Kuzul

You gotta love early-season baseball statistics.

At Jonny Gomes’ current pace, he will end the 2011 season with 58 home runs and 150 RBI. It would go down as one of the greatest seasons of all time, and Gomes would be celebrated as a hero around these parts.

I’ll make a fearless prediction, and say he falls somewhat short of that.

However, at least in the early going, Gomes is displaying a different approach at the plate that reflects in his numbers.

Saturday’s 2-for-4 against the Pirates brought his overall batting average to .268 to go with five home runs and 13 RBI.

We all knew he was capable of putting together the occasional hot streak, but what’s the difference?

Gomes leads the National League in walks with 15. For the entirety of last year, he had 39. That is a large contributor to his .456 OBP.

Everything about the man at the plate suggests he’s dying to swing—the helmet tugs and gyrations, combined with the fact that he’s always had to fight for a job.

From personal observation, he’s taking a lot more borderline pitches. Last year, he was popping those up.

The increased success comes with a bit of scrutiny, as he started off last year hot, and then faded down the stretch. 

Will that be the case again?

Power comes and goes. Hitters slump, but a patient batting eye doesn’t, and if Gomes has truly figured out an approach that works for him mentally, he can put together a nice season for the Reds.

Just don’t expect him to knock on the door of Roger Maris’ old home run record.

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Let me preface this article by saying that Jonny Gomes is one of my favorite players on the Reds.

I am wondering if being ‘unofficially’ awarded the left-field job prior to the start of camp hasn’t sapped the slugger of his hunger.

He is presently batting a woeful, team-worst .158 with 2 HR and only 5 RBI. With the outfield talent at camp this season, it would strike fear into me if I were Gomes.

Dave Sappelt, in his second spring with the club, is leading the team with 18 hits and a BA of .545 and an OBP of .556.

Chris Heisey, who is beginning his second season with the Reds, is batting .317, leads the squad with 4 HR and is second in RBI with 10.

Jeremy Hermida, who spent last year with the Red Sox and A’s, is batting .385 with 3 HR.

Fred Lewis, an off-season pick-up from the Blue Jays, is having the same trouble that Gomes is in terms of offensive production.

Gomes’ intangibles are extraordinary. He has more hustle than anyone on the team, and his leadership in the clubhouse helps make the team what it is.

He is a scrapper, a fighter and is unaccustomed to things being handed to him. It is what makes him hungry and what makes him who he is, a tenacious bulldog who will fight anyone for the next chew toy thrown anywhere near him.

I did not say that Dusty Baker had promised him the job. I said that it has “unofficially been awarded to him pre-camp. I am afraid that has ruined his spring performance.

With that being said, and I realize this is just spring training, Gomes is more than likely hearing the hoof beats of the young herd coming up behind him.

The Reds will host the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park when the season begins a week from Thursday.

I can’t help but think if he doesn’t start hitting soon, he may be benched before the season progresses very far.

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I hate to look ahead and into the future, but it’s looking like the 2012 free agency period may be an important one for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Many of the main cogs of the franchise will be over to the age of 35 or close to it.  The window isn’t exactly opened all the way.

Not only do some of the Phillies prospects have to prosper down the line, Amaro is going to have to make some tough decisions.  Who does he want to re-sign or sign during this time frame.  Philadelphia’s farm system is ranked in the top five by the way.

I think there’s two focal points that Amaro will target, a power hitting right handed outfielder, and arms in the back of the bullpen.

Here’s ten guys I can see Amaro targeting after the 2011 season….

ALSO CHECK OUT

Power Ranking the Starting First Basemen

Power Ranking the Starting Second Basemen

Power Ranking the Starting Shortstops

Power Ranking the Starting Third Basemen

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Picture this scene; it’s late July, and the Mets are sitting in last place with no hope of reversing their fortunes.  In other words, it’s become yet another lost summer in Queens.

Fortunately for the Mets, patrolling Center Field is a healthy and all-star caliber slugger named Carlos Beltran.  His hefty salary has become an albatross to the Mets’ payroll, and Sandy Alderson is actively shopping him, gauging the interest level of current playoff contenders.

Who offers the best package?  What exactly would the Mets seek in return for Beltran?

Here are five possible trade scenarios that will benefit contending teams in the short term, as well as the Mets and their commitment to the future.  

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Defense wins championships. It may be old hat, but it still rings a ton of truth. Cincinnati has improved in most, if not all categories this year, which has allowed the Reds to put themselves in better position to win games.

You can tout a better offense, game strategy, veteran leadership, and more focused pitching. Although, for my money, I would have to say the Reds can point to their defense as the biggest reason as to why they will find themselves in Philadelphia Wednesday night gladly shaking off their numb limbs in the chilly October air eager to play some postseason baseball.

