Cincinnati Reds Unsung Heroes Continue to Produce

The Reds are chalk-full of talent.

Sure they have a possible Triple Crown candidate in Joey Votto—and fellow All-Stars Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen. The pitching staff has been solid if not spectacular, lead by the most consistent pitcher in the majors: Bronson Arroyo.

But the glue that keeps this team together is the bench. They are unsung heroes that have proven to be the WD-40 to the Reds machine when it gets a bit rusty. The players that were expected to be after thoughts have instead been essential to the Reds success.

Dusty Baker has told media members that the team would be lost without them. Votto calls them "essential" to the team’s good fortunes. Here are the unsung heroes of the 2010 Reds:

Paul Janish

Janish is known for his spectacular defense. He has incredible range and could perform a mean two-step with the incredible footwork is posses. He also has a cannon for an arm and has shown in the past that no play is out of his reach.

The issue has always been his bat. The concern was horrific enough that the Reds had to sign Orlando Cabrera over the winter. Right as Janish was preparing for his first season as a starter, the Reds scooped up a new guy. So Janish returned to a familiar place—the bench.

Once Cabrera went to the DL it was finally his time to show he indeed can carry a decent stick. He's played everyday for a month and has produced a .286 average and a .366 OPS. He has collected 10 RBI in the eight spot in the lineup. He had the game tying single in the wacky 12-11 win over the Giants on Wednesday.

I'd argue he should stay in the starting lineup when Cabrera and his .260 average, .302 OBP and limited range at short return. Tough decision for Dusty.

Ryan Hanigan

Being the backup catcher isn't quite a glamorous job. But Hannigan has looked oh-so smooth doing it. The 30 year-old has produced a .282 batting average in 52 games. He has knocked in 32 RBI, tripling his previous career high, and has solidified the bottom of the order.

Hannigan is the personal catcher of Arroyo, but has hit his way into playing more than just every fifth day. The reliable "Hanny" has been a key tool on the Reds belt.

Chris Heisey

Heisey was brought up in early May to make his major league debut. So far, so good for the 25 year-old out of Lancaster Pennsylvania, he has been invaluable as a late game replacement. He has blasted three pinch-hit homeruns in the eighth inning of later.

He provides stellar defense wherever you put him in the outfield. He hit .323 in the month of July with a .364 OBP. He has turned into one of Dusty's top pinch hitters in the late innings.

The strikeouts need to be cut down (34 K's and only 15 walks), and the .186 August average indicates he hasn't completely figured out how to hit major league pitching.

As September approaches, the Reds will need Heisey to make the necessary adjustments to continue to be the feared bat he has been off the bench.

Logan Ondrusek

Ondrusek is another rookie, whom has come out of nowhere to be a consistent contributor out of the Reds bullpen. He went 20 straight appearances without allowing an earned run. The 25 year-old Texas native has a nasty sinker that has stunning movement.

He's 3-0 and has been the go to pitcher in the seventh inning lately for Dusty. Expect him to be placed in some huge situations over the next two months.

Jordan Smith

Yet an additional rookie, Smith didn't come to the big club until the middle of June. Since then he has been back-and-forth between Cincinnati and Louisville like a yo-yo.

He allowed only a single run in his first 8.2 innings pitched. He has excelled in his role as a long reliever or situational pitcher. His location has been terrific, allowing only six walks compared to 21 Ks. The 3.67 ERA is a little misleading due to a few bad outings, but this kid has late inning potential.

It will be interesting to watch his progress amidst a pennant race that's getting hotter than black concrete in August,

Miguel Cairo

The biggest unsung hero of them all? Cairo has been invaluable to the Reds with his ability to play anywhere on the field and provide timely hitting.

Spring Training was a last ditch effort for Cairo to hang on with a team. The journeyman made a bet with his daughter he would make the squad—even she thought his career was over.

Fast forward six moths and the Reds would not be in first with out him. After sitting next to a box of Dusty toothpicks until June, his number was called and he delivered.

He has .287 average and .353 OBP, but the stats only tell half the story. Cairo is seeing the ball better than ever in his career. His 8.1 percent walk rate is a career high. He has a 27 percent rate of scorching a line-drive—much better than the league average.

The 36 year-old Cairo also brings to the table a strong veteran presence amongst all the young Reds players. He has teamed with Rolen, Cabrera and Rhodes to show this team how to win and keep winning.

Playing for the veteran’s minimum, Cairo is a steal and a valuable piece of the '10 puzzle. A crucial ninth inning AB awaits and Reds fans can feel safe with him at the plate.

