Homer? Our Homer?

Last night, as we sat around the television counting down the outs, the most unlikely hero in the Reds' rotation emerged. Homer Bailey accomplished what no other Red could since 1988. He threw a no-hitter.

Homer Bailey, maybe unjustly, has caught a bad rap in Cincinnati. Most likely, this has to do with all the hype that surrounded the Texan after being drafted seventh overall in 2004. In 2007, he finally hit the big leagues, with expectations of the youngster to become the club's ace. Because of control issues, he hasn't maintained the consistent success that many in Cincinnati had hoped for. Much to the delight of the rest of the NL Central, Bailey is known for his inconsistency: one night a gem, the next outing a joke.

The division, though, is scared of Bailey the kid of late, and rightfully so.

Third or fourth best in most rotations would probably mean you're a pretty expendable arm. In Cincinnati, however, with Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, and even Bronson Arroyo, fourth is a pretty respectable place to be.

ESPN Sweetspot blogger Dave Schoenfield referred to Bailey in today's blog as an "elite pitcher." Most in Cincinnati would look at the name and the label and laugh. Homer? Our Homer?

Schoenfield, obviously not from Cincinnati, pulls some pretty incredible stats from last night's performance.

1. After averaging 90 mph on his fastball through three innings and 90.6 in the middle three, Bailey amped it up to 92.1 over the final three innings. A little adrenaline, sure, but it's also an approach Justin Verlander has mastered in recent seasons, saving your best bullets for late in the game.

2. Bailey registered 17 swings-and-misses in the game, his second-highest total in 2012, so the pure stuff was excellent on this night.

3. He threw his fastball for strikes 76 percent of the time, his third-highest percentage of the season. 

The third point is the most important. As we have lost confidence in Bailey over the years, he has gained control. According to Schoenfield, his walk percentage by season has steadily dropped: 13.7 percent, 9.4, 10.5, 8.6, 5.9, 6.1. (Compare those to the 2012 walk percentages of R.A. Dickey, 6.0%, Johnny Cueto, 5.6%, and Stephen Strasburg, 7.4%). 2012 is Bailey's first double-digit win season, but also his first double-digit loss season (13-10), with injuries and minor league appearances scattered across his career. The numbers don't lie: Homer Bailey is improving. Elite, though? Ask me at the end of October.

There is no denying after last night that, for the Reds to make the playoff run the city, Bailey is going to have to play a key role. His arm lies in a critical part of the rotation, beyond the one-two punch of Cueto and Latos, deep in the trenches where having a solid arm will tip the scales.

Homer Bailey shocked Cincinnati last night. It may have been the seventh MLB no-no this year, but the only one that matters to the Queen City, a performance even Tom Browning must respect.

Forget now about the stats, and even the dismal batting performance by the Reds. The true romanticism of baseball shined bright as catcher Ryan Hanigan ran to the mound to give the new Cincy immortal a triumphant hug.

Homer Bailey's smile said it all. Our Homer?

Yes, our Homer.
 

Wake me up when September ends

Cincinnati Reds (93-62)

9/28 @ Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m., CIN Homer Bailey (12-10) vs. PIT A.J. Burnett (16-8)
9/29 @ Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m., CIN Mike Leake (8-9) vs. PIT Kyle McPherson (0-2)
9/30 @ Pittsburgh, 1:35 p.m., CIN Johnny Cueto (19-9) vs. PIT Wandy Rodriguez (12-13)

With today's final matchup against the Brewers, the Redlegs close out the regular season home schedule at Great American Ballpark. Then it's off to Pittsburgh, the city of midseason hopes, to face the team that many predicted would win the division. The Pirates, of course, faded away about a month ago, the stellar pitching staff becoming average at best. For the Reds, it may seem like an opportunity to coast out with a division title, but there are greater things at stake here. Prior to today's game against Milwaukee, Cincinnati is just a game back of Washington for the best record in baseball, and with it, the top seed in the playoffs. By topping the Nationals, the Reds could potentially avoid meeting the hot San Francisco Giants until further down the road, and face a wild-card team whose ace likely will have been used up in the one-game playoff. It's not the end of the season by any means if the Reds can't dominate the Bucs, but gaining momentum going into the playoffs could certainly benefit Cincy.

