The Numbers Behind The Streaking Reds Posted by Jacob Rude on August 5, 2012 · Leave a Comment

The Reds hot streak has been well documented as of late. Despite Sunday’s loss to the Pirates, the Reds are 15-2 over the last 17, 19-4 since the All-Star break, and have won 22 of their last 26 overall. Yet the most impressive part is that they lost their MVP just six games into this streak, following their sweep of the Cardinals.

So how have the Reds remained so hot during Votto’s absence? Key players have stepped up for the Reds as no one man replaced Votto’s numbers, but multiple players.

First, there’s Drew Stubbs. For Reds fan, he may be the most frustrating player on the team. Loaded with potential, Stubbs has lead-off guy written all over him. However, for much of his career, he’s been relegated to anywhere but the top of the lineup due mainly to his strike out numbers. However, since Votto went down, Stubbs is hitting at a .338 clip with 5 home runs and 15 RBI. However, it’s the .403 OBP and 22 runs that has Reds fans excited about what they see.

Stubbs play during the stretch may have saved his spot on the team as many Reds fans were calling for the team to make a move for Juan Pierre, Shane Victorino, or Denard Span. However, Stubbs shed off the criticism and played some of his best ball around the deadline, renewing the front office’s faith in him.

Stubbs isn’t the only one playing great ball. When Votto went down, Brandon Phillips was asked to step into the role of the number three hitter. And Phillips has been sensational. Just two games after Votto’s injury, the Reds faced a Diamondback team that had beaten taken two out of three in the series and seemed to be sending the Reds into a tailspin. With the Reds down 6-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Phillips put the Reds into comeback mode with a 3-run bomb. An inning later, Phillips drove in two more with a double to tie the game. And two batters later, Phillips scored what would become the game-winning run.

In all, since Votto’s injury, Phillips is hitting .339 with a slugging percentage of .589. His five doubles, three home runs, and 13 RBI total are what you’d expect out of your number three guy.

Lastly, and maybe most importantly, is Ryan Ludwick. Ludwick joined the Reds this off-season as someone who would platoon with Chris Heisey in left, with Heisey likely getting the bulk of the playing time. However, it became apparent that Ludwick flourished in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark. And since Votto’s surgery, arguably no one in the league has been better.

His slash of .351/.403/.772 only begins to tell the story. He has six doubles, six home runs, and 21 RBIs in that time period. His 20 hits overall in 62 plate appearances shows how red hot he is. He has went from a platooner to a bona-fide starter. And with Baker always searching for a right-handed bat to split up lefties Votto and Bruce, Ludwick likely just became that guy.

And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Scott Rolen has a .345/.435/.552 line since mid-July, including many timely hits. In his last 26 plate appearances, Jay Bruce has a .400 batting average with an OBP of .545, something Reds fans love to see.

This Reds team might have an enviable problem once Votto rejoins the team: too many hot bats. You can certainly plug Votto into the 3-hole and Bruce into the 5-hole, barring a drastic change of game plan by Dusty. That leaves you with a dilemma. Do you bat Cozart (the team’s lead-off most the season), Stubbs (who is red-hot), or Phillips (who excelled last year) as leadoff? Who hits second? Who is your clean-up hitter?

And don’t expect the Reds to slow down any time soon. The Reds travel to Milwaukee to face the slumping Brewers, then battle the dormant Cubs before hosting the Mets and Cubs. That means their next 14 games come against opponents with records under .500. And with Pittsburgh set to face the Cardinals and Dodgers in the same time period, it may be time that the Reds separate themselves from the pack.