The 2011 Cincinnati Reds are a mediocre ballclub. Some days, they look good. Other times, they look bad. Add it all up and you have a team that’s barely above .500 (42-40) exactly one game past the midpoint of the season.

In recent years, that would have been considered a productive first half. However, coming off a 2010 NL Central division championship, expectations were high entering the 2011 campaign.

Inconsistent starting pitching (pretty much everyone except Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake has been an “adventure a minute” as Marty Brennaman likes to say) and poor production from the shortstop position have been the biggest culprits for the Redlegs this year. (With poor production from left field in the "others receiving votes" category.)

For some unconscionable reason, the Reds have not called up 25-year-old Zack Cozart from Triple-A Louisville yet, despite the fact that Paul Janish has been a disaster at the plate.

Janish’s batting average of .225 is bad enough, but what really pushes him over the edge as a certified offensive black hole is that he doesn’t even know how to take a walk. In 222 at-bats this season, he’s walked just seven times. Therefore, his on-base percentage (.251) is nearly as bad as his batting average). I just don’t know how much longer the Reds can continue to run him out there.

As for the starting pitching, at least the Reds have Cueto and Leake -- who are looking like they will be a nice 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation for years to come. The question is what kind of production the club will get from the 3-5 spots that are currently manned by Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez and Homer Bailey. Volquez got the win in the rubber game against the Rays on Wednesday, but he's still a complete mystery and is not someone the Reds can count on to be consistent. I do think the starting pitching will be better in the second half, but let's be honest: There really is nowhere to go but up.

Boxberger finally promoted

The man who is perhaps the Reds’ closer-of the-future was promoted to Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday.

Brad Boxberger, who the Reds drafted in 2009 out of USC in the “compensatory A round” (between the first and second rounds) was lights-out at Double-A Carolina this season and is now just one step away from the show.

While pitching for the Mudcats, Boxberger was 1-2 with a 1.31 ERA with four saves in 30 appearances. The saves total is misleading since Carolina is having an awful year and very rarely gave Boxberger a chance to close out a game in a save situation.

Looking deeper at the numbers, in 34.1 innings pitched, Boxberger gave up just 16 hits and 13 walks, while striking out a whopping 57 batters. Let those stats sink in for a moment.

Yes, the Reds might really have something here. It will be interesting to see how he performs at Louisville.

With Francisco Cordero’s contract expiring after this season – presuming the Reds don’t pick up his $12 million club option for 2012 – Boxberger could be Cincinnati’s closer as soon as next season if he pitches well for the Bats the remainder of this year. And wow is that 2009 draft looking good – namely the first three picks of Leake, Boxberger and Single-A shortstop Billy Hamilton (who leads all of professional baseball with 55 steals and has his average up to .240 with the Dayton Dragons).

It might not be what you want to hear if you’re a Reds fan, but chances appear slim that the team will make a big move before the trading “deadline” on July 31.

Here is why: What are the three biggest needs on the team? A shortstop, a starting pitcher and a left fielder, in that order.

However, as bad as the starting pitching has been, I don’t see the Reds going out and dealing for a top-of-the-line starter. And no way they’ll trade for a No. 4 or No. 5 type. They have plenty of those guys in their system that they can turn to (like Travis Wood and Dontrelle Willis).

There are several other teams across MLB looking for starting pitching help and I’d be surprised if the Reds are aggressive enough to land one of the few top guns that will be on the market. Would I like it if they could flip Yonder Alonso and maybe another prospect for a good starting pitcher? Absolutely, but I just don’t see general manager Walt Jocketty pulling it off.

Also, there is a good chance the front office believes the starting pitching will round into form. Johnny Cueto is looking like an ace, Mike Leake is pitching well and Homer Bailey is making his return against the Orioles Sunday.

The club also has Edinson “I Can’t Believe We Traded Josh Hamilton For This Fucking Guy” Volquez … and as horrible as he is, they aren’t giving up on him anytime soon.

Also, Bronson Arroyo is his usual solid self despite starting the year with a bout with mononucleosis and that gives Cincinnati five starting pitchers for the rotation. And like I said, if one of those guys goes down with an injury, or if Volquez continues to have an injury to his brain, the Reds can turn to Wood or Willis. Wood has struggled this year, but he’s still as good as anything the Reds are going to get in a trade. And Willis is experiencing what could be a career revival in Triple-A Louisville this year. The team was going to make him a reliever this year, but he remained a starter and might eventually get his chance with the Reds.

So, I hope I’m wrong, but I just don’t see the Reds trading for a top-shelf pitcher.

What about shortstop?

