Reds Have Their Eyes on October

        The city of Cincinnati is abuzz with excitement.  Aroldis Chapman is striking out big league hitters with 103 MPH fastballs, Joey Votto is a legitimate MVP and Triple Crown candidate, and for the first time in 15 years, it looks as though the hometown Reds may make the postseason.
        At 79-59, the Reds hold a 6-game lead in the National League Central Division over the Cardinals.  While the head-to-head series between the two teams atop the division is mainly one sided (St. Louis has won 12 of 18), the division thus far has been decided outside of the two cities.  In what is largely an easy schedule in the final two months of the season, Cincinnati has beaten the teams they are supposed to while St. Louis, who have an almost equally elementary schedule, has stumbled over mediocre teams like Arizona, Milwaukee, and Washington.  As of this past weekend, if the Reds were to finish the rest of the season with a .500 record, St. Louis would need to finish 24-7 just to TIE.  

        Personally, I cannot contain my excitement.  The last time my hometown team even sniffed the playoffs this late was in 1999, when Al Leiter thew a complete game to shut down the Reds hopes in a one game playoff with the New York Mets.  Before that, Cincinnati was swept by the Atlanta Braves in the 1995 NLCS...when I was three years old!  So, I've never really seen the oldest franchise in professional baseball play a postseason series.  And as much as any big market team may dispute it, Cincinnati has the best and most knowledgeable baseball fans in the country.  The past ten years have been a struggle watching a team with a lackluster record, but every year there is a full house on Opening Day.  

        And this year has been different.  I was in the right field seats for the Civil Rights Game on May 15th against the Cardinals.  As Orlando Cabrera's relay throw gunned down Skip Schumaker at home plate for the final out to win 4-3, I looked around (after frantically screaming with the rest of the 41,326 fans).  I couldn't help but just smile and clap.  There was an indescribable hope and joy in the stadium.  It was something I had never seen before at a sporting event.  That's what makes this year different.  When the Reds are good, the city is different.  This is a baseball town, and will always be a baseball town.  And as long as the Reds are winning, the nation will see that.