Detroit Tigers' Johnny Damon Rejected Boston Red Sox

Does a bad break-up ever have a happy ending?

After being the poster boy for the Red Sox 2004 “Idiots,” current Detroit Tiger OF Johnny Damon could of gone back to the scene of the crime. Damon instead used it as an opportunity to give a subliminal middle finger to the Red Sox organization.

The Red Sox claimed Damon off the waiver wire in hopes of bolstering a stale lineup down the stretch. While his career average is down 14 points (.272), he still has provided the veteran leadership needed for a young team like the Tigers.

The Red Sox don’t necessarily need his leadership. But the experience of a two-time World Series champ is quite invaluable. Damon knows how to win, he isn’t intimidated by the six-game deficit with five weeks to go scenario the Sox currently find themselves in.

The waiver wire pickup could have been to block the two AL East teams currently ahead of the Red Sox in their quest for a seventh postseason appearance in the last eight years.

Boston was ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees in the waiver order and both teams (the Rays more than the Yankees) could of had a great deal of curiosity in adding Damon themselves.

Damon famously switched allegiances in the biggest rivalry in sports when he bolted from Boston to the Bronx after the ’05 campaign. The beloved Damon became the archenemy for Boston fans.

The ironic part of the saga is that his ’05 season was statistically the best in his career with his .326 average and 35 doubles. Entering the free agent market, only the Yankees could offer him an eye-popping contract. So like most pro-athletes (and virtually everyone that finds themselves in this situation in their line of work) he jumped to the hated rivals.

He consistently was booed in his return appearances to Fenway as the fans looked at him in the same light as Benedict Arnold. When he returned to Yankee Stadium earlier this year as a member of the Detroit Tigers, he was showered with cheers and respect. Damon (without the beard) led the Yanks to a World Series in ‘09 and New York fans didn’t forget.

The question remains, would Sox fans have booed Damon if he had gone to any team besides the Yankees in ’06? Nobody knows for sure but the bitterness that is in the blood of Boston fans really resonated with Damon.

With all of the Red Sox injury problems, Damon’s .358 on base would have certainly bolster their lineup.

But would Sox fans learn to cheer him ever again? Maybe that’s a question that can never be answered. It does seem as if this had a part in Damon’s final decision. How big a factor is up for debate.

“My teammates are making this decision easier by saying they want me to stay,” Damon told reporters Monday. “My gut and everything else tells me Detroit’s the place for me.”

The 63-63 record of the Tigers defines mediocrity. Yet the Tigers are not a lost ship. They have been decimated by injuries and have a plethora of young, talented players on the roster. So don’t discount the patience of Damon as well. MLB should be cautious of the ’11 Tigers, Damon may just be looking ahead.

Bernard Scott, RB, Cincinnati Bengals: 2010 NFL Fantasy Football Gold

Everybody loves a good under the radar fantasy pick.

Each year an unheralded player becomes a household name after a few weeks of double-digit fantasy points.

The Bengals have one on their hands this year in 26-year-old Bernard Scott.

The AFC North is not a pretty division. All four teams traditionally win with a strong defense and a solid running game.

It took the Bengals awhile to realize this. Finally in '09, they figured it out. Starting running back Cedric Benson received the rock early and often in the 13 games he played.

301 carries and 1,251 yards were career highs for the former top five pick. There were games in which he would almost reach 40 carries.

Benson has already shown in three preseason games that he is poised to repeat that performance. Without a doubt he is the starter for the Bengals. Yet the physicality of the division requires each team to have solid back-ups in the running game.

Benson missed three games last year with a hip issue and you can expect him to get banged up once again against the likes of New England, San Diego, New Orleans, and Indy—not to mention the teams in the AFC North.

Overlooking his backup would be a huge fantasy blunder. Scott is entering his second year out of Division II Abilene Christian. He set all kinds of records in college yet dropped all the way to the sixth round (209th overall) of the '09 draft due to dreaded "character issues."

The Bengals noticed his problems occurred in the early years of his college career. In his final two seasons he was a model citizen.

As a sixth round pick with a chip on his shoulder, Scott emerged as the clear-cut second string back right off the bat. Most would consider his first year a success. He had 321 yards on 74 attempts, good enough for a 4.3 yards per carry. Filling in for Benson against the Raiders underrated defense, he ran for 119 yards, including a 61-yard gallop.

He also began to return kickoffs, taking one to the house against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. That touchdown ended up being the difference in a 18-12 Bengals victory.

He ended up with a 31.5-yard average on 16 returns. Expect a similar role for him this season. He has been returning kicks in each of the first three preseason games.

