Well here we go guys! Who would have thought we would be here in late August?  However the Reds are playing their best ball by far and at the best time of the year. They really are currently playing as good as anyone in baseball. I hope their pitching continues to stay strong, however I would like to see them score more without almost totally rely on the long ball to score runs. It will be a great pitching matchup in the opening game with the Reds Trevor Bauer with his 1.73 era vs the Braves Max Fried who is 7-0 and has a 2.25 era. It should be a great series. Go Reds!!

When I vote in a poll, it is usually the kiss of death for that team.  That's why I picked the Braves!

Reds shouldn't even be here.  They only benefitted from every other team ahead of them choking down the stretch.  Mercifully, they'll only be here for two games.  Zero chance that they even make it to game three...and less than zero that they win the series.  Will. Not. Happen.

1 hour ago, CincySportsFan said:

Reds shouldn't even be here.  They only benefitted from every other team ahead of them choking down the stretch.  Mercifully, they'll only be here for two games.  Zero chance that they even make it to game three...and less than zero that they win the series.  Will. Not. Happen.

I think that’s what you said about them getting in the playoffs 

4 minutes ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

I think that’s what you said about them getting in the playoffs 

Ahhh, grasshopper...you have much to learn.

@nkypete I hope that you are able to get your meeting moved.  I had one at 3pm that I was able to push to Thursday instead.

33 minutes ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

@nkypete I hope that you are able to get your meeting moved.  I had one at 3pm that I was able to push to Thursday instead.

No, I didn't, but I will have the game up on one of my two monitors during the meeting!

Here is a statistical break down of the Reds/Braves series:

The Reds are in the postseason for the first time since 2013 and will travel to Atlanta to face the National League East Division champion Atlanta Braves in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. The Braves also reached the playoffs in 2013, but this is their second time playing October baseball since then after reaching the Division Series in 2018.

This sets up to be an interesting series as the Reds will roll out their big three rotation of Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo and (if necessary) Sonny Gray against one of baseball’s best offensive ballclubs. In the regular season, the Braves ranked first in the majors in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS (on-base plus slugging) and doubles and second in batting average, home runs and runs scored. Perennial MVP candidate Freddie Freeman leads the offense after putting together another MVP-caliber season. This year, Freeman had a partner in crime batting behind him in Marcell Ozuna to form one of the most potent duos in all of baseball. Surround those two with fellow veterans Dansby Swanson, Adam Duvall, Travis d’Arnaud and rising star Ronald Acuna Jr., and the Braves have run producers from top to bottom.

That being said, Atlanta hasn’t faced the quality of pitching that Cincinnati will put on the mound. The Braves’ fellow NL East opponents all ranked in the bottom third of baseball in ERA and they played over two-thirds of their schedule against teams ranking in that bottom third. The Braves offense also had the third-most strikeouts, so going against the NL leaders in that category could bode well for the Reds. In addition, Atlanta’s pitching staff ranked in the middle of the pack, so having faced high-end pitching throughout the year in both the NL Central and AL Central, the Reds offense should have their share of opportunities to put runs on the board.

Who’s Hot: Braves 2020 stats

• Freddie Freeman
  • 60 G: .341 BA, .462 OBP, 13 HR, 53 RBIs, 23 2B
• Marcell Ozuna
  • 60 G: .338 BA, .431 OBP, 18 HR, 56 RBIs
• Ronald Acuna Jr.
  • 46 G: .250 BA, .406 OBP, 14 HR, 29 RBIs
• Max Fried
  • 11 GS: 56 IP, 7-0, 2.25 ERA, 50 Ks
• Ian Anderson
  • 6 GS: 32.1 IP, 3-2, 1.95 ERA, 41 Ks

Who’s Hot: Reds stats

• Eugenio Suárez
  • 57 G: 15 HR, 38 RBIs, 5 BB
• Jesse Winker
  • 54 G: .255 BA, .388 OBP, 12 HR, 23 RBIs
• Nick Castellanos
  • 60 G: 14 HR, 34 RBIs, 11 2B
• Trevor Bauer
  • 11 GS: 73 IP, 5-4, 1.73 ERA, 100 Ks
• Luis Castillo
  • 12 GS: 70 IP, 4-6, 3.20 ERA, 89 Ks

You forgot this guy in your who's hot list @16thBBall Fan

 

Also, over the last 30 days:

Akiyama hitting .303 with a .439 OBP and 5 SB.

Game Day fellas.  We've waiting a while for this and even if it came in a goofy season, we are here!

Reds get guys on 2nd and 3rd in the top of the first but could not score.

Bauer gets the Braves in order in the bottom of the 1st on just 7 pitches two pop outs and one deep drive to the wall in right field.

Three weak ground outs for the Reds in the top of the 2nd. Two to first base and one to short.

Reds go quietly in inning number 2.

Votto with ANOTHER boot!