The Cincinnati Reds May Be Closer To The Division Crown Than People Realize

When a team has the season that the Cincinnati Reds had last year, it is easy to brush them of and think that they will once again be at the bottom of the division. However, those of us that follow the team closely see a team that may have started to turn the corner and could possibly by quite a surprise in their division this season.

The fans need look no further than the very bold signing of Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman to see how serious this team is about winning not only in the here and now, but in the future as well. Getting this talent away from other teams was not going to be easy, but the Reds stayed aggressive and ended up with what may be the coup of the season.

The Reds bullpen has been fairly solid for years and they shored up some contracts this season to make sure that it stays that way. The biggest signing for the pen was probably Burton as they now have him locked in and can go into 2010 with no worries. Cordero will once again be the closer and as long as they can get the ball to him, they have a great chance of getting that win.

Of course, the question that is on everyone’s mind is who is going to get it to them. The reality of the starting rotation is that it is loaded with players that have a lot of talent, but have never seemed to get it focused. Harang is the ideal example as he can be lights out one day and then get knocked around the next. While this is not the Atlanta Braves rotation, it can be respectable if they play to their potential.

One of the keys of the offense is going to rest on young Jay Bruce. There was quite a bit of hype about him when he first came up in 2008 and after starting off hot, he tailed off and finished the season with a .254 AVG and 21 HRs. He still hit 22 HRs last season, but his average tailed off dramatically. He is flat out going to have to step it up for this club to be successful.

Hopefully, he is past the sophomore jinx and will put up huge numbers this season. He has made several appearances throughout the off season and looks be relaxed and ready to get back on the baseball field. If his production level matches his attitude, Cincinnati fans are going to have plenty to cheer about this season.

One way to make sure that the Reds get off to a quick start will be to get into those seats and show them a lot of support right from day one. A team this young is going to need a little support and the only way to do that is to be there in person and keep them pumped up. Who knows, that little push may be all they need to start a huge run.

By Heather Maxwell, sponsored by Stub.com. Stub.com sells Cincinnati Reds Tickets, MLB Tickets, Sports Tickets and more to your favorite events around the world.