UC Bearcats (2-0)

9/29 Home vs. Virginia Tech (3-1) (Ranked 25th in USA Today Poll), 3:30 p.m.

Possibly the premier matchup of the week for the Queen City, as both teams are on the verge of cracking into the top ranks. In Cincinnati's opening game, they routed Pittsburgh 34-10. Two weeks ago, the Hokies traveled to Heinz Field only to be defeated 35-17 by the Panthers. Does this tip the scales in favor of the Big East team? Likely close, but Nippert Stadium is definitely going to be crazy come Saturday afternoon.

Cincinnati Bengals (2-1)

9/30 @ Jacksonville (1-2) , 4:05 p.m., CIN

Andy Dalton could have a decent day against a sub-par Jacksonville secondary, but look for running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to be the hero for the Bengals in Florida. The Jaguars have the 31st ranked rush defense in the league three weeks in, and aren't showing signs of improvement. It's safe to say that the Bengals will likely score big in this one. On the defensive side of the ball,  Blaine Gabbert hasn't proven to be a threatening NFL quarterback yet, posting only 260, 53, and 155 yards the first three games. The true threat to Cincinnati lies in the the Jacksonville backfield with RB Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew has, without question, been a top-five running back this season. There aren't many aerial weapons to take pressure off him, but MJD gets it done, and the Bengals rush defense has given up 99+ yards every game so far to much lesser backs.

Toothpicks and heartaches

Motivation.

It’s what get’s us out of bed in the morning, what pushes us to run farther, try harder, test our very physical and psychological limits. It’s what allows underdogs to topple giants, silver to turn to gold, and records to be shattered.

Motivation is what he;ed Torrey Smith, wide receiver of the Baltimore Ravens, to have the game of his life on Sunday night, 12 hours after the passing of his younger brother. It is what led Lance Armstrong to defeat cancer and win yet another and another Tour de France (I’m not one to say whether he juiced or not, but either way, what he did is unbelievable).

Right now, the Cincinnati Reds are coasting to the end of the season, some breathing room rightfully earned through one of the most dominant regular seasons in Reds’ history. The last few weeks of Cincinnati Reds baseball has been without urgency, and understandably so. With the largest gap of any division leader, the Reds can afford the luxury of taking the gas off the pedal. They are not dominating the win column as the did in the mid-summer months, with the ball leaping off the bat of Frazier and Phillips, Votto cheering from afar as the team did what know one believed could without him. The bullpen has relaxed, with Chapman making his well-rested return on Sunday night.

The Reds are the NL Central League Champions, and they finished it out without the man who captained them there, who believed in his team when no one believed in him. Dusty Baker is constantly under scrutiny in this town, even with questions of whether he is the man for the job next year. Second best record in baseball, and the criticism of his coaching techniques does not subside.

While in Chicago on Wednesday, Baker was checked into the hospital and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat). As he was being discharged on Friday, he suffered a mini-stroke and immediately was treated by the hospital’s stroke team, which minimized the effects of the stroke.

Baker, the man who has led this team the entire season, the person who is questioned most when the Reds lose, but receives the least credit when they win again and again, released a statement today.

"While at Wrigley Field I was blessed to have our trainer, Paul Lessard, have the good sense to call in Cubs team physician Dr. Stephen Adams, who examined me in the clubhouse, immediately determined how serious by condition was and personally rushed me to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Dr. Broderick and Dr. Kereiakes are going to make sure I'm ready to handle the duties of managing before I return full time. My family and I are very grateful for the support we've received the past few days from Mr. Castellini and our ownership group, Walt, our friends, the baseball family and especially Reds fans. I'm feeling much better, and it's great being back here in Cincinnati. Chris Speier and my staff are doing a terrific job, and I look forward to getting back to the dugout."

I speak now to the Cincinnati Reds organiztion. Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals used the motivation of the underdog role to propel them through the playoffs, a rouge bunch that couldn’t be stopped in October. Dusty Baker is your leader, your manager, your friend. He has missed out on the best part of the season, the clinch, the celebration of what he worked towards all year.