The Reds may not have overpowered every team this season, but they did keep the possibility of a victory close to their chest by simply doing what they are supposed to do.

Cincinnati committed just 72 errors this season in 162 games. That’s the third-fewest in the National League, and their fielding percentage of .988 was second best in the NL.

The stat that might surprise you the most is the fact that Cincinnati had 106 errorless games in 2010. That mark is a new team record. The previous mark of 99 error-free contests was set in 1992.

The past two Dusty Baker led Reds squads had a penchant for booting the ball. Cincinnati had 89 flubs in 2009 and a depressing 114 in 2008 and their record showed their lack of a defensive prowess. If you are counting, that’s 42 fewer errors than just two years ago… 42!!

What would the Reds say is the reason for the change?

Left fielder Jonny Gomes explained to Yahoo! Sports, “I think this team has really responded to Dusty’s style of baseball, Dusty’s style of managing. I think this is actually the first year where this it’s his group of guys. He was able to catch them for the first day of spring and establish the style of ball he wanted to play.”

I’ve heard all the comments from the Dusty Baker haters out there and I’m not about to disagree with them or defend Dusty in anyway. I can see their point, but I would also have to say that Baker took the Giants, the Cubs, and the Reds to the playoffs in a relatively short time with each of those teams.

That has to count for something, even if the following years with the Giants and the Cubs were not the greatest. Those teams did get the chance to experience success and taste the playoffs under Baker’s direction.

The Reds are doing just that this year. Cincinnati got rid of the some cancers that attributed to their bad play and poor baseball in the past and returned to basics with a group of guys who truly believed in playing winning baseball.

The result is 91 wins, a division title and date with the almighty Phillies at 5:07 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in the city of brotherly love on Wednesday in the National League Division Series.

Reds fans, where ever it is you take in the game on Wednesday, take the time to raise a glass and toast the fact that October baseball has finally returned to Cincinnati. If needed, toast a second time to hoping that we can experience a repeat performance in 2011.

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All hail the Jay Bruce express! Hop on the bandwagon now, because it’s filling up quick.
 
Bruce has been up-and-down all season long for the Reds…shoot, for his whole career. Yet the offense had never gone through an extended lull this season until Bruce went down.
 
The Reds offense had become stale over the past two weeks. Having two-and-a-half healthy outfielders will do that to a team (Chris Heisey had been playing banged up).
 
Bruce strained his right side in batting practice 12 games ago. Getting hurt in BP has to be one of the more disappointing ways to get hurt—especially in a playoff chase.
 
So the Reds had to labor through 12 games with nobody to replace Heisey, Jonny Gomes, and Drew Stubbs. Jim Edmonds and Laynce Nix are still recovering from injuries as well.
 
The Reds went 5-7 in Bruce’s absence.
 
He’s back now and came through in a big way Monday night. He belted a home run in his first at-bat since the injury, and added another one. He finished 3-4 with two HR and four RBI. Rust…what rust?
 
He picked up right where he left off prior to his injury. In the last four games before hurting his side, Bruce hit five homers and drove in eight runs.
 
After hitting a frightful .200 in the month of July, Bruuuuce has raised his average 24 points to .278 since then. He is beginning to hit lefties better and has really cut down on his strikeouts.
 
Before the All-Star game, Bruce whiffed 83 times. Since the break he has cut that number down to 36. He is getting much better at adjusting the big loop he has in his swing and it has helped his K rate immensely.
 
For the season Bruce is hitting .278 with 20 home runs and 61 RBI with a .346 OBP.
 
The time off might have given Bruce a chance to rest mentally.
 
“It helped me be more relaxed. That’s the biggest thing about hitting. You need to be relaxed up there. I guess that’s how I’m supposed to feel all the time. Hopefully I can feel that, know what it’s like and repeat it.”
 
The thing people forget about Bruce is that the guy is just 23. He’s been in the majors for two-plus years now, but is still younger than the average rookie.
 
His defense has been phenomenal. The cannon of an arm has mowed down plenty of baserunners and his coverage is excellent. He is one of the best defensive right fielders in today’s game.
 
He currently has alternated between the fifth and sixth spots in the lineup. The numbers are quite similar for him. He provides excellent protection for fellow sluggers Scott Rolen and Gomes.  Having Bruce at the six-spot is a huge luxury for any team.
 
Funny thing is, Bruce has really excelled in the lead-off spot. Sure he may not have much speed and the sample size is small…but check the numbers: 7-12 (.583), 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1.583 slugging percentage.
 
I’m not saying it should be a permanent move, but those are some impressive numbers. And it’s not like Brandon Phillips and Orlando Cabrera are lighting up the stolen base column.
 
Regardless of where Bruce hits in the lineup, the Reds need him badly.
 
