Reds Remain Atop The Heap

By Robb Hoff

July 21. 2012

The Cincinnati Reds may have not scored 12 runs in an inning Saturday night the way the St. Louis Cardinals did against the totally hapless Chicago Cubs or even score four runs in an inning the way the Pittsburgh Pirates did without so much as a single hit against a washed-up pitcher for a grotesquely overrated, overhyped Miami Marlins squad.

But the Reds did manage to do what they've been doing a lot of lately, and that is win.

The Reds seventh win nine games into this 10-game homestand kept the team atop the heap of the N.L. Central division, making for a tight race as the summer bears down.

The Reds got a magical whiffle ball outing from Bronson Arroyo, who baffled one mystified Brewers hitter after another, and the Reds again relied on their stellar bullpen and their staple longball, courtesy of outfielder Ryan Ludwick and All-Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger second baseman Brandon Phillips.

The Reds unleash their ace Johnny Cueto tomorrow against the Brewers with a sweep in sight and a tasty end to their homestand just one more bite away.

Speaking of Cueto, those less than 20,000 of us lucky enough to witness Cueto's last start saw a gutty performance by a pitcher who was doing his all to overcome a finger blister and get his team over the hump in a key game.

There will be less pressure on Cueto tomorrow, but true to form expect another giant effort from the best starting pitcher the Reds have had in 20 years.

The most amazing thing about Cueto this year is not his 2.28 ERA or his 11 wins this season. It is the five home runs he's given up in over 126 innings, which averages out to one every 25+ innings for a pitcher who spends half his time hurling in one of the most homer-friendly ballparks baseball has ever seen.

If that isn't good enough to be a National League All-Star, I don't know what is.

Of course it wasn't enough to be a Tony LaRussa All-Star, not that the true fans of baseball will ever have to be subjected to such a shameless display of petty bias again...well at least from a manager because there will always be the lowest of low standards that the so-called "fans" of baseball unfortunately are allowed to sink to each year like they did this year when for some reason they picked Braves second baseman Dan Uggla over the All-Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger second baseman that the Reds have under contract for the next seven years -- Dat Dude otherwise known as Brandon Phillips.