It is not time to coast. It is time to press even harder. Time to score even more runs, strike out even more batters. The postseason starts in a week and a half, likely against the Giants. Momentum is a key to the game of baseball. Gain it. To turn it on and off again will not do, another Halladay haunt will put you back again at home, with everyone wearing NL Central Champs t-shirts. It’s not enough.

Not for the man who has been your friend. The man who has led this team to a .601 win percentage, who has taken the heat when a pitcher get’s rocked, who has to face the press when the game of baseball turns its ugly head, and who listens to 700 WLW talk of how great Walt Jocketty and Bob Castellini are for the team whenever the Reds win.

You need motivation? Look to the end of the dugout tonight. The man standing there doesn’t have a toothpick hanging out of is mouth.

Dusty is believed to be recovering fine, hopefully to return for October’s St. Louis series. If all goes well, he will be a lucky, healthy manager.

Motivation. From today until the day you hold that World Series trophy, it’s what you’ll need. Dusty Baker, the man who has led all season, again has provided the tool that the Cincinnati Reds need for success.

Don’t do it for yourselves, the fans, you’re teammates, or even the city.

Do it for Dusty.

Will the MLS ever call Cincinnati home?

FC Queen City?

Has a nice ring to it, eh?

With the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, Major League Soccer is expanding on an annual basis. It’s only a matter of time before Cincinnati begins to question: when will it be the Queen City’s turn on the professional pitch?

In reality, an MLS team in Cincinnati is not a farfetched idea.

“I would say it’s unlikely in the near term, but long term, it’s possible,” says Doug McIntyre, soccer staff writer for ESPN The Magazine.

To see how a side might be received in Cincinnati, we can look to its nearest neighbor for comparison. Ohio’s capital is home to one of ten of the MLS’s 1996 founding members, the Columbus Crew. The Crew have one of the largest fan bases in the country, and according to McIntyre, are on the path of profitability.

“I think that’s a natural rival for a team in Cincinnati,” says McIntyre. “MLS has really been trying to foster those rivalries in recent years. It was very strategic to get a team in Philadelphia (Union est. 2010), with a close proximity to D.C. and New York.”

An even larger example of a rivalry is the recent development of the MLS in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle Sounders FC (est. 2009), Portland Timbers (est. 2011), and Vancouver Whitecaps (est. 2011) have become some of most popular teams in the country, with the most passionate fans in Major League Soccer.

“Sometimes, when you have two teams in close proximity, instead of one taking fans from the other, and I’m sure there are Crew fans that live in Cincinnati, it actually helps both teams because now there’s something to talk about: now there’s a rivalry,” says McIntyre.

Why has Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio become such a soccer hotbed in the U.S. landscape? The Cincinnati Enquirer High School Sports Editor Mike Dyer sees the development of the sport’s popularity building from the younger generation and up.

“There’s a huge, huge club influence in Cincinnati, and that has to do with the popularity of the sport, that drives it a lot,” Dyer says.

Even more than the youth level, Dyer feels the roots of the city even play on the city’s hunger for the original “football.”

“There’s some influence, going back to a lot of the German heritage of the Queen City,” Dyer says. “Again, if you’re looking at it from a youth standpoint, this is a really, really big family town. Obviously your kids can play other sports, but what is the sport most of them are going to be exposed to and identified with first?”

In the suburbs, that sport is generally soccer. This may explain why a recent ESPN article by Roger Bennett claims that soccer has passed up the MLB and NBA to become the second most popular sport for Americans ages 12-24.

So Cincinnati has the young fan base and the interest in the game; how does an MLS team happen?

“I think for any city that wants a pro sports team, there’s a few keys you need,” McIntyre says. “First, you need a facility, and then you need an owner with a lot of money. So, if Cincinnati can manage to get an ownership group that wants a team, they can either build the stadium themselves, or enter into a public/private partnership to get a soccer-specific stadium built. Then, yeah, they could possibly get a team.”

Seattle Sounders FC and the New England Revolution are two MLS teams that play in NFL stadiums, but the league is trying to step away from that mold. New, soccer specific stadiums are the preference for pro soccer teams, as they want to be able to control the revenue steams, scheduling, and not play on fields with football lines on them.