The Reds definitely aren’t going to trade for a shortstop considering their SS-of-the-future is sitting there waiting to be called up from Louisville. If you don’t already know the name Zack Cozart, get ready to hear a lot about him. He’s 25, was the Reds’ second-round draft pick in 2007 out of Ole Miss, plays well-above-average defense and is batting .318 with seven homers and 29 RBIs. (OPS of .852 with a robust 26 doubles in 283 at-bats.) When Cozart was drafted, it was his offense that many analysts questioned would ever be Major League-ready. However, he has put those doubts to rest.

Therefore, if the Reds decide to finally do something about the atrocious tandem of Paul “Punch-and-Judy” Janish and Edgar Renteria, they won’t trade for a SS, they’ll call-up Cozart.

What about left field?

This is the one area of concern that I thought Jocketty might address with a big trade, but I’m going back on that now. First of all, like I blogged about after his three-HR explosion against the Yankees, I think Chris Heisey has won the starting LF job for now.

Furthermore, Jonny Gomes is a favorite of manager Dusty Baker and will continue to get playing time. Gomes broke out of his funk where he was beyond awful and is now just kind of bad. Unfortunately, that will be good enough to get him spot starts in left the rest of the way. Baker can also use Fred Lewis on occasion, a player that has been a disappointment, but hasn’t received much PT.

Also, the Reds have three options they can turn to in Louisville: Alonso, Jeremy Hermida and Dave Sappelt. I know, I know, you don’t think Hermida is a legit option. He’s always struggled in the Majors, including early this season when the Reds gave him a brief shot. However, Hermida is tearing up the Triple-A ranks to the tune of .362 with 6 HRs and 29 RBIs. (OPS of .981 in 199 at-bats.) I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jocketty give him another shot instead of trading for someone like Ryan Ludwick.

Ryan Ludwick? I mean, give me a break. He’s not even better than Heisey and people want the Reds to actually give up a real prospect for Ludwick? Sorry, but no.

As for Sappelt, he’s batting .336 with five homers and 17 RBIs. (.939 OPS in 146 at-bats. Missed a month due to injury.) He likely won’t get the call until next season – or perhaps this September when rosters can be expanded past 25 – but he is an option that the team could turn to.

Therefore, I just don’t see Jocketty making a blockbuster deal for a left fielder when he has six different guys he can turn to: Heisey, Gomes, Lewis, Alonso, Hermida and Sappelt.

Alonso, Mesoraco selected for Futures Game

The prestigious Futures Game – an all-star game featuring the best players from any level of the minor leagues (mostly Triple-A and Double-A) – will take place Sunday, July 10 before the MLB All-Star game and will include two players in the Reds’ system: Alonso and catcher Devin Mesoraco. Both players star for the Louisville Bats.

Alonso, 24, is batting .306 with nine homers and 42 RBIs (.863 OPS, 268 at-bats). He’s been forced to adjust to playing LF this year due in part to the Reds’ need at the position and in part to being blocked by Joey Votto at first base long-term. Well, unless the Reds fail to re-sign Votto after the 2013 season. (And it will take a truckload of cash to keep him.)

Mesoraco, 23, is batting .320 with eight homers and 44 RBIs (.936 OPS, a crazy 28 doubles, 247 at-bats). He is without question the No. 1 prospect in the Reds’ minor league system and will definitely be with the big club next year. Ramon Hernandez will be a free agent after this season and as good as he is, the Reds have no reason to re-sign him with all the depth they have at the C position. Ryan Hanigan is signed through 2013, Mesoraco might be a future star, and the team also has 2010 first-round pick Yasmani Grandal who was recently promoted to Double-A Carolina.

So, next year look for a tandem of Hanigan and Mesoraco, and eventually Grandal will be in the mix unless he’s traded.

Chris Heisey never had a multiple home run game in MLB entering Wednesday night. However, he exploded with three long bombs in the Reds’ 10-2 win over the Yankees to enable Cincinnati to salvage the final contest of the three-game series.

Heisey – who started the game in centerfield and later moved to left – entered play with five home runs on the season. He now has eight and is batting .273 with 28 RBIs in just 127 at-bats.

Heisey is sure to see his number of at-bats skyrocket as I fully believe he is going to be the Reds’ starting LF moving forward. He’s clearly earned the job over Jonny Gomes and Fred Lewis. Not only is Heisey dangerous at the plate, he’s a very good defensive outfielder.

So, hopefully we’ll remember June 22, 2011 as not only Heisey’s first three-home-run game in the Big Leagues, but as the day he became an everyday starter for the Reds. Yes, he’s been excellent in a pinch-hitting role this season, but the Reds need more production out of the starting LF spot and Heisey can provide it.

Wood sent down

Well, so much for 2011 being a huge season for Reds’ left-hander Travis Wood. He was sent down to Triple-A Louisville on Wednesday to make room on the 25-man roster for Sam LeCure. The right-handed LeCure was impressive pitching out of the bullpen earlier this season and will get another crack at that role.

