Check out the star-studded list of mega-paid stars the Cincinnati Reds have handled so far in their bid for the playoffs.
If the Cincinnati Reds catch any of those big-spending teams in the standings to get to October, this is how they’re going to do it.
With their own version of moneyball.
Mostly, that means pitching well enough to win games like they did Aug. 12 against the All-Star lineup of the Philadelphia Phillies, a 6-1.
Or, as Snoop Dogg, put it during his postgame concert at Great American Ball Park this week:
“With my mind on my money and my money on my mind.”
Specifically, that means an uncanny ability this season for Reds pitchers to handle some of the biggest sluggers with some of the biggest paychecks in the game.
No? Just check out what they’ve done against the Phillies’ $330 million man, Bryce Harper.
Harper was held hitless against Singer and Graham Ashcraft until a meaningless home run with two out in the ninth. He has just two hits in the first two games of the series and is just 4-for-19 overall in five games against the Reds this season.
In fact against the highest-paid guys on some of the highest-paid teams the Reds have faced this year, Reds pitching has held five marquee sluggers worth more than a combined $2.5 billion — billion with a ‘b’ — to 11-for-68 (.162) production with just three home runs and 22 strikeouts.
When they beat the Phillies Tuesday, the Reds improved to 9-8 against those five teams, a group that also included the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees and Padres.
“Good numbers,” said All-Star Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott, who started four of those 17 games. “I think it’s game plans, and I think it’s execution. You can meet all you want, but you’ve still got to execute. You’ve still got to throw.”
In the nine wins against those teams, the Reds have allowed an average of 2.4 runs.
That’s the kind of recipe that helps an underpriced team hang with the big boys just well enough to make the difference in a playoff run if they can take care of business against the rest of the league.
And if you can take care of business against the likes of Harper, Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Manny Machado, that goes a long way toward that end.
“Just guys knowing how good they are, how long they’ve had success in the sport, which is important,” Abbott said, “because they’re thinking with you. They’re up there playing the chess match as well.”
How well have Reds pitchers played chess with those guys? This well:
- Bryce Harper, 13 years/$330 million (five games): 4 for 19 (.211), HR, 2B, BB, 8 K.
- Juan Soto, 15/$765 million (three games): 1-for-11 (.091), HR, BB, 5 K.
- Shohei Ohtani, 10/$700 million (three games): 1-for-13 (.077), 2B, 2 BB, 5 K.
- Aaron Judge, 12/$360 million (three games): 3-for-13 (.231), HR, 2B, 3 K.
- Manny Machado, 11/$350 million (three games): 2-for-12, BB, K.
- Totals: 11-for-68 (.162), 3 HR, 2 2B, .324 slugging percentage, 22 K.
“Moneyball, I guess,” Abbott said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Cincinnati Reds holding own vs. Phillies, big-money MLB rivals
Category: Baseball