In Seattle and New England, though, the owners of the MLS teams are also the owners of the NFL teams, the Seahawks and Patriots. If an MLS team were to come to Cincinnati, the most realistic buyer would likely be Mike Brown, owner of the Cincinnati Bengals. After some disgruntled citizens uneasy about the public money poured into Paul Brown Stadium, it is unlikely a soccer-specific stadium would be publicly funded in the near future. Paul Brown Stadium could potentially then be the home to an MLS franchise, should Mike Brown ever consider the option.

Although not necessarily an immediate venture, the rapid expansion of the league may eventually sweep over the city. Right now, the MLS is looking to upstart another team in New York City, already home to the New York Red Bulls (again, building on the idea of rivalries helping popularity). Minneapolis is in talking about building a new stadium for the Vikings, with an MLS team also in mind. When the league began, there were two teams in Florida (Tampa Munity, 1996-2001; Miami Fusion FC, 1998-2001). Currently, there are no teams in the southeastern U.S., so Miami, Atlanta, and the Raleigh-Durham areas are all likely more attractive candidates for the MLS in the near future.

“Another thing is that the league has room to grow,” says McIntyre. “There’s 19 teams in the league now. While [20’s] the preferred size for soccer leagues around the world, Europe kind of frowns on leagues bigger than 20 teams, that’s sort of the ‘perfect number.’ It’s not huge for the United States, which is obviously a huge market. It’s the richest market in the world. And, every major sports league in the U.S. has 30 teams or more.”

Another step Cincinnati could take in attracting an MLS franchise would be to host an international friendly or World Cup qualifying match, as Columbus did last week at Crew Stadium (U.S. Men’s National Team vs. Jamaica). Cincinnati has never hosted one of these matches, men’s or women’s, so the turnout rate is untested for soccer in the city.

“I think you’ve seen in the past where an area has hosted a friendly match and gotten a huge turnout, and people started saying wow, this is a really ripe market for soccer,” says McIntyre. “One of the steps of Seattle getting a team, in 2006, Real Madrid came to town and actually played D.C. United, and they sold the place out. Obviously, it was probably because they had David Beckham and a bunch of other players at the time in the lineup, but they sold the place out and it really sort of got the wheels in motion for getting an MLS team there. It took three years, but they did it. So, absolutely there’s a history of that happening.”

Even with the sports popularity, the idea is still questionable to some. Trent Storch, a college student who grew up playing soccer in the Tri-State, says although he would support an MLS franchise, it may be a short-lived phase in Cincinnati.

“I’m not sure it would work. I mean, Cincinnati is a good-team fan city,” says Storch. “When considering the Bengals, you can see how they lack support when they’re not doing well. I think that the buzz of a new MLS franchise would create a solid fan base at first, but if they aren’t a solid team it will die off. Not every team can be as successful as the Oklahoma City Thunder when it comes to gaining loyalty from a city.”

Dyer, again having a great perspective on generational trend of sports fans in Cincinnati, also questions a sustained support for a pro soccer team.

“It’s interesting. There’s arguments I hear from different people saying that soccer is really popular at the youth level, but once an individual athlete reaches a plateau, maybe college, then the interest may wane a little bit,” Dyer says. “Then you go back to the ‘mainstream’ sports.”

Dyer and Storch both, though, have recognized the growing popularity of the “beautiful game” and feel there is a niche out there in Cincinnati that would cling to an MLS squad.

Whether an MLS team is in the future for Cincinnati is yet to be seen, but what is evident is that it is not impossible. To reach the feat, the city needs to provide the facility and an ownership offer must step up.

“I think that everyone agrees that soccer has a lot of room to grow,” says McIntyre. “The other major sports in the U.S. have seemed to mature a little bit. I think they’ll still grow, but how much? Soccer has plenty of room to grow. There’s going to be more teams, and there’s going to be more cities that want teams. Eventually, Cincinnati may have a team, just like a lot of places down the list. So yeah, it could happen, if you find a guy that has a lot of money and wants a team, that’s the fastest way to make it happen for sure.”

FC Queen City may be just a dream to some now, but if the right steps are taken, that dream may become a reality for the next generation of Cincinnati.