Homer Bailey is close to being activated from the DL and will likely take Wood’s spot in the rotation. The other option is Dontrelle Willis who is having a fine season at Louisville. In 11 starts, Willis is 4-2 with a 2.51 ERA. In 61 innings, the former MLB All-Star has struck out 54, walked just 19 and given up 57 hits.

Every Bengal fan has made fun of Mike Brown and called him the worst owner in all of professional sports. Actually, usually I use the caveat "or Donald Sterling of the LA Clippers" but Brown is without question the worst owner in the NFL.

Well, ESPN Magazine took it one step further. Ranking all 122 professional sports franchies in order -- from the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL -- the Bengals finished dead last. Yep, 122nd.  Even worse than pathetic franchises like the Clippers, Phoenix Coyotes, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates. Kind of surprising considering the Bengals won the AFC North divison championship just two years ago. There is no arguing against the fact that the Bengals should have been extremely low on the list. But dead last? Wow. Thanks again, Mike Brown. We appreciate your service to our community. You've made everyone so proud.

Interestingly, the Reds ranked an impressive 15th on the list. Winning the 2010 NL Central division title and having the league MVP in Joey Votto certainly helped the mood in Reds Country. But the team has always had a devoted fan base. However, the same can be said for the Bengals. What can't be said about the Bengals is a rich history that includes a magical era like the Big Red Machine days. The Reds have won five World Series championships, most-recently in 1990. The Bengals have been to a pair of Super Bowls though -- during the 1981 and '88 seasons.

According to ESPN: "Teams were rated in numerous categories such as players, fan relations and affordability."

The Cincinnati Reds are 35-33 and sit 3.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central division. Here’s how the Reds’ pitching staff, lineup and their roster in general sets up for the remainder of the season (in what looks like a three-team race with the Brewers and Cardinals leading the pack).

STARTING PITCHING ROTATION

1. Johnny Cueto
2. Mike Leake
3. Edinson Volquez
4. Bronson Arroyo
5. Travis Wood

OTHER STARTING CANDIDATES

1. Homer Bailey
2. Aroldis Chapman

BULLPEN

1. Francisco Cordero (closer)
2. Nick Masset
3. Bill Bray
4. Logan Ondrusek
5. Jose Arredondo
6. Jeremy Horst
7. Brad Boxberger

LINEUP

1. Drew Stubbs – CF
2. Brandon Phillips – 2B
3. Joey Votto – 1B
4. Jay Bruce – RF
5. Scott Rolen – 3B
6. Jonny Gomes/Fred Lewis/Chris Heisey – LF
7. Ramon Hernandez/Ryan Hanigan – C
8. Paul Janish/Edgar Renteria – SS

RESERVE NOT ALREADY LISTED

1. Miguel Cairo – INF

NOTES

• As I blogged about earlier, it’s time to make Chapman a starter. Allow him to do it in the minors until he’s ready. This guy is not a reliever. Furthermore, if you have the fastest-throwing human being on the planet, might as well maximize his innings and make him a starter. It’s not even a legitimate debate in my opinion.
• Now is the time to call-up Boxberger as the last man out of the bullpen. He has been excellent at AA Carolina this season – his first full year as a reliever. He was the Reds’ first-round compensatory pick in 2009, which has turned out to be quite a draft. It yielded Leake in the first round (No. 8 overall), Boxberger and then shortstop Billy Hamilton (who leads all minor leaguers with 50 steals at single-A Dayton). What else does Boxberger need to prove? He is clearly better than guys like Carlos Fisher and Jordan Smith that the Reds have been running out there this season as the “last” guy in the ‘pen.
• Holy hell I hope the Reds end up trading for a legit left fielder. Heisey is the best current option … and he gets the least-amount of starts. And I’m not suggesting the Reds try and land one of the best left fielders in MLB – that is simply not going to happen. But there has to be an upgrade available out there that wouldn’t cost the Reds one of their top prospects like Devin Mesoraco or Yonder Alonso. Well, actually I wouldn’t mind if the Reds traded Alonso if they found the right deal. More on that later.
• I would say the Reds need to trade for a shortstop too, but the Janish/Renteria platoon is undoubtedly what the team wants to do for the remainder of this season. Then I have to think Zack Cozart will take over as the starter next season. Since the Reds have a “SS of the future” in Cozart, they likely won’t look to trade for one. And don’t even bring up Jose Reyes. While it would be great to land the Mets’ shortstop, they are asking for an arm and a leg in exchange for him. And it doesn’t help matters that Reyes is having one of the best years of his career. I bet he either stays with the Mets, or another team trades for him. The Reds might be more aggressive in going after a top SS if they didn’t have Cozart waiting in the wings at AAA Louisville.
• People might ask why Alonso can’t be the answer in left field. Well, honestly, I haven’t seen the converted first baseman play left field – so this is not a first-hand account – but I’ve heard from two people I trust that he’s very poor defensively. How bad? They say Gomes would be considered good with the glove in comparison. I’m glad Alonso is having a big year for the Bats, but my guess is that he would be used as a trading chip for the Reds before he would take over as the starting LF for the big club. To me, Alonso seems destined to be a first baseman … or perhaps going to an AL team and becoming a DH. It will be interesting to see what kind of offers the Reds get for their 2008 first-round pick.

