Reds Ready For Second Half, Are You?

After four days off for the All-Star break, the Reds are ready to keep the excitement building. Bronson Arroyo will start Friday night, then it's the return of Edinson Volquez Saturday night. With the return of Volquez, there is an odd man out for the current setup of the rotation. I'm fairly certain it will be Matt Maloney. The kid has pitched well and offers the Reds even more young depth. But how in the world can Travis Wood be sent down? He can't. If he is, I may file the baseball malpractice suit myself. I would guess if the current Reds rotation continues to shine, then Aaron Harang and Homer Bailey would be in line for some rehab starts. Reds G.M. Walt Jocketty said Thursday that Bailey is at least two to three weeks away from helping the Reds. Walt also said Harang felt a little stiff again Thursday, so they'll have to wait two or three days to see where he's at.

Francisco Cordero could not keep talking about how excited he is for the second half. He also knows he is one of the Reds players who needs to have a better second half. Francisco says he's well aware he's pitched himself into trouble, and needs to get control of the bases on balls. I didn't realize Cordero had never been to the playoffs, and he was downright giddy about a chance to get there. He said his team in the Dominican League won it all last year, and that he can't imagine how much better it would be making the playoffs in the majors. Coco can be a big key to the second half. He could deal them a crippling blow too if forces a juggling of the late inning relievers.

Bronson Arroyo had some candid comments about the Reds chances. He wants to see the Reds get a decent lead because he fears the Cardinals in September. He says Carpenter and Wainwright are the type of pitchers that can carry a team down the stretch. The Reds have one of the more manageable schedules, so they need to make it count when the play 9 games against the Astros and Brewers, and 6 against the Pirates and Cubs.

I'm curious to see what the crowds are like at Great American Ball Park over the weekend. They should be good. They should be good the rest of the season, or as long as the Reds are hanging around first place. I really believe the Reds will be in it the rest of the way. It was during this time last year when things really came off the tracks, but if the health holds up, so will the Redlegs.