Posted by CincyRedhawk on 2. September 2009 17:14
Following the Reds since the All Star break hasn't been an easy thing for fans. The Reds were right in the hunt at the break, but started off the second half plummeting far out of contention. That has been a recurring theme in these parts the last several years. This year there seem to be a lot of bright spots that haven't been there in years past.
The Reds have won 9 of their last 11 games, and it's the young guys that are contributing to the surprise of many. It looks like Homer Bailey has maybe decided to tap into all this potential we've been hearing about since he was drafted. He struck out a career high 8 batters, and in his previous start he struck out 7. He's won all 3 of his last starts providing a quality start each time.
Another surprise has been the power of Drew Stubbs. A lot of people wanted to see him with the big league club when Bruce went down, but the Reds held off until they needed a center fielder. In AAA this uear Stubbs hit 3 HR's, and with the Reds he's already hit 4 in his first 15 games. I expected Stubbs to come up and help out defensively, but it's been his offense that's been the eye opener thus far.
Could this be a sign of things to come in the future or just a late season tease? Keep your fingers crossed!