You really have to be a baseball diehard to even know this, but the first round of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft was held Monday evening. The Cincinnati Reds were picking 27th overall -- not exactly a prime position to land a future superstar.

However, from all accounts, the Reds maxed out on their pick by getting excellent value when they selected high school pitcher Robert Stephenson from Martinez, Calif.

The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Stephenson has a fastball that tops out at 97 MPH and is known for his good control as well. He was projected by everyone to be a first-round pick -- and many analysts thought he would be off the board before the Reds picked -- so this certainly appears to be a job well done by Cincinnati scouting director Chris Buckley and his staff.

And in case you want to feel really old, Stephenson, 18, was born nearly three years after the Reds' last World Series title. The right-hander will be one of the few top pitching prospects in the lower levels of the Reds' minor league system. He will likely start out playing low rookie ball if he signs this summer. Then, next year, look for him to play at low-A Dayton.

The last time the Reds took a high school arm in the first round was 2004 when they selected Homer Bailey. Buckley actually compared Stephenson to Bailey, while admitting that Bailey might have been a tad ahead of Stephenson at the same stage. And that makes sense considering Bailey was taken seventh overall.

The bottom line here is that the Reds found what could be a good MLB starting pitcher at the bottom of the first round. Can't complain about that.

* In the second round (pick No. 84 overall) on Tuesday afternoon, the Reds stayed in the high school ranks ... but went to the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico to do it. They took Gabriel Rosa (6-4, 185) who was considered the best Puerto Rican hitter available in the draft. He played centerfield and shortstop in high school, but might be a corner outfielder in the Reds' system. Rosa is very young (17) and won't turn 18 until July 2.

If you consider Rosa an outfielder, this marks the second straight year that the Reds drafted an OF in the second round. In 2010, they took Ryan LaMarre out of the University of Michigan.

And in case you're wondering why Puerto Rican players must enter the draft to be eligible to play Major League Baseball, while players from other Caribbean islands like the Dominican Republic can be signed as free agents, it's simply because Puerto Rico is technically part of the United States.

* In the third and fourth rounds on Tuesday, the Reds went with college pitchers: left-hander Tony Cingrani (6-4, 200) from Rice, and right-hander Kyle McMyne (5-11, 220) from Villanova. Both of them are expected to be relievers.

* The draft will continue throughout today and will conclude tomorrow with the 50th, yes, 50th, round.

UPDATE (4:20 p.m., Tuesday): The Reds appeared to get a steal with their fifth-round pick when they nabbed second baseman Ryan Wright from the University of Louisville. He was projected to be a second-round pick by many draft analysts. As a sophomore in 2010, Wright (6-1, 195) was named second-team All-American by Baseball America when he batted .366 with 16 HRs and 80 RBIs.

And just when I thought I couldn't like this pick any more than I already did, I learn that Wright, 21, was born in Columbus and grew up a Reds fan. Look for him to start at Billings (high rookie ball) this season and perhaps move up to Dayton by the end of the year if things go well.

* In the sixth round, the Reds took third baseman Sean Buckley (Chris' son) who is from St. Petersburg (Fla.) Junior College. Buckley, 21, is 6-4, 220 pounds, and draft analysts say this is not a pick based on nepotism. This is about where Buckley was projected to go.

* In the seventh round, Cincinnati took Kansas State closer James Allen (6-0, 197). The 21-year-old Allen is a right-hander. And yes, Chris Buckley certainly coveted college relievers in this draft considering the Reds took three of them in the first seven picks.

* In the eighth round, the Reds drafted Sean Buckley's college teammate in centerfielder Jon Matthews. He is 6-3, 205 and is 21 years old.

* In the ninth round, the Reds again went the college route and took Texas right-handed pitcher Cole Green (6-0, 220). This was a very interesting pick because Green, 22, was actually picked by the Detroit Tigers in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. However, he turned down somewhere between $300,000-$400,000 to return to Texas for his senior season. Wow. These are the little stories you know nothing about until your team drafts a player and you do a little research on him. I feel bad for the kid that his draft stock dropped a full five rounds, but I feel good for the Reds. 

* In the 10th round, the defending National League Central champions took Baylor pitcher Ronald "Brooks" Pinckard (6-1, 190). The right-handed Pinckard, 22, also played outfield and was a pretty good hitter in college. But the Reds have drafted him as a relief pitcher.

Weathering the storm: The Cincinnati Reds were coming off a horrific 2-10 stretch that left many fans (and bloggers like yours truly) in panic mode.