The rotation for the playoffs is up in the air and the bullpen has been less than stellar of late.
 
What is the best medicine for these aliments? An explosive offense. The Reds have one when everybody is healthy.
 
As we come down the home stretch of the baseball season, Reds fans need to cross their fingers that Jay Bruce stays healthy. He will be essential to finishing off the Cardinals and beyond for the Reds.

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The NL-Central boasts a few great pickups this week and one real surprise Sit ‘Em candidate.  While there is great outfield help abound, a couple could use some rest on your bench. 

Low-percentage owned pitchers rounds out the help in this week’s fantasy baseball forecast.  Congratulations to those of you who followed last week’s advice in starting Neil Walker and sitting Dexter Fowler.

Start ‘Em

Jonny Gomes | Cincinnati Reds | 36.1 percent

He hasn’t been as hot as he was before the All-Star break, but Gomes might be able to find a spark this week against some weak pitching and playing in hitter-friendly parks. 

His lifetime stats at Coors field include a .409 average and three home runs in 22 at-bats.  Against the four starters for Colorado, Gomes is hitting .474 with five home runs in 19 at-bats for his career.  He’s also hitting .310 with two home runs through 29 career at-bats against the Pittsburgh starters.

Colby Rasmus | St. Louis Cardinals | 78.7 percent

Look for the newly disgruntled Cardinal to have a great week.  Against Atlanta this year  Colby is hitting .600 in ten at-bats with one home run. 

His bigger strength though, is hitting against the Brewers.  This year against the Brewers Colby is hitting .393 with a .514 OBP and three home runs in 28 at-bats.  Also, all of Colby’s games are away games this week, in which he’s hitting .305 (79 points higher than at home).

Sit  ‘Em

Luke Scott | Baltimore Orioles | 96.7 percent
One of the streakier players in baseball, Scott is headed for…

Click here to continue >>>>

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Since the dreadful series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Reds have reeled off six-straight wins, sweeping both the Florida Marlins and now the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In doing this, they have become the hottest team in the major leagues.

They are currently 19 games over .500 and have their biggest lead of the season in the National League’s Central Division.

They aren’t beating people with smoke and mirrors, but with old fashioned, hard-nosed baseball. They have played two suicide squeezes to perfection in the last few games.

Many people are calling for the head of Jonny Gomes, why?

Even with his less-than-stellar play recently, he is still third on the team in RBI, just two behind Scott Rolen at 66. His average with RISP is still fourth in the entire league. That is his job—drive in runs, not just get on base. Everyone knew he was a defensive liability from game one.

I have watched him get at least three infield hits in the last few weeks. He hustles every play (did you read that Brandon?).

Their are a couple of quaint sayings that certainly would apply here, right now.

First—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Simple, but true and very self-explanatory. You don’t have to be Einstein or even His Holiness Bill James to figure that out.

Second—dance with the one who ‘brung’ you. An adage with some Appalachian vernacular for your reading enjoyment. If Sadie brought you to the dance, don’t go off dancing with the new girl because she is showing a little more cleavage.

Maybe the second is not as eloquent as the first, or even as understandable. The point remains the same: If the food is fit for a king, don’t switch cooks.

All year long the substitutes have come through remarkably well. When someone goes down, another man steps up.

Miguel Cairo has been so valuable stepping in for Rolen or Joey Votto when he needed a day off.

Paul Janish filled in so well for Orlando Cabrera that the “O.C.” may have difficulty getting his job back when he crawls off the shelf.

Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan have spelled each other behind the plate admirably. Hats off to Corky Miller while he was up in place of Hanigan earlier in the campaign.

I have fought all year long against Coco Cordero being lifted as a closer. It was actually to my delight that Dusty Baker pulled him from a game recently, while Nick Masset effectively cleaned up his mess.

The fact remains that Coco is still the closer and round and round we go.

I have to say that Baker and Walt Jocketty have done a tremendous job juggling the talent—especially the pitchers this season. I believe we have seven or eight starters here and at Louisville that could start for many other MLB teams.

Until the wheels start wobbling like they are about to give out, keep the course steady.

The Reds appear to have one of the best teams in the National League. Please don’t tinker with success.

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The Cincinnati Reds offense has been nothing short of spectacular this season. But it could be even better with one simple tweak.
 
The line-up has been excellent—first in the N.L. with 602 runs to be exact. It’s been a major factor in the Reds’ ’10 success.
 
Joey Votto, Scott Rolen, and Brandon Phillips have been the chief contributors. Ramon Hernandez, Miguel Cairo, Jay Bruce, Chris Heisey and recently Paul Janish have been solid if not extremely steady. Drew Stubbs as been up and down but he does have more RBI (57) than Derek Jeter, Jason Heyward, Ryan Ludwick, Lance Berkman, Chipper Jones, Jason Bay, and Jose Reyes.
 
