If you think back at the start of season and the first series vs. Detroit Tigers we should have swept that first series. We saw early with the Reds that the bullpen would be horrible as the Starters were doing there job for the first 6 or 7 innings. If you look at just the games we were leading heading to the 8th and 9th innings and then the blown saves. The Reds have probably lost 8 or 9 games this year when leading in the 7th through 9th inning to see the Relievers enter and give the games away. The September 4th four game weekend series at the Pirates the Reds should have swept those 4 games but ended up splitting the 4 game series. I will say the Relievers have been getting better late in the season but if the Reds would have won those 7 or 8 games they would be sitting at around 32-18 with 10 games to go in the season. The Reds should be up 2 or 3 games over the Cubs right now if the Relievers would have started out better early in the season.
The Reds now seem to have pulled it together with Bauer, Castillo, and if Gray can come back the way he was at beginning of the season. Lorenzen pitched a great game tonight going 5 innings allowing just 1 run and 6 strikeouts on only 76 pitches. I would keep the rotation with Bauer, Castillo, DeSclafani, Lorenzen, and Mahle until Gray returns in the last series vs. Minn. I would set that series with Mahle, Bauer, Gray. Castillo pitches tomorrow, then win 2 of 3 vs. White Sox, would be huge if we could sweep the Brewers at home heading to Minn. at 30-27. Then with Mahle, Bauer, and Gray finish 32-28 or 33-27 if the Reds continue to be hot and hopefully enter the Playoffs.