However, including Friday night’s 2-1 edging of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team has responded with three wins in four games to give them a 30-28 record on the season. That puts them just 3.5 games out of first place where the St. Louis Cardinals (34-25) reside. The Milwaukee Brewers (31-26) – who the Reds have dominated to the tune of 7-2 this season – sit in second place, 2.5 games back of the Cards.

Obviously, the Reds aren’t going to be able to withstand any more 2-10 stretches this entire season if they want to repeat as NL Central champs. But it looks like they have been able to weather the storm and stay right in the thick of things for the time being.

Sorry, St. Louis and Milwaukee, you’re not getting rid of Cincinnati that easily. It’s going to be an interesting three-team race to follow all summer.

Rotation needs a Missile?: There is no question flame-throwing lefty Aroldis Chapman will be a starting pitcher at some point in his Reds career. Well, the club might as well make the move now.

Chapman was always a starter before defecting from Cuba and signing with the Reds. In fact, he was even a starter with Triple-A Louisville for the majority of last season. The only reason he was moved to the bullpen is because the Reds had an abundance of starting pitching and felt Chapman could best help them in the short-term pitching in relief.

However, that glut of starting pitching has been significantly depleted. Edinson Volquez is a complete headcase at times. Homer Bailey is always hurt. Even if things end up working out long-term this season with starters Johnny Cueto (who looks like the ace thus far), Bronson Arroyo, Mike Leake and Travid Wood, that would leave one spot open in the rotation. Why not give Chapman a shot?

Also, as a starter he is less likely to have drastic control issues. Pitchers like Chapman need to settle into a groove and you can’t do that as a reliever. He needs to be in situations where a walk or two won’t completely kill him like it would in the 8th inning of a tie game.

Again, does anyone doubt that Chapman will be a starter at some point? He doesn’t seem like a closer to me, and the Reds certainly did not invest $30 million in him to make him a middle reliever. The time is now to make Chapman a starter. The Reds don't even need another lefty out of the pen now with Bill Bray and rookie Jeremy Horst already in there.

Bullish pen: Speaking of relief pitchers, one thing is clear: The Reds have one of the best bullpens in all of MLB. It’s really staggering when you look at the numbers that pitchers like Logan Ondrusek (3-2, 1.69 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 26 strikeouts in 32 innings) Nick Masset (1-3, 3.48 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 33 Ks, 31 IPs), Bray (1-1, 1.33 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 16 Ks in 20.1 IPs) and closer Francisco Cordero (3-1, 1.65 ERA, 11 saves in 13 chances, 0.88 WHIP, 20 Ks in 27.1 IPs) are putting up. Masset was a disaster the first couple weeks of the season, but he’s been lights-out ever since. His overall numbers don't even do justice to how well he's pitched over the last several weeks.

Also, the Reds have added the very-effective Jose Arredondo (1.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7 Ks in 9.1 IPs) who was stellar as a rookie with the Los Angeles Angels in 2008, but missed all of last season with an elbow injury.

I also like Horst in the pen, and hopefully the Reds get Sam LeCure back soon because he was looking like he found a home as a long/middle reliever.

Any way you want to cut it, one of the clear strengths on this year's team is the bullpen. If the starters can just get through six innings, the Reds are going to have a very good chance to win every time they take the field.

I like Dusty, but … Why does he always have to make at least one “He really just did that?” decision every day? Whether it’s doing something ridiculous like batting Paul Janish in the two-hole of the lineup (which he doesn’t do often, but even doing it once is too many) or batting the pitcher when it’s clear said pitcher is gassed and a pitch-hitter would be the wise move to make, or the number of other head-scratching decisions he makes.

Again, overall, I like Baker. You can’t argue with the results and he’s won everywhere he’s been. And he is fresh off a 2010 season when he led the Reds to their first playoff birth since 1995. So, I want to make it clear the Reds have the right manager. But he still makes bone-headed decisions at times and it can be quite frustrating to the fan who is diehard enough to rarely (if ever) miss a game, whether it’s in person, on TV or the radio.

Yonder update: Yonder Alonso is closing in on a call-up, but it sounds like he’s really struggling in terms of his defense in left field. That’s no surprise considering it’s harder than most people think to take a lumbering 6-foot-2, 240-pound first baseman and try and make him an outfielder. Especially if he’s never played outfield before.

However, one thing Alonso can do is hit and he’s doing plenty of it this season. At Louisville, he’s batting .320 with six home runs and 32 RBIs.

Catcher-of-the-future Devin Mesoraco is also enjoying a big year with the Bats. He’s batting .315 with six homers, 30 RBIs and an OPS of .932.

Ah, the ups and downs of a 162-game schedule. Just when it looked like the Reds were catching fire, they have been swept in back-to-back series, including the three-game meeting with American League and in-state rival Cleveland this weekend.

