Cincinnati Reds

Like the Brewers, the Reds are a team that is easy to love.  They play hard, they play right, they invest limited funds into good players, they develop stars, they hope to keep them.  This is not the team that imported Ken Griffey Junior, nor is it the Barry Larkin or Joe Morgan era Reds.  But they surprised everyone by competing over the past few seasons, and they have genuine stars, grown right here in Cincinnati.  Joey Votto is in the top echelon of hitters.  There are few 2B as feared as Brandon Phillips.  They’ve got some good, live arms, like Arnoldis Chapman, who they muscled their way into signing ahead of bigger-market teams.  Manager Dusty Baker is pure class, and his presence shows just how serious the Reds are about proving that payroll doesn’t buy pennants.  They got new closer Ryan Madson for a cheap one-year deal, where he hopes to build his value, but that was the only real acquisition.  They swapped a gem of a 1B prospect, blocked by Votto, for a solid #2 starter, in the Yonder Alonso for Mat Latos trade with the Padres.  Payroll sure does help, and you have a sense that the Reds might be a signing or two away from the winning formula.

In: Ryan Madson (free agent), Mat Latos (trade)

Out: Francisco Cordero (free agent), Yonder Alonso (trade)

Strength: Johnny Cueto rocked the NL last year, with a 2.31 ERA and going 9-5.  He’s only 26 and the Reds just might have an ace on their hands.  Young Mike Leake was also solid (3.86, 12-9), and with Mat Latos, that’s a young, and potentially formidable threesome, along with solid Bronson Arroyo.  I’d rather see Arnoldis Chapman as a starter or closer than stuck somewhere in the bullpen, but at 24 he is also a great live arm.  Pitching looks good for this team, and we know they can hit.  Phillips and Votto are genuine stars, and Zack Cozart hit a surprisingly zippy .324 last season at SS, and is only 26.  Youngster Jay Bruce muscled out 32 homers last year, along with 97 RBIs.  If he can get his batting average up at least 20 points higher than last year’s .256, then he’ll have made himself into a real major league masher.

Weakness: you’d like to see more from LF and CF, in terms of hitting, and there might be nerves that this is their last year with a good shot at another pennant, with Votto and Phillips as potential free agents who will likely be beyond the Reds’ budget

Manager: Dusty Baker

Projected Rotation: Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake, Homer Bailey

Projected Closer: Ryan Madson

Projected Starting Lineup:

            Brandon Phillips 2B

            Zack Cozart SS

            Joey Votto 1B

            Jay Bruce RF

            Scott Rolen 3B

            Chris Heisey LF

            Drew  Stubbs CF

            Ryan Hannigan C