Here we are at a little over two months into the baseball season; far enough in to create speculation and make predictions, but not too far in as to be entirely right in those predictions. So far I see the predictions made about the Reds to be correct. Good pitching, but the hitting is lacking. It's better than I thought it would be, but still lacking. Votto has been amazing until he started having the dizzy spells, Nix has been a great find in left field, and it may be too early to tell, but Gomes may just be worth more than we think he is.
None of the pre-season predictions had the Reds this close to the top at this point in the season. After the loss to the Cards tonight they are only 2.5 games out of first, behind the Brewers and the Cards, ahead of Chicago. They seem to be holding their own against these division rivals too, taking 2 of 4 from the Cards in St. Louis, although they did falter a bit against the Brew Crew last weekend. The weekend series against the Cubs will be crucial in deciding where their season goes from here.
If they are to stay in this then they obviously need some key players to stay healthy. Votto is having a little trouble and it seems like his situation is a bit different. Let's all hope that he can come back focused. Volquez is another piece that needs to get well soon. Unless Maloney comes up and throws a no hitter, Volquez's arm will be a deciding factor down the stretch. I know Encarnacion is on the DL as well, but I'm not convinced that we're a better team with him activated. Management seems to think so, but with him out Hairston is getting more playing time, which I think is a good thing, we need him at the top of the lineup.
With all this said, let's set our eyes to the All star game. Who will represent the Reds this year? A safe bet would be Votto, but that is contingent on his health. Cueto and Volquez have both done a goob job starting, but if there is only one player going, my money is on Philips. His stats don't dazzle, but they're solid, and his defense puts him above the other contenders. Utley from Philly will almost certainly be voted in but I expect Phillips to be a reserve.
any other predictions for the all star game?
Keywords: All Star game, Brandon Phillips, Reds
