Don't Look Now, But The Cincinnati Reds Are Kind Of Electric
I have no idea how the Cincinnati Reds got exciting all of a sudden. They're four games under .500 but only five games back in a putrid NL Central division. But even beyond wins and losses, the vibes are back at Great American Ballpark. That's a relatively quick turnaround considering they started last season with a 3-22 record and haven't really been to the playoffs since they lost the Wild Card game at PNC Park against the Pirates in 2013. Yes, I'm aware that they snuck into the postseason in the 2020 Covid year, but there were no fans, and honestly, did the 2020 season even happen? The Mets hit a walkoff home run at Yankee Stadium that year. I don't know. It's hard for me to take that seriously. It's been rough for the Reds, but all of a sudden, the eyes of the baseball world seem to be on Cincinnati, largely because Elly De La Cruz, their top prospect, has made a huge impact in just two games at the Major League Level.
Look, man, this guy will inevitably take his lumps at the Major League level. Everyone does, but it's hard to accurately convey a top prospect's impact on a team's culture. It's not a coincidence that the Orioles turned it on the second Adley Rutschman arrived. There were complimentary pieces, but his impact changed things overnight. The energy is different when you have a new toy to play with, and we've seen that impact the last few nights at Great American Ballpark. Last night against the Dodgers, the Reds won a slugfest against the Dodgers. De La Cruz hit his first career home run and triple. First homers are always fun, but there's something extra special when it's an absolute nuke.
While Cruz was the story, he wasn't the hero. Will Benson, who as of now has a .497 career OPS, hit his first career home run. It was a walk-off shot (their second walk-off in a row) and it made for one of the coolest celebrations we've seen in baseball this season.
It's amazing what happens to baseball teams when they GASP have a few good players. I'm not saying the Reds will make the playoffs this year, but they've gotten out of the basement and shook some fans out of apathy simply by developing some good, young pieces. It's why I simply don't understand why owners don't see the ballpark full for a team like Cincinnati and do not jump at the opportunity to sign more players. Owning a baseball team is always lucrative, but it's never as profitable as it is when the team is good. I hope the Reds see these moments as an opportunity to throw their hat in the ring this offseason. Because being fun is cool, but being good is way, way cooler.