The 5'10", 197 pound Texas native has break away speed and can be very hard to tackle. He has great elusiveness and holds onto the ball. He didn't lose a single fumble in his rookie season.

Offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski admits he hasn’t had a back as explosive catching the ball out of the backfield in his 10 seasons here.

“No question he’s the kind of guy you want to put the ball in his hands,” Bratkowski says. “You can use him in the slot; you can do some different things with him.”

The ability to break off a long run is extremely appealing for a second string back. The versatility of Scott leads one to believe the Bengals will get this guy on the field in one form or another.

“If I have the ball in my hands, I feel like I can make a big play and help the team,” Scott says. “If they want to put me in the slot, and throw me a couple balls out of the backfield, that’s fine, too. We did a little bit of that (this spring) in camp. Now that I’m more familiar with the offense, I think they’ve got the confidence that I know what I’m doing and they can use me doing more things.”

While you shouldn’t use a top pick on Scott, a mid-draft selection of the underrated back will look make you look like a fantasy genius before the 2010 campaign is over. You have been warned.

Cincinnati Reds' Laynce Nix Deserves Nod Over Ice-Cold Jonny Gomes

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.

Brandon Phillips' Comments Backfire as Reds Get Pummeled by Cardinals

“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 prior to three-game set against the Cardinals this week.

First off, let me say that the comments uttered by Phillips are spot-on. The Cardinals complain about stupid little things like balls being rubbed differently and Bronson Arroyo's hat. Manager Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan are whiners. The real problem is that they are whiners who are also winners.

Nobody likes the team that beats everyone in a game of basketball yet still complains that the opponents were fouling like crazy. Herein lies the problem Phillips has with the organization—they are complaining about things that don't even affect the win and loss totals for the Cards. They are the divisional powerhouse and are still not satisfied.

So in that regard, Phillips is indeed correct. Many other players around baseball nodded their heads in agreement when they read his comments.

The part of all this I disagree with is the timing of it all. The veteran Cardinals have been on cruise control for most of the 2010 campaign. Why light a 20-foot fire the day you go in the forest? Why give them the motivation needed to beat the crap out of you? Baseball is all about being steady, not getting too up or too down.

That was not the case on Tuesday.

The brawl between the two clubs was a joy to watch—by far the best one of the season, as even the two managers were jawing at each other!

Former Cardinal turned Reds third baseman Scott Rolen was playing peacemaker until the uncalled-for comments of pitcher Chris Carpenter—directed towards Reds manager Dusty Baker—enraged Rolen. Next thing you knew, starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was pinned to the backstop kicking Cardinal players away just to avoid being trampled.

Cardinals catcher Jason LaRue was the only player to get hurt, but plenty of punches and pushes were thrown. I'd say the fight was a draw. And yes, Cardinal fans, you would start kicking people away too if you were pinned against a wall with 50 professional athletes getting shoved in your direction.

The problem is that now it looks as if Rolen and Cueto will be suspended. Carpenter might be the only one on the Cardinals' side to be punished (and I'm sure they will complain about it). All of this stemmed from Phillips' comments.

Now let's talk about actual play on the field.

In a nutshell, the Cards have crushed the Reds over the past three days. A two-game lead for the Reds has turned into a one-game lead for St. Louis. The Cardinals have been playing extremely angrily, and the Redlegs weren't ready for the boost in intensity.

There is no way to judge how much of an impact Phillips' comments had on the Cardinals' performance. Former Cardinal Al Leiter places all the blame on Phillips for the brawl. So is this whole disaster of a series his fault?

No, not at all. Is it his fault that the Reds' pitching has been horrendous? Is it his fault the outfield has looked like there were three Adam Dunns out there? Sure, he only collected two hits in the series, but there were plenty of other problems that could be blamed for this debacle.

But this is not a "ship has sailed" moment either. It's only three of 162 games. There are 50-plus games to go. The two teams play each other one more time in St. Louis in early September. The Reds have the easiest remaining schedule in all of baseball. The NL Central dregs are all still on the slate.

Don't take this series as anything more than what it was. The Reds have shown they aren't ready to take down the older brother just yet—but let's see if they can a month down the road.

Chalk this up as a learning experience for the young Reds. Pennant fever is getting hotter and hotter.

The Cincinnati Reds Trade For Jim Edmonds, Turning Villian Into Savior?

The list of former Cardinals turned Reds grew again today. Cincinnati sent OF Chris Dickerson to the Brewers for the 40 year-old Jim Edmonds.

