The very much under the radar Cincinnati Reds are one of the tougher teams to predict in baseball for 2015.
It’s interesting how the MLB hot stove can carry so much momentum into spring training.
Often times teams are hyped up to a level which is never realized. Other times teams are completely written off before the season’s first pitch even crosses the plate.
In the Cincinnati Reds case, their offseason consisted of nothing.
Well, of course an offseason could never actually be nothing, but when compared to the hype of the division rival Chicago Cubs, or San Diego Padres for instance, general manager Walt Jocketty did very little to improve his personnel.
In 2013, Cincinnati was coming off of another solid season. Bryan Price and company won 90 games and were one of three teams in their division to make the postseason. Unfortunately they ran into the buzzsaw simply known as the Pittsburgh Pirates in the do or die Wild Card Game.
It was the same song, different year for the Reds as in 2012 they took home the division crown with 97-wins and came up short in the playoffs, losing in five-games to the eventual champion San Francisco Giants in the NLDS.
The Reds were hoping 2014 would be the season they could finally get that monkey off their backs and break through.
It was not to be, however, as key players struggled all season long and suffered through injury.
After a very ordinary offseason, this season promises to be anything from a pleasant surprise to an outright disaster.
Here’s our Cincinnati Reds 2015 season preview and predictions.
2014 Notes:
- Record: 76-86, 4th Place In NL Central
- Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
- Ranked 28th in MLB in runs scored with 595
Leaders:
- Todd Frazier, 29 HR
- Devin Mesoraco, 80 RBI
- Todd Frazier, .273 BA
- Todd Frazier, .336 OBP
- Todd Frazier, .459 SLG
- Todd Frazier, 88 Runs
- Billy Hamilton, 56 SB
- Johnny Cueto, 20 Wins
- Johnny Cueto, 242 K’s
- Johnny Cueto, 2.25 ERA
- Johnny Cueto, .96 WHIP
- Aroldis Chapman, 46 Saves
Next: Roster Movement