Entering the 2014 season, the expectations are high in Cincinnati. Many teams are satisfied with just simply making the playoffs, but after consecutive years of getting knocked out in the first round, the Reds are not one of those teams. Many experts see the Reds making a deep playoff run, but there are still some question marks.
The Cincinnati Reds were expected to do big things last year. Instead, they finished in third place in the NL Central and were one and done in the playoffs. This year, they seem poised to make the playoffs again, but will they advance? The other teams in the division have made offseason moves to improve their ball clubs, but it seems like the Reds haven’t done much. They lost Shin Soo Choo and Bronson Arroyo, traded Ryan Hanigan, and signed a few bench players. There haven’t been any blockbuster moves yet, but do they need to make any?
The Reds already have one of the best pitching staffs in all of baseball. With names like Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, and Aroldis Chapman, this staff seems set if they stay healthy. The problem may be staying consistent offensively. Guys like Joey Votto and Jay Bruce must step up and lead this young offense in 2014. The Reds also expect big things out of rookie Billy Hamilton as well. Replacing Shin Soo Choo won’t be easy, but Hamilton is very capable of doing so.
As a Reds fan, they may not need to make a huge move. Sometimes making too many moves is the wrong way to go. So to me, the Reds are contenders if they stay healthy and play consistently throughout the duration of the season.