See how the Reds stack up against N.L. Central foes: Chicago Cubs , St. Louis Cardinals
As the Reds fight to stay afloat in the N.L. Central, let’s see how their talented bunch of hitters holds up against the best of the MLB.
Outfield:
Lead off man Drew Stubbs has been a fantasy stat stuffer with 23 swipes and 11 bombs. He’s not much for average but he contributes in every other category.
As for left fielder Fred Lewis, that dude is as likely to show up in a fantasy column as you’re about to show up to a NASCAR race.
Jay Bruce is officially making the jump from world class talent to world class bomber with 21 bombs. He’s struggled as of late with average but is a valuable commodity that also has chipped in 6 steals on the season.
First Base:
The reigning N.L. MVP had some lofty expectations to live up to, and Joey Votto has done a great doing just that with an eye popping on base percentage and batting average. His bomb totals and RBI’s could be a little higher but Votto will likely finish the season with 25-30 round trippers.
Second Base:
Brandon Phillips is performing at his usual usable rates. His numbers aren’t staggering but he contributes in every category and having a second sacker who can go yard and not waste your batting average (see Uggla, Dan) is definitely a novelty item for a fantasy team.
Shortstop:
Edgar Renteria has proven to be one of the best clutch World Series performers of all time, having helped dispatch of the Cleveland Indians in 1997 with a big hit off Indian closer Jose Mesa, and his latest WS heroics for the San Francisco Giants in 2010. What does that mean in fantasy? Nothing, Edgar’s goose is cooked on the fantasy fields.
Third Base:
Scott Rolen helped lead many fantasy teams to a long playoff run with an outstanding renascence 2010 season. Unfortunately, there has been absolutely no carry over as Rolen is collecting dust again on the fantasy shelf.
Cacther:
Ramon Hernandez has been heavy in average and bombs but light in RBI’s and runs scored. Those numbers should follow suit if his other more pertinent numbers follow suit and Hernandez is an excellent option as a fantasy backstop.
Starting 5:
Johnny Cueto and Edison Volquez appeared nearly interchangeable. To you flame throwers with everything in their horizon. Volquez will continue to progress as the Reds Opening day starter has spend time in the minor leagues refining control problems that have plagued him all season. Cuteo has been lights out since returning from an injury earlier in the season going 5-4 with an incredible 1.97 ERA. He contributes nicely in K’s and his WHIP is at a sharp 1.00. Cueto is the only usable fantasy starter on the Reds roster currently.
Bullpen:
Francisco Cordero has been been one of the most reliable closers in the game, posting a sparkling 2.54 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. His save total is a little low for the marquee at 17, but it’s been more for the lack of opportunity then his ability to convert.
Overall:
The Reds can rake, there isn’t two ways about it but they do have a glaring hole in their rotation. It will be interesting to see if they can get right on the mound in the second half and make a run in defeding their N.L. Central title. Smart money says they don’t have the starters to get it done. The Reds Quotient is a perfect example of why fantasy ratings are different then the real deal.
Reds Fantasy Quotient: 88/100
*Compare other MLB Quotients
Cleveland Indians
Texas Rangers Quotient
New York Yankees Quotient
Boston Red Sox Quotient
L.A. Angels of Anaheim Quotient
Toronto Blue Jays Quotient
Tampa Bay Rays Quotient
Atlanta Braves Quotient
Philadelphia Phillies Quotient
New York Mets Quotient
Florida Marlins Quotient
Washington Nationals Quotient
Baltimore Orioles Quotient
Arizona Diamondbacks Quotient
San Francisco Giants Quotient
Colorado Rockies Quotient
L.A. Angels of Anaheim Quotient
Texas Rangers Quotient
Oakland Athletics Quotient
