Reds still trying to figure out who they are
Injuries have kept Baker in the dark on how good team will be
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Fifty games into the season and Dusty Baker still doesn't know if his Reds will be good, bad or somewhere in between. But don't blame the manager.
The Reds entered 2009 with a new plan, emphasizing pitching and defense more than power. They needed a change of some sort after eight consecutive losing seasons. "When you don't hit home runs, you're going to struggle," said GM Walt Jocketty, who led the roster renovation by trading Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn last summer.
Cincinnati's new plan, however, has been sidetracked because of injuries as the Reds have spent most of the season in survival mode. Thanks to a strong showing against their N.L. Central rivals, the Reds remain very much alive, entering Tuesday with a 27-23 record and 2 1/2 games behind the Brewers even after being swept in Milwaukee over the weekend.
"I haven't had my infield together for I don't know how long," Baker said. "I hate to come in every day and see my trainer's injury report. The first thing I do is peek to see how long it is. If it's short, I'm a happy man."
Baker could not have been happy early in Monday night's game at St. Louis. In the middle of a 10-game stretch against the Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs, his season was teetering. Ace Edinson Volquez, just off the disabled list (back spasms), had to depart after one inning because of tingling in his ring and pinkie fingers. (Ed. note: Volquez went back onto the DL Tuesday with elbow tendinitis.) This development came just two days the club lost its best hitter, Joey Votto, because of "stress-related issues."
So the Reds, already trailing 1-0, were left to end a losing streak at a place where they had dropped 12 of their past 15 games, and without knowing when they might have the services of their two most important players.
Showing their grittiest survival skills, the Reds won, 5-3, behind a two-out rally in the fourth and a bullpen that scattered five hits and two runs over the final eight innings. The bullpen, led by closer Francisco Cordero (14 for 14, 1.64 ERA), has been saving the club all season, and ranks third in the N.L. with a 3.40 ERA.
"Scraping and fighting," said Baker, who got two RBIs from fourth outfielder Laynce Nix and two runs from backup catcher Ryan Hanigan, in the lineup because regular catcher Ramon Hernandez is playing first with Votto out. Such an effort from the backups was nothing new.
"Without our extra guys, boys, we wouldn't be close to where we are," said Baker, who also has been without third baseman Edwin Encarnacion (wrist) since April 21. "How long can you expect your extra guys to play like that? That is the question."
Well, for a while longer, anyway. Encarnacion remains weeks away and Votto's status is unknown. The club is hoping he won't be gone for more than the required 15-day stay on the DL but it really has no idea. "You're always concerned when they're dealing with personal, private situations," Baker said.
The Reds have said little else about Votto, who had been in and out of the lineup because of dizzy spells attributed to an inner ear infection. Baker since has said the two ailments are related.
Votto's stress issues would not seem to be performance-related. In his first game back from dizzy spells on May 23, he hit two home runs. When he left the club on Saturday, he was hitting .357 with a .474 on-base percentage.
Baker said Monday he had not talked with Votto since the weekend. "I'll wait for him to call me," Baker said. "Well, unless he doesn't call for a couple of days. Then I'll call him."
The Reds could get better news about Volquez. The young righthander said the tingling is his arm, which he had never experienced, was gone by the end of Monday's game. He was sent back to Cincinnati to be examined Tuesday.
"It keeps piling on," Baker said. "We'll get whole one of these days."
Then, finally, he should be able to figure out just what kind of team he has.
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