Monday, May 02, 2011

The Reds enjoyed a rare rainout Monday. And the game was called early in the day, so they could simply come to the park and get in their hitting and go home. But one of the things they must work on if they're going to contend this season, is getting the hitters with the most chances to drive in runs productive again.

The batters with the two most chances to drive in runs this eason are Jonny Gomes and Jay Bruce. And each is struggling, mightily.

Gomes had an RBI this weekend. But he's hitting just .200 with runners in scoring position. Bruce is hitting just .167. And what makes this one of the strange anomalies that baseball offers, is that the Reds, as a team, are 4th best in the National League in driving in baserunners in scoring position.

The problem for the Reds gets compounded, when you notice that the two batters who've had the most chances to drive in runners in scoring position are.....you got it, Bruce and Gomes. Joey Votto is hitting .363 with RISP, but he's had fewer chances than either Gomes or Bruce.

The law of baseball averages dictates that the game will eventually come back to Gomes and Bruce and each will find that key hits that aren't happening now, will eventually.

But right now, it's killing this team.

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