If you fancy yourself as a masochist, here are some notes on what is going wrong with the Reds at this time.

* Edinson Volquez is a disaster: I would take Josh Hamilton in the midst of a crack binge over Volquez. And since the trade, guess who has been busted by Major League Baseball for drug use of any kind? That’s right, Volquez.

It was PED use and Volquez was allowed to serve his 50-game “suspension” while rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. More brilliance from MLB. Even though it worked in the Reds’ favor in that case, it was still ridiculous. You allow a guy busted for PEDs to serve his suspension while he’s unable to pitch? Just genius logic there. Volquez was docked 50 games worth of paychecks, but he should’ve had to actually serve a real suspension for getting caught cheating.

Also, you have to wonder how much of Volquez’s 2008 All-Star season was based on PED use. Only Lance Armstrong thinks Volquez was clean in ’08.

Furthermore, Volquez’s delivery is the opposite of smooth. He’s all over the place. He’s also horrible at holding runners on base, making it easy for them to swipe bags.

The easy thing to say is just take Volquez out of the rotation and replace him with Sam LeCure. But I love LeCure out of the bullpen. As we’ve seen, LeCure is much-more effective coming out of the pen.

It’s too bad Aroldis Chapman isn’t where he needs to be, because he would be the perfect addition to the starting rotation. There is no question Chapman will eventually be a starter in MLB. The only reason the Reds moved him to the bullpen is because of what looked like an abundance of quality starting pitching. Now that that’s turned out to be a myth, it’s time to transition Chapman back to a starter’s role. Once he returns from this “injury” that allowed him to be put on the DL. The Reds are calling it “shoulder inflammation.” (And amazing he’s already well enough to throw bullpen sessions at full speed.) I think he actually came down with a case of Ricky Vaughnitis. Maybe he needs glasses (or contacts, or better yet laser eye surgery) and for “Wild Thing” to be played each time he takes the mound.

* Baker botches lineups: As much as I like him in general, Reds manager Dusty Baker is usually atrocious in terms of constructing lineups. The Reds lost a pair of one-run games the first two nights against the Indians this weekend. You think fielding the team’s best lineup might have helped the cause just a little bit?

And Dusty didn’t just have Jonny Gomes in the lineup, he had him in the two hole each of the first two games. Dusty will also do crazy things like bat the offensively-challenged Paul Janish (more on that later) in the two-hole. Yep, having your worst hitters on the roster bat second is a great idea there, Dust.

* Gomes is completely lost: The front office needs to do something here. Obviously Dusty can’t get past his personal affection for Gomes enough to bench him for long stretches at a time.

So, what can be done? Well, maybe the Reds can “invent” an injury like they did with Chapman and put Gomes on the DL. That would allow them to bring up 2008 first-round pick Yonder Alonso (.331, 5 HRs, 23 RBIs, .936 OPS, 5 stolen bases in 151 at-bats this season at Triple-A Louisville) and try him in left field for a while. Alonso is a first baseman by trade, but has been playing LF in the minors due to the Reds’ glaring need at the position.

Or the Reds could just bench Gomes and use a platoon of Chris Heisey and Fred Lewis in left. That would allow Gomes to still be a pinch-hitter against left-handed pitchers, a role he might actually succeed in. But Gomes can no longer be a starter. Even Dusty can see this, right? OK, probably not, but hopefully GM Walt Jocketty “suggests” to Baker that it would be wise to not play Gomes for a while. Or ever again.

* Paul Janish is a terrible hitter: He fooled some people with his hot start to the season, but is now back on par with his career numbers (both in the Majors and minors). Janish is batting a paltry .230 with no homers in 126 at-bats. And for a light-hitting SS, you would think he would at least draw a good amount of walks. Nope, amazingly, Janish has just five walks on the entire season (with 14 strikeouts). Five walks in 126 ABs for a guy like Janish? Wow. The Reds simply can’t have him as the “everyday” shortstop and expect the plan to work. He puts the Judy in Punch-and-Judy.

Edgar Renteria will continue to play more and more this season … and then hopefully Zack Cozart becomes the shortstop of the future. However, that is no sure thing by any means. Cozart, 25, was the Reds’ second-round draft pick in 2007 and is having a solid year at Louisville (.272, 2 HRs, 12 RBIs, .719 OPS, 4 steals in 169 at-bats). He either bats leadoff or second in the lineup every game and is good defensively. He’s not quite on Janish’s level defensively, but Cozart’s glove will play at the MLB level. If he hits well enough this year with the Bats, he could be given a shot with the big club next season.

Last season, one of the few things that went wrong for the Cincinnati Reds during the regular season was their performance against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Reds won the NL Central championship last year, but were just 6-12 against the second-place Cardinals.

With Cincinnati and St. Louis once again looking like the favorites this season – along with the Milwaukee Brewers who are fresh off a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates – it’s important for the Reds to prove last year’s record against the Cards was a fluke. And after this weekend, they are well on their way.