But there is one part of the line-up that hasn’t been producing for quite a while now. LF Jonny Gomes started the year in a platoon situation with Laynce Nix. As both players split time throughout the first two months.
 
Gomes blasted out of the gate as fast as a jackrabbit. He separated himself by hitting .364 with 22 RBI in the month of May. Manager Dusty Baker decided that was enough production to hand the reigns to Gomes for virtually every start since.
 
Since then Gomes has fallen off in a big way. He hit a mere .244 in June, followed by a .288 OBP and a .240 clip the next month—while starting all but three games in July.
 
In his last 54 games he’s hitting a miserable .222 with four home runs and 19 RBI. Since the All-Star break (31 games) he has hit .218 with two homers and six RBI. He is one for his last 19.
 
Do these numbers look like starter material? I haven’t even mentioned his dreadful defense that is amongst the worst for outfielders.
 
Yet it’s not as if Gomes isn’t valuable to the team. He is a great presence in the clubhouse and keeps the team’s energy at a high level. But let’s face it: Gomes is a career .245 hitter and the back of his baseball card is starting to show.
 
Enter Nix.
 
He had a tortoise-like slow start to the season, but has been great in limited action of late.
 
Pinch-hitting is as tough as it gets for baseball players. Sit for eight innings while trying to stay mentally ready, grab a bat—while having sat for three hours—face the other teams top relievers and deliver in the clutch.
 
Nix has made it look easy. He’s 18 for his last 37 with seven starts over that period of time. He has raised his average 60 points since mid-July to .291.
 
His defense isn’t gold glove caliber, but it’s much better than Gomes. Nix has a cannon for an arm and has made his fair share of run saving catches.
 
So the question remains…why does Dusty keep neglecting post-May Nix? He deserves to be playing more—especially with Gomes struggling so much.
 
The Reds need to give Nix a shot at playing everyday again and see what happens. Imagine how much better the Reds offense would be with a guy NOT hitting .218 since the break? Imagine a stronger left field defensively?
 
If Gomes is the hare than Nix is the tortoise. We all know who wins the race in the end.

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“I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em.  I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals,” Reds 2B Brandon Phillips.

Phillips’ comments eventually escalated into a full-fledged brouhaha last night.

When Phillips came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the first inning, he tapped Yadier Molina’s shin guard with his bat.  This is something that Phillips does on a regular basis to the catcher and umpire as a way of saying hello.  Molina appeared to be expecting the tap and kicked Phillips’ bat.  Phillips then tapped him again and stepped away to take a practice swing.  Molina got in Phillips’ face, prompting both benches and bullpens to empty.

Paul Janish, who was on deck, immediately came to the scene and tried to restrain Phillips. Jonny Gomes and Scott Rolen ran out of the Reds’ dugout to hold back Molina.  At first, it seemed like a normal baseball fight with a little pushing and shoving. 

Dusty Baker and Tony LaRussa, who aren’t exactly best friends, began having a rather heated discussion.  The umpires separated the two managers and things appeared to be calming down until it appeared that Chris Carpenter had some words for Baker.

Then all hell broke loose.

When you watch the video, it is hard to tell if Rolen was going after Carpenter or if he was trying to keep the peace.  Regardless, it certainly appears that Carpenter instigated that stage of the fight.

The fracas moved to the backstop behind home plate with Rolen and Carpenter in the middle of it.  Several people appeared to go down to the ground, including Rolen.  That was when I got worried.  In a baseball fight, nothing good can happen if you are on the ground and everyone else is piled around or on top of you.

After the fighting stopped, the umpires decided to only eject both managers.  I give the umpires a lot of credit for making that decision.  Something had to be done.  It would have been a shame to see players get ejected during such an important series, especially since both sides were clearly at fault.

That brings me to my take on the melee. 

I agree with what Phillips said about the Cardinals.  Most of the Reds probably do.  They cry and complain all the time about the opposition allegedly cheating when they have one of the biggest cheaters in the history of the game in their dugout.  Carpenter reminds me of the spoiled kid with a sense of entitlement and thinks the entire world revolves around him.

However, I would not have publicly expressed my feelings the way Phillips did.  Why add to your opponent’s motivation during a tight pennant race?

I don’t think Molina was wrong in the way he reacted to Phillips tapping his shin guard.  I would have done the same thing.  Phillips was just asking for trouble.  I would prefer him make a statement by playing hard and helping his team win the game.  I suspect that a lot of his teammates feel the same way.

However, when it comes to the Reds, Phillips is family.  You protect your family and stand behind them, even if you don’t agree with their actions.

It would be highly recommended that the Reds win the series finale this afternoon.

Read more at Reds Country.

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