Phillips goes 3-5 with 3 RBI's to celebrate his 28th birthday. The Reds take two of three from the Indians with a 8-1 win.

It was nice to see the Reds put back-to-back wins together, the first time they’ve done so since June 16-17 against the Braves.  However, June has also seen the Reds drop below the .500 mark for the first time since they started the season at 2-3.  In my first volume of “Things I like” I will take a look at some of the things that shed a positive light on the 2009 Reds season.

The 5 Spot:

Coming into the season the Reds has a good handle on the first four spots in their starting rotation.  The 5th spot, however, was a little less certain. Spring Training saw a tight race for the 5th spot with candidates Homer Bailey, Micah Owings and Matt Maloney highlighting the battle for the mound.  After a 2008 season that saw the Reds finish a combined 4-21 from the 5th starter spot it was crucial to find someone that could give the team innings.  Micah Owings has done just that.  After an 8-1 win over the Indians this afternoon, Owings improved his record to 5-8, surpassing the total number of wins the entire 2008 staff produced.  Even more impressive is that Owings finishes June with a 2-2 record and his best ERA of the season at 3.72 for the month.  With that kind of production from the 5th spot, the Reds will be able to manage their bullpen much more effectively.  Getting more consistency from Bronson Arroyo and the return of Edinson Volquez should keep the Reds in the race for the N.L. Central well past the All-Star break.

Offensive Spark:

In the last two games the Reds have put up 15 runs on 28 hits, finally showing signs of life at the plate.  It’s no secret that the return of Joey Votto has injected the team with some much-needed firepower.  But it’s not just Votto doing all the damage (although he’s contributed a substantial portion).  Chris Dickerson has been zoned in lately, hitting .339 in June to raise his average 39 points from .240 to .279.  The Reds are going to need continued plate production from more than just Votto if they plan to keep pace in the Central.  With only one game left in June, the Reds are guaranteed their first losing month of the season, currently sitting at 11-14 in June.  This after an 11-10 April and a 15-13 May, which was enough to keep them above .500 and within three games of first for two months.

The Bullpen:

Although the bullpen’s performance has slipped a little bit in June, they are still putting up solid numbers.  Four Reds pitchers, including Cordero, Masset, Weathers and Rhodes, have a WHIP below 1.20.  Cordero continues to look sharp in the ninth, converting 18 of 19 save opportunities.  It’s nice to watch a Reds game and actually feel comfortable when the starting pitcher leaves the game in the sixth or seventh inning with a lead.

Birthday Brandon:

Today Brandon Phillips celebrated his 28th birthday as he has done every season with the Reds– getting at least one hit and one RBI since he came to the Reds in 2006.  For the past four seasons, Phillips has gone 6-15 (.400) with 6 RBI’s on the day of his birth.  If only everyday was Phillips’ birthday the Reds offense would be in much better shape.  Things are looking up though, as the next three games are at home against the Diamondbacks, who the Reds swept on the road earlier this season.  During the three-game sweep they stacked up 26 runs and 38 hits.  If there is a perfect time for the Reds’ bats to get hot, now is the time.  Taking two of three from the D-Backs, or even another sweep, would prove to be a big momentum boost with the Cardinals coming to town over the weekend.

Spot Starters:

I’m not going to say too much about this.  While I like the raw talent in Matt Maloney and Homer Bailey I am definitely not sold on either as being a consistent Major League starter.  Maloney’s got a strong arm and good movement but his inexperience shows through and still needs more seasoning in Triple-A.  Bailey looked good in his last start, finally getting a win, but control still seems to be a problem.  Even with a “tight strike zone” seven walks is seven walks.  Homer has had several chances to stick in the Majors and hasn’t showed consistency yet.  The new splitter he’s been throwing is a good strikeout pitch, but he needs to control it better and more time in Louisville should help.

Summary:

All-in-all I don’t think many people predicted the Reds to be at .500 going into July.  With more offensive production and a few injured players coming off the DL soon (hopefully), I still think the Central is wide open at this point.  I’d still like to see Jocketty add another power bat in the lineup if they want to keep pace with the Brewers and Cards, but right now there is still potential on the horizon for this young team.