Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Chances are, if you are a Cincinnati Reds fan you might find yourself a tad frustrated right about now. After the St. Louis Cardinals managed to win only one game out of the first eight on their home stand, they took two of three from the Reds. Not only did they take two of three but they destroyed the Reds in both of those games, outscoring them 28 – 5. Don’t feel too bad about it though Reds fans, you are getting healthy soon and still sitting in good wildcard shape in the National League.
The Reds might be on the outside looking in as far as the National League Central goes right now. The Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates appear to have a strangle hold on the top two spots. That isn’t the end of the world anymore though. Because of the strange rule of having a second wildcard spot , the Reds not only have a chance at some post season baseball, they’re running away with it.
That’s right, though they are five games behind the Cardinals for the first wildcard spot, the Reds are 4.5 games up on their nearest threat for the second wildcard spot, the Arizona Diamondbacks. You might think that the second wildcard spot is meaningless because you have to win that first wildcard playoff game but it isn’t. Look no farther than the other side of the diamond today and what last year’s second wildcard team, the Cardinals, did in the post season.
Sure the Reds have had injuries and things have gone against them for a while. It might have actually knocked them out of the division race. I know Dusty Baker and the roster hate that fact. Still, you have to like that second spot for the wildcard for reasons like this. Last year the Cardinals got hot just at the end of the season and ran with it. That very well could happen to the Reds this year.
David Miller is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidmillerrant, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google Plus.
