Many like to break down the long baseball season into months or before the break/after the break; at OMGReds, we prefer to break it down into 4-game chunks. And since 162 isn’t divisible by 4, the final two games of the season get their own 2-game chunk. Don’t laugh, we’ve been doing this for years. I lied, this is a first.
The Reds are off to a 2-2 start in 2012, but here are some ridiculously premature reasons to be encouraged through the first four games, eerily similar to the start of the memorable 2010 campaign that culminated in the Reds winning the National League Central:
• 2010 Reds started 2-2.
2012 Reds started 2-2.
(2011 Reds started 4-0. 5-0, in fact, before losing to Houston.)
• 2010 Reds hit 5 homers in their first 4 games of the season.
2012 Reds hit 5 homers in their first 4 games of the season.
• In their second game of the 2010 season, the Reds scored just 3 runs and lost. Their player of the game offensively was their starting shortstop (Orlando Cabrera), who batted second, had 2 hits and drove in 3.
In their second game of the 2012 season, the Reds scored just 3 runs and lost. Their player of the game offensively was their starting shortstop (Zack Cozart), who batted second, had 3 hits and scored twice.
• Bronson Arroyo started the third game of the season in 2010. He earned a no-decision, and the Reds went on to win the game with one out in the bottom of the ninth (on Jonny Gomes’ homer).
Bronson Arroyo started the third game of the season in 2012. He earned a no-decision, and the Reds went on to win the game with one out in the bottom of the ninth (on Scott Rolen’s single).
• In the fourth game of the season in 2010, Homer Bailey went 5 innings, allowing 7 hits, 3 earned runs, walked 2 and struck out 5. Bailey was outpitched by his counterpart (Carlos Silva), who allowed 1 run in 6 innings.
In the fourth game of the season in 2012, Homer Bailey went 5 2/3 innings, allowing 6 hits, 4 earned runs, walked 3 and struck out 5. Bailey was outpitched by his counterpart (Jake Westbrook), who allowed 1 run in 7 innings.
• In the first four games of the 2010 season, Joey Votto scored 2 runs, homered once and struck out 6 times.
In the first four games of the 2012 season, Votto scored 2 runs, homered once and struck out 6 times.
• In the first four games of the 2010 season, Scott Rolen had 2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI and 1 strikeout.
In the first four games of the 2012 season, Rolen had 2 hits, 1 run, 1 RBI and 1 strikeout.