The Reds (23-17) swept a three-game series against the visiting Cardinals and now stand 1.5 games up on St. Louis for first place in the Central.

The Reds are 4-2 against the Cardinals thus far this season and are a robust 18-10 against Central foes overall. Needless to say, if Cincinnati continues to take care of business against its divisional opponents, there will be a repeat champion in the Central.

Interestingly, Sunday’s 9-7 win by the Reds ended with a screaming match involving usually-mild-mannered Reds closer Francisco Cordero.

Cordero plunked Albert Pujols on the wrist on a 0-2 count on a fastball and there was a lot of chirping coming from St. Louis’ dugout. Yeah, like Cordero was trying to hit Pujols there. That would have put the tying run on base and would have brought the go-ahead run to the plate in Matt Holliday.

Cordero kept his cool while the game was still being played and never said a word back to the Cards’ dugout. However, as soon as recording the final out on a strikeout of Lance Berkman, Cordero began barking at Cardinals backup catcher Gerald Laird and pitching coach Dave Duncan who were apparently the ones giving Cordero the business during the final two at-bats of the game.

Yes, the newfound rivalry between the Reds and Cardinals continues to heat up. And this year, the Reds have already proven they aren’t going to be dominated by the Cardinals this season. In fact, it might be the exact opposite. St. Louis has a very good club, but do have some glaring holes.

Examples: Not having a real closer, Pujols looking like a shell of his usual self (batting .266 with 7 HRs and 24 RBIs … very solid numbers for most players … but not the video-game stats people are used to from Albert), not having a real third baseman after the injury to David Freese, having terrible overall team defense, and the struggles of “ace” pitcher Chris Carpenter, who fell to 1-3 on the season with a 4.95 ERA after giving up seven runs in 6.1 innings on Sunday.

I still think the Brewers will be in the race until the end, although they have issues of their own. The bottom line is that it should be a good three-team race and nearing the quarter-mark of the season, the Reds have the early advantage.

As for the wildness of Aroldis Chapman, I know he looks like a lost cause right now, but I think the team needs to stick with him. He’s the type of pitcher that’s fine if he gets the first batter out, but if he walks the first batter, look out. No question his control has been beyond atrocious lately, but I’m not sure sending him back to the minors would be the best thing for his development at this point. Allow him to work out of the Reds’ pen and give him a chance to find his groove again. He looked great in April, so it’s not like he’s pitched terrible all season. But man he’s been ugly lately, so I certainly understand those that think he should be sent back to the minors.

The good news is the Reds called up Jose Arredondo who is going to be a big help to the bullpen in my opinion. He made his Reds debut on Sunday and hurled a perfect inning. Arredondo had a great rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the State of California in the Country of the United States, but arm injuries shelved him for most of 2009 and all of 2010. He isn’t able to reach 95 MPH on the gun like he used to, but was clocked at 92 on Sunday.

There have been some shaky moments to say the least over the last few weeks, but the bottom line is things are beginning to fall in place for the Cincinnati Reds.

After their 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs Friday afternoon, the Reds have won three in a row and now stand at 17-15 on the season. That puts them in second place in the National League Central, one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals (18-14).

Let’s take a look at why things are suddenly on the upswing for the Redlegs:

* Homer Bailey looks great: Bailey put up impressive numbers in the minor leagues during his rehab stint from shoulder impingement and he was able to more than back it up with his excellent season debut on Thursday with the Reds. If Bailey can become a reliable member of the rotation, it will pay huge dividends for this team the way he looked against the Houston Astros (6 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K). He has better command than ever and still has a fastball that consistently reaches 94 MPH. Could this finally be the season when he puts it all together? If so, that’s bad news for the Cardinals and everyone else in the Central.

* Jay Bruce is heating up and then some: If Bailey isn’t the biggest reason for optimism, it’s definitely the way Bruce has been hitting the ball lately. He’s one of the streakier batters in Major League Baseball and Cincinnati fans were concerned about him early in the season. However, after his huge three-run shot on Friday against Matt Garza, he now leads the team with seven home runs and there’s no question he’s kicked it into gear. The Reds need Bruce to reach 30 HR’s this season and he’ll well on his way. He plays a great defensive right field as well.

* Joey Votto is a model of consistency: Fresh off his NL MVP season, Votto has picked up right where he left off. He’s batting .351 with five homers and 18 RBIs. The two players that proved to be Votto’s main competition for MVP honors last year – Carlos Gonzalez of the Rockies and Albert Pujols of the Cardinals – are both off to poor starts, especially Gonzalez. However, Votto just goes out there and hits the shit out of the ball every day. With him batting in the three hole, the Reds always have a chance to be dangerous. He’s one of the purest hitters in the game today. And unlike a lot of guys that consistently hit for a high average, Votto has tremendous natural power to go with it.

