Can we officially say there is reason for optimism in Cincinnati?
The Reds have just won their early game against the Mets, with young prospect Joey Votto swatting his first Major League home run in his second Major League at-bat. Votto has been touted as a very promising hitter since being drafted in 2002 and while it’s taken him five years to make it to “the Show”, he’s still only twenty-three years old. Votto went 3 for 3 with a walk, which is not to say that he is going to lead a dramatic late charge to the NL Wild card, but is a welcome shot in the arm for Reds fans in what has been a very disappointing season.
The September roster expansion has provided the Reds with an ideal opportunity to let Votto get his feet wet in preparation for 2008. Votto is joined by pitcher Homer Bailey and outfielder Jay Bruce as three reasons for Reds fans to be cheerful looking ahead over the next few years. Josh Hamilton has been a revelation this season after being picked up via the Rule 5 draft and will undoubtedly stay on the Reds’ roster for the entirety of the season, allowing them to completely claim him as their own. Meanwhile, Brandon Phillips continues his excellent form under the radar of many baseball media outlets and they have a genuine number one ace in Aaron Harang.
The managerial position is still up in the air for 2008, but it is expected that Pete Mackanin will be handed the job on a full-time basis, much in the same way that Dave Trembley has in Baltimore. The Reds are 32-26 in 58 games under Mackanin and by all accounts he has impressed everyone (not least the players) during his interim stint.
Pitching is a problem of course and the Great American Ball Park will hardly help matters when it comes to selling Cincinnati to a potential free-agent pitcher. However, the NL Central is certainly not the toughest division in baseball right now and it’s possible that with the right additions, and a bit of luck thrown in for good measure, the Reds could make a run at it next season. “Possible” is the operative word, but there are grounds for optimism and sports fans generally need less than that to get by on.