Former Cardinals and current Reds G.M. Walt Jocketty has acquired Scott Rolen, Jason Isringhausen, Russ Springer, and Miguel Cairo in the past year—all Cardinals at one point or another.

The big question: does Edmonds have anything left in the tank?

In 217 plate appearances he is hitting .286, but only has eight homers and 20 RBI after sitting out the entire '09 season. He's a left-handed stick, and has been hitting pretty consistently since the break (.333).

The majority of his time has been spent in CF, and that's where he will be starting for the Reds on Monday night. Can you guess who they are playing?

The Cardinals come to town for the biggest home series in 10 years for the Reds. There are two games separating them and Jocketty has obviously acknowledged the importance of winning this series.

Edmonds has played in the postseason seven different times. He is a .285 career hitter that will bring a great deal of veteran leadership to the club. He has accumulated eight gold gloves over his career. He can tell a guy like Jay Bruce what it's like to play in meaningful September and October games.

I don't think this move was a great idea, but giving up Dickerson isn't the end of the world. He's a guy that never seemed to fit into the Reds plans and he just coudn't get over the hump.

Dickerson has been consistently injured. He has been hurt for three months—just like last year. He was hitting just .205 in 44 at-bats with the Reds this season. Since his return, though, he's been hot while batting .442 with three homers and six steals in his first 13 games at AAA Louisville.

So, while I'm not a huge fan of Edmonds, it's not as if the Reds gave up a five-tool prospect. But I think there is a subliminal reason for Reds' fans to not like Edmonds.

He used to be one of the most disliked players when he was a Cardinal. Remember when there was a report that Ken Griffey Jr. called ESPN to complain that Edmonds was making it on "Top Plays" more than Junior? The rumor said that Griffey was jealous and wanted ESPN to do something about it.

That report really pissed me off. The guy was already a Reds killer on the field, (like many of the top N.L. Central hitters of the 00's) and now some stupid fake rumor like this was floating around? I'm sure Edmonds had nothing to do with it, but it angered me just the same.

Well now it's 2010 and Reds fans have to root for the guy. It was a low risk move that might have it's most profound effects outside of the box-score. If he's still able to play a decent CF and continue to hit in the .280's, well done Jocketty.

If not, he will certainly have a short lease with me. But then again, the starter for most of the year (Drew Stubbs) is still hovering below .240.

A move had to be made and Jocketty went with a familar face. We will know very quickly if it was the right move.

What Should the Cincinnati Reds Do With Drew Stubbs?

The Reds are starting to get to the end of the bat stub with their starting center fielder. Drew Stubbs is currently going through the worst stretch of his short major league career. In his last 36 at bats, he has just one hit and 17 strike-outs. Ewww...

That's a monster-sized slump that can't be tolerated on a team in a pennant race. Going back even further, in 52 games since June 1st, he's sporting these numbers: .222 BA/.271 OBP/.634 OPS with seven HR, 24 RBI and 58 K.

Bottom line, a .229 overall batting average is not going to cut it for a team 12 games above .500.

But it's not as if Stubbs is completely useless. He plays a great center field and has 18 stolen bases. Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman called him the fastest player he's seen in his 20 years covering the game.

The speedster has pop as well. Stubbs has 13 home-runs and 49 RBI. Hitting out of the seven-hole, 49 RBI isn't shabby.

The problem? There is another option down in the farm system. His name? Chris Dickerson.

Dickerson is on fire at AAA. He collected three more hits last night. He's hitting .421 in 12 games on his rehab assignment. He's drawing walks (.511 OBP) and stealing bases (five of six). Remember, he was the guy patrolling CF on Opening Day.

His wrist is healed and he is ready to go. What's the harm in sending Stubbs down to AAA for a few weeks and letting him get his stroke/confidence back? A fresh Dickerson, along with Chris Heisey, can man the CF spot for the next month and allow Stubbs a chance to clear his head.

Normally, the Reds wouldn't touch Stubbs during this time of year. "Give the young guy reps" is always the mantra when a team is well out of the play-off race.

This year is different. The margin for error is very slim when the competition (St. Louis) is much more experience in a pennant race. The Reds can't afford the young Stubbs time to work out the kinks in his swing.

For now, why not roll the dice and see what Dickerson can do in pressure ABs? The oft-injured California kid has never had this opportunity in three big league seasons. If he doesn't work out, Stubbs can be vaulted right back up to the Reds line-up.

But for now, Dusty Baker needs to do something. Shake up the order a bit and let Stubbs figure his swing out at the AAA level, not for a team trying to make the post-season for the first time since '95.