* Brandon Phillips is playing well in all areas: Phillips has been the second-best hitter on the team and continues to show why he’s the premier defensive second baseman in all of baseball. He’s already made some incredible plays in the field this season and it’s only May. Phillips is also batting .324 with four homers and 17 RBIs.

* Coco is actually having a good year: Closer Francisco Cordero has taken a lot of heat from Reds fans ever since signing a 4-year, $46 million contract in 2008. However, Cordero has been earning his robust paycheck this season (the final year of the deal). He has five saves and a 1.29 ERA (0.86 WHIP) and is 2-0 to boot.

* Bullpen overall is solid with Chapman, Masset, Bray, Ondrusek and now LeCure: Cordero hasn’t been the only success story out of the bullpen this season for Dusty Baker’s crew. Until his last outing, Aroldis Chapman was lights-out good. And he’s still going to be a nightmare for every hitter he faces this season. Control will always be an issue, but if he can harness it just a bit, it will be a huge boost to this team. Nick Masset has rebounded from a rough beginning and looks like an excellent set-up man from the right side. Bill Bray has been unbelievable thus far – and not just against lefties. Logan Ondrusek has also been ultra-effective. And I love seeing Sam LeCure where he belongs: as the long man (or a middle man) out of the pen. It’s also nice to see guys like Matt Maloney and Jordan Smith where they belong: pitching in triple-A with the Louisville Bats.

* Fred Lewis is finally up to help the LF situation: Left fielder Jonny Gomes started the season on fire, but has been an eskimo ever since. When Fred Lewis was signed in the offseason, many (myself included) thought he would platoon with Gomes in left. Well, we’re about to see it materialize in my opinion. Gomes will get all the starts against lefties, but get ready to see Lewis in there against right-handers. And that’s definitely a good thing for this team. Can’t have Gomes out there hitting on the interstate but still starting almost every game. Especially when he doesn’t add any positive defensively.

* Cueto will make his season debut on Sunday at Wrigley: Johnny Cueto’s numbers in the minors during his rehab stint weren’t exactly on Bailey’s level, so I’m not exactly sure what to think about Cueto making his debut Sunday. But the bottom line is that it’s finally good to see the pitching staff entirely healthy so the Reds can put all their cards on the table and see exactly what they’ve got. And look out if Cueto pitches up to his potential. I’m skeptical based on some of his struggles in the minors (like when he got rocked pitching against the AAA Columbus Clippers) but there’s no question he can be an asset for this team when he’s on.

THE PROBLEMS

Alright, we’ve waxed eloquent about all the good things regarding the Reds at the present time. But what are some problems facing the five-time world champions? Well, let’s take a gander at the glaring issues regarding this club.

* Edinson Volquez continues to be shaky each time he takes the mound: One of these days Volquez is going to settle down and not be such a schizophrenic pitcher. At least we can hope. He’s got great stuff, but his command is atrocious and just doesn’t have a good feel for pitching. I would say “million dollar arm, 10-cent brain” but that would just be mean. (Whoops.) If Volquez can get his act together, look out. But if he doesn’t, the Reds will always have a circus on their hands every fifth game.

* Third base is a mess: With Scott Rolen on the disabled list and with his backup, Juan Francisco, also on the DL, it’s a fire drill at third base for the Reds right now. And the idea that Edgar Renteria isn’t willing to play at the hot corner is a complete joke. If you can play short, you can play third. Give me a freakin’ break. The team has found a way around it by playing Paul Janish at third and Renteria (who has a good bat even at his age) at short, but Renteria should be able to play third. The other option at third is Miguel Cairo, who is dealing with minor bumps and bruises right now. I like the idea of having Renteria’s bat in there over Cairo’s, though. This team needs Rolen back and hopefully he will be soon. However, his history of shoulder injuries concern me. And what bad timing on Francisco’s part – this would be the perfect him for him to show what he can do at the MLB level.

* Travis Wood not pitching up to capabilities: Although he did have a quality start last time out, Wood has not been the pitcher anyone expected so far this season. However, I’m still holding out hope that he’s going to be a key cog in the pitching rotation this year. I like that Baker and pitching coach Bryan Price have stuck with him even after the returns of Bailey and Cueto (they sent LeCure and Mike Leake to the ‘pen). We’ll see if Wood can reward their faith by pitching well these next few weeks.

* Gomes has been an automatic out lately: As mentioned earlier, Gomes has been a disaster at the plate since his blazing start. He needs to get it together or Lewis might take his job full time. But who even knows if Lewis is going to be a consistent contributor? If both Gomes and Lewis fail, the team could look to Chris Heisey as the everyday left fielder, although he seems best in a reserve role. If all else fails, look for the Reds to trade for a LF sometime in June or July. They have plenty of talent in the minors – especially at catcher – to pull off a deal.