The Odd Stat(s) of the Week, Redlegs Edition

Issue: Does anyone really care about the Reds anymore?

Short Answer: Well, no.  But I live in Cincinnati and so do most of my readers...

Reasoning: The city of Cincinnati was a fun place to be last September.  Jay Bruce's walk-off homer to clinch the NL Central was an excitement the people of the Queen City hadn't experienced in years.  Alright, decades.  Even though the Redlegs laid an egg in the NLDS (remember the Halladay no-hitter?), it was fun to see the Reds back in the playoffs after a long lay-off.  Last season also laid the ground work for another run at the playoffs in 2011.  Or, so we thought.  The Reds had a walk-off win on Opening Day, and we fans thought that was a sign the cardiac Reds would once again find a way to win the NL Central and get swept by the Phillies.  Again.  As it turns out, 2011 was a different year.  I have collected a few stats (mostly emails from my brother, with stats taken from Lance McAlister's blog) that show what a crazy year it has been in Cincinnati.

1. People (especially in Cincinnati) expect too much from closers.  In Cincinnati, not many Reds catch as much grief as Francisco Cordero, our drastically overpaid closer (see?).  Many people want him traded, cut, or tarred and feathered.  Every time he blows a save, someone in Cincinnati inevitably puts together a "how about Drew Stubbs [player we would love to get rid of] for Mariano Rivera [player anyone would love to have]" type trade.  Yeah, keep dreaming.  I have always stood up for Cordero, strictly as a closer.  He is overpaid (as are most closers), but he isn't bad at his job.  As of September 6 (I told you I have been collecting these for awhile), Cordero had 30 saves.  Of those 30, 17 of them came in a perfect inning (i.e., 3 up, 3 down).  Where did that rank him in Major League Baseball (not just the NL)?  3rd.  Behind only the best closer of all time, Mariano Rivera (22) and obvious NL Rookie of the Year, the Braves Craig Kimbrell (18).  Lesson learned?  Cordero will blow saves, as all closers do.  But, when he doesn't blow a save, he is very efficient at his job.
2. Open your eyes Drew!  Drew Stubbs is a phenomenal athlete.  He plays a wonderful center field.  He steals bases.  And, boy, does he know how to strikeout.  Stubbs is a prototypical lead-off hitter, other than the fact that he has struck out more than Adam Dunn this year.  Unfortunately, that is not a joke.  Drew Stubbs has made himself a new friend this year though - Mark Reynolds.  For those that are confused, Mark Reynolds is the third baseman for the Baltimore Orioles.  Why is he Stubbs' new best friend?  Because Reynolds led Major League Baseball in strikeouts in 2008, 2009, and 2010.  Thanks to Stubbs, he won't lead in 2011.  Stubbs has struck out 200 times in in 586 at-bats this year.  For you non-math-majors out there, that is more than once every three times up (1 every 2.93 at-bats).  More than once a game (1.32/game).  More strikeouts than hits (by 57).  How about some comparison - it took Joe Dimaggio (I realize I'm comparing apples and green beans here (because Stubbs isn't even an orange to Dimaggio's apple) 7 years to strikeout 196 times (976 games; 4.417 plate appearances); and it took Tony Gwynn 11 years to strikeout 201 times (1,380 games; 5,705 plate appearances); in 1976 Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, and Dave Concepcion struck out 163 times COMBINED (1,934 plate appearances).  I love Drew Stubbs as a player, but with the number of strikeouts he has this year, he can't be in the future plans for the Reds.  Unless they fire Brook Jacoby (Reds' hitting coach), since he hasn't been able to help much either.
3. Gotta beat the teams you're supposed to.  The Reds basically have the same team they did last year, when the won the NL Central.  So, what changed?  Obviously, the Reds did not have nearly as many come-from-behind wins as they did a year ago.  It just can't happen all the time.  Maybe, if the Reds had beat the teams they were supposed to, the 2011 edition would have been one of "Repeat Champions."  The Reds' record right now is 76-80.  Not good.  However, upon closer examination, the Reds record is so unsexy (if it isn't a word, it should be - think...chicks picking their noses) because of what they did against teams under .500.  The Reds are 36-37 against teams at or above .500, which, in my opinion, is pretty darn good.  Against teams under .500...40-43, which, is nothing short of awful.  This record includes 11-7 against the hapless Cubs, 1-5 against their in-state rival Indians, 0-4 against the Mets, 4-8 against the Pirates (yeah, they were going to hang onto that first-half lead), and 1-2 versus both the Blue Jays and Orioles.  The Cardinals against teams .500 or worse?  59-46.  The Brewers?  68-33.  What a difference a year makes.
4. And then there's Joey Votto.  Votto has 118 career home runs.  I have often said that when it is all said and done, Joey Votto will be considered one of the greatest hitters ever (although, I have heard he won't be considered one of the greatest people ever, but that is neither here, nor there).  He knows how to hit, period.  I watch him hit home runs to left-center field that announcers marvel at ("Look at that opposite field power!!"), but, that is what Votto is trying to do.  He is trying to hit every ball into the opposite gap (just trust me on this one, alright?).  How good of a hitter is Joey Votto?  This good - of his 118 home runs, 29 have gone to right field (24.9%), 16 to right-center field (13.6%), 23 to center field (19.5%), 24 to left-center field (20.3%), and 26 to left field (22%).  One word: ridiculous.  No one hits to all fields like Joey Votto.  No one.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why he will be one of the best, when it's all said and done (too bad most of it won't be done in a Reds uniform - we just can't afford him).

Here is to 2012 being more like 2010 than 2011.  It may be Votto's last year in a Reds uniform (even though I think he may be playing his last now - we ought to trade him while his value is high, and he isn't owed $17 million the next year (he is only (ONLY) owed $9 million in 2012), so we better do it fast.  I still love ye Redlegs, for better or for worse.  Mostly worse.