HUUUUUUGE 2 week stretch ahead...

[REDblooded]

Now that the Reds have the target on their backs in the NL Central, this 14 game stretch coming up will have a huge impact on their playoff chances this season.

Unless the Braves can win 2 against the Mets in their Mon/Tues series, the Reds will play 14 straight games against .500 or worse opponents... This is the type of stretch where you HAVE to come out of it winning 8-10 of the 14... The Reds need to really separate while playing against the inferior opponents so that it doesn't sting as bad if you lose a close series to a playoff contender...

17/18 vs Milwaukee 15-21... have lost 5 straight
19/20 @ Atlanta 18-19... 6-4 over last 10
21-23 @ Cleveland 15-20... 5-5 over last 10
24-26 vs Pitt 16-21... 4-6 over last 10 (3 losses against Reds)
27-29 vs Hou 13-23... 5-5 over last 10 (just dropped 3 straight vs. SF after sweeping Cardinals)

As it sits today, that's 14 straight games, and 8 at home, vs teams that are currently holding a combined .425 record (77 w's - 104 l's)..

Strap it on Reds fans...

[BoydsOfSummer]

Time to lay the smack down and take control of the division. No reason they couldn't take 10 of those. Unlikely but entirely possible.

[Redmachine2003]

then it is 3 game set with the Cards after Houston.

[medford]

Either that's 13 games and you messed up the dates of a set of games (likely Houston on a thursday thru saturday) or the Houston series is a thursday thru sunday (30th) to make the 14th game.

Either way, I'm too lazy to look it up, and you've made the key point. to witch I'll say, get 1 game over the Brewers/Atlanta/Cleveland series, then take all but 1 in the Houston/Pittsburgh series to gets you to 9/13 or 10/14. Seems possible to me w/ the rate they've been going.

[REDblooded]

messed up Pitt... 24th-27th. Hou goes 28th-30th.

[Hollcat]

Now that the Reds have the target on their backs in the NL Central, this 14 game stretch coming up will have a huge impact on their playoff chances this season.

Unless the Braves can win 2 against the Mets in their Mon/Tues series, the Reds will play 14 straight games against .500 or worse opponents... This is the type of stretch where you HAVE to come out of it winning 8-10 of the 14... The Reds need to really separate while playing against the inferior opponents so that it doesn't sting as bad if you lose a close series to a playoff contender...

17/18 vs Milwaukee 15-21... have lost 5 straight
19/20 @ Atlanta 18-19... 6-4 over last 10
21-23 @ Cleveland 15-20... 5-5 over last 10
24-26 vs Pitt 16-21... 4-6 over last 10 (3 losses against Reds)
27-29 vs Hou 13-23... 5-5 over last 10 (just dropped 3 straight vs. SF after sweeping Cardinals)

As it sits today, that's 14 straight games, and 8 at home, vs teams that are currently holding a combined .425 record (77 w's - 104 l's)..

Strap it on Reds fans...

You have just doomed us to no better than about 5-9 during that stretch. It seems like it happens every year, someone picks out a stretch that they point out to be a huge one for the Reds and they promptly go in the tank.

[Ghosts of 1990]

Every day, every inning.... win the battle.

Now that we've had just a taste I want a stranglehold on this division for a good long while. I hope the boys are as hungry as I am.

[REDblooded]

2-2

[Ghosts of 1990]

I wouldn't count Atlanta as a subpar team despite record. They haven't gotten hot yet... and at year's beginning I predicted them as the darkhorse in the entire NL. They haven't really hit other then Heyward, haven't gotten the pitching they should have out of their horses and Jurrjens is injured. If they add someone like a bat or a starter which they often do they'll be in things until the end. They have the prospects to land a big time name. Not worried about dropping two to a good Atlanta club. The next three series are Paramount.

[REDblooded]

3-2

[oregonred]

If this team keeps hitting and pitching like they have over the last 30-days, the HUUGGE stretch will last until October.

[REDblooded]

4-2

[REDblooded]

4-3... That one stung a bit... Reds had a few hard hits that just went right into gloves...

[OnBaseMachine]

The Reds are about to start a seven game homestand against the Pirates and Astros. According to a Sun Deck poster, the Reds will face the following pitchers: Brian Burris, Paul Maholm, Ross Ohlendorf, Charlie Morton, Wandy Rodriguez, Felipe Paulino, and Bud Norris. At the very least, the Reds need to go 4-3, though 5-2 or better should be the goal. 4-3 would put the Reds back to a season high tying seven games above .500 heading into St. Louis while 5-2 would put them at 30-21, a season high nine games above .500.

5-2 is the goal here. Anything above would be fantastic. 4-3 would be okay, and anything below that is pretty bad, IMO.

[REDblooded]

I'm with you OBM... Anything less than a 5-2 finish here will leave me pretty disappointed... Especially after leaving one on the table in Atlanta...