John Fay

jfay@enquirer.com

The Reds scored six runs Friday night. The fact that it seemed like a big offensive outburst tells you a lot about what kind of year it's been for the Reds at the plate.

The team has looked offensively inept most of the year.

The Reds are hitting .238 as a team. You have to go back to 1942 to find a Reds team that hit lower than that.

But you have to grade this team's offense on a curve. Why?

"It's not just with the Reds," says a scout who covers the National League. "It's across the game. A lot of teams are experiencing what the Reds are experiencing. You're seeing a lot of middle of the order type guys who are not producing the same type of power numbers you're accustomed to seeing. You look at St. Louis and their inability to hit with runners in scoring position and their big boys not putting up the power numbers you're used to seeing.

"It's not just with the Reds. It's widespread. I don't know if it's because velocities are up. It just seems like what they're dealing with is similar to what I'm seeing in a lot of places."

The numbers support that.

Going into Saturday, the NL league average was .248. That's down from .266 in 2000. The disparity in OPS (on-base plus slugging) is even more glaring. The NL league average for OPS was .773 in 2000. It's currently .699.

It's declined every year but one over the last 10 years.

The emphasis on pitching has a lot to do with that. In 2002, the Reds had a right-hander named Luke Hudson. Hudson struggled with control, but he was hardest thrower on the staff. I remember the fans at Cinergy Field oohing and aahing when scoreboard readout hit 95.

The Reds now have four starters who can throw 95. If Aroldis Chapman threw 95 over a couple of appearances, they'd send him for an MRI.

The increase in velocity, along with testing for performance-enhancing drugs, has put a crimp on the offensive numbers. Consider: Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt and Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez tied for the NL lead in home runs last year with 36. In 1998 -- the year Mark McGwire hit 70 -- Goldschmidt and Alvarez would have tied for 10th in the NL.

That being said, the Reds are going to have to get better offensively. While the numbers across the board are down, the Reds are still among the worst in the current slow field.

They are 12th in the National League in both average and OPS.

For that to improve, Joey Votto and Jay Bruce are going to have to hit like Joey Votto and Jay Bruce of years past.

There's not likely to be a trade to turn things around. Given the general downturn in offense, hitters are going to be at a premium at the trade deadline. And in the new world of two Wild Card teams, very few teams commit to selling early. Going into Saturday, only eight teams in all of the MLB were more than three games out of the Wild Card lead.

The Reds haven't made a significant trade for a hitter in season since 2009. The Reds also don't have an abundance of prospects to trade.

So, again, if this team is going to turn it around, it's going to have to be with the current mix of players.

"I think offense is contagious," the scout said. "They've obviously had some injuries to guys. Joey Votto isn't where he normally is. Jay Bruce is not seeing it. He's been a streaky hitter for a number of years in his career. He's not where he is normally.

"There's unproven at the top. He's done a decent job as a table setter and he's an exciting, dynamic guy. I think they just really haven't started to click on the offensive side. They've had some bright spots. Johnny Cueto with the way he's been throwing. (Alfredo) Simon coming to camp and taking a starting spot and the way he's thrown. I think once they start swinging the bats, it's going to take the pressure off of everybody on the staff."