Within the last couple of years, the Chicago Cubs had a losing streak that reached double digits. It was either their 11th or 12th loss where they lost the game on a bases loaded hit-batsman. WHAT???? Who does that??? I remember at the time the mockery from the media going along the lines of...the Cubs were so bad they were actually finding new ways to lose.
Ugh. Fast forward to 2014. The Cincinnati Reds are not a bad team. They do however, seem to be a rather unlucky and oft injured team. Joey Votto has been on the DL since early July and isn't coming back anytime soon (my guess would be not this season at all). Brandon Phillips just returned to the lineup after going on the DL shortly after Votto. Our phenom closer Aroldis Chapman began the season on the DL after having his face practically dislocated in spring training by a line drive (if you don't understand what I mean, be glad...it's not a mental image you want to have). Mat Latos, our #2 starting pitcher began the season on the DL. Jay Bruce, an all-star outfielder, spent a stint on the DL. Skip Schumaker, our #1 bench player began the season on the DL, and then was placed on the 7-Day Concussion DL right before the All-Star break. Not a big deal, except that he was the back up to Phillips at second base. Ramon Santiago filled in and when he was unable to play due to shoulder stiffness from a play he made, we were on our FOURTH STRING SECOND BASEMAN. I mean, seriously, are you kidding me? Todd Frazier has been our bright spot, and of course our pitching is lights out...as long as our starters can go seven complete innings and we can get to Broxton for the 8th and Chapman for the 9th (who is currently unavailable due to shoulder issues). Middle relief...don't even go there.
This year's rookie manager has seen things in his inaugural year of managing that some never see in their careers. For instance, the Reds and Rockies had their game Saturday in Denver postponed...due to a water main break downtown. Yeah, that happens all the time (sarcasm, folks)! They were all set to play the day/night double header on Sunday, when the game was delayed in the first inning due to weather. Well now, who doesn't love the prospect of MORE time at a ballpark on the day of a double header? And of course, Price probably feels he has earned a medical degree this year with all the time he has spent in conversations with the training staff.
This brings us to Tuesday night. I did not stay up to watch the entire game because school is back in session and there was yet another rain delay. We are also in the midst of a losing streak and it just isn't fun right now. Still, I was not at all prepared to wake up yesterday to find out the Reds had lost (not a huge surprise) on a bases loaded hit-batsman. Okay folks, that's the low. You know the season is done when that is how you extend a losing streak (that they extended yet again last night). Hall of Fame writer Hal McCoy wrote in his blog that the fans don't even seem to care...there is no riled up anger like there was in all those years that this happened with Dusty Baker. My thought is this...Dusty Baker often managed as though he was going to stand there and get that square peg into the round hole...there was no talking him out of it. He was not about to change his methodology no matter how many times you attempted to explain anything to him. Bryan Price has been the exact opposite of that. He as tried nearly as many different line-ups as there have been games. Granted, part of that was necessity because someone who played yesterday may be injured today, but he was the first to admit when something didn't seem to be working. He wanted to try something new.
It's also my opinion that Reds fans aren't angry...who is there to be angry at? The baseball injury gods? That's all I've got. If anything, as a fan I'm much more sad than angry...sad that this team had so many injuries that they just couldn't compete at the level we had hoped, and probably expected. I love this team, more than any team I can remember in recent history. I love these players and their personalities. I love Brayan Pena's smile (anyone who follows the Reds will know what I mean!) and I love the effort this team has shown...all of which just kind of adds to the sadness that this team is just done. The season is cooked, and it's time to look towards football.
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