run, but he was still quite solid overall.
• Something I wanted to add:
• Fernando Abad gave up six runs on nine hits in just 4.1 innings.  It was 'a bad' night for Fernando!  Ha!  Yeah, its a dumb pun.  So what?

**It'll be Homer Bailey (10-9, 4.24) vs. the best pitcher Houston has to offer, Lucas Harrell (10-9, 3.92), in the 7:05pm (ET) game tonight between the Reds and the Astronomicals.  Let's go Redlegs!  I would love for us to come back to Cincy with a perfect 7-0 road trip under our belt.



-Votto Update:  Seeing as the Redlegs just keep on winning and Joey is just now getting back into the swing of things, we won't see him until after this series in Houston.  The Reds return home for a series against the Phillies on Labor Day and we are keeping our fingers crossed for a return on that date.  Votto has been playing in Dayton the last few days as he continues to rehab his way back to where he belongs; batting third and playing first base for the best team in baseball.