Crunchin' numbers: Reds @ Cubs

The Reds and the Cubs hate each other. Period.

And today, Cincinnati travels to Wrigley Field to begin a three game series with Chicago, the nearly-NL Central champs versus those who hang only above Houston.

The Cubs have had a dismal year, yes, but still this game is one of the most-hyped matchups for the Reds all season, minus the Cardinals. So, on such an occasion, and to keep the rivalry blood flowing, we at Queen City Sports thought it best to provide a little statistical history before tonight's 8:05 p.m. first pitch.

Stats n' such (www.statsheet.com)

- The last time these two met, the Reds won by a single run.

- Head to head this season, the Reds are 9-4 against the Cubbies.

- Reds overall record is now 88-59, with the Cubs at 58-89. Ironic?

- Cincy is 41-26 in the NL Central, while Chicago is 29-43.

- Cubs are 36-36 at Wrigley Field this year.

- Reds have hit 166 home runs to the Cubs' 125.

- On the mound, Cincy pitchers have struck out 41 more batters.

- Cincinnati's team earned run average is 3.44, Chicago's 4.46.

- The Reds have 81 fielding errors to Chicago's 96.

- Over the past five years, the Reds have a .516 winning percentage versus the Cubs' .484.

- Over the past ten years, the Cubs have a .493 winning percentage versus the Reds' .486

- Cincinnati has beat Chicago by eight or more runs on 17 occasions since 1986.

- In games decided by one run between the Reds and Cubs, Cincy has won 68 of 117.

- The Cubs Opening Day payroll was $125,480,664 compared to the Reds' $76,181,365.

- There are 13 Cubbies in Cooperstown to the Reds' seven.

- The Reds have won five World Series to Chicago's two.

And for the grand finale, every Cincinnati fan's favorite: The Reds have been to more World Series since 1969 (Reds 5 v. Cubs 0). The Cubs have not been to the World Series since 1945, and have not won since 1908. The Reds' last World Series appearance was 1990 with a victory over the heavily favored Oakland Athletics.

W's all around! Weekend wrap-up

With today's results, each of the Cincinnati teams put one in the win column this weekend. Here's some quick hits from around the Queen City of how things stacked-up.

UC Bearcats

9/15 Bearcats 23, Delaware State 7

Senior RB George Winn -- 147 yards

Senior WR Damon Julian -- 62 yards, 1 touchdown

Junior QB Munchie Leguax -- 20 of 27 passing, 207 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 fumbles, 2 interceptions

The Bearcats did what was expected by dominating Delaware State. Turnovers were a major problem, though, and could cause problems if carelessness with the ball continues into Big East play.

Cincinnati Reds

9/14 Marlins 4, Reds 0 -- WP Jacob Turner, LP Bronson Arroyo, CIN 3B Todd Frazier 1 for 2

9/15 Marlins 6, Reds 4 -- WP Mark Buehrle, LP Johnny Cueto, CIN SS Wilson Valdez 2 for 4

9/16 Reds 5, Marlins 4 -- WP Logan Ondrusek, LP Carlos Zambrano, CIN SS Didi Gregorius 3 for 5

The Reds had disappointing outings from both Arroyo and Cueto, and have seemed to have lost any steam they had going into the postseason. The current lapse in pitching quality that has carried the team all year has severely exposed the offensive lack that the team suffers from. Regardless, a win today against Miami brings the magic number to clinch to five, with an off day tomorrow.

Cincinnati Bengals

9/16 Bengals 34, Browns 27

QB Andy Dalton -- 24 for 31 passing, 318 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interceptions

RB Benjarvus Green-Ellis -- 75 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns

WR Brandon Tate -- 3 recetpions, 71 yards, 1 touchdown

Cincinnati showed that a young core of receivers can produce great results, with Brandon Tate, A.J. Green, and Andrew Hawkins all hauling in a touchdown pass from Dalton. More concerning, though, is the fact that rookie Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden was able to put up 322 yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati after producing just 118 yards and four picks against Philadelphia in Week 1.

If the playoffs began today.....

If you're anything like me, you never really know what exactly the playoff schedule has in store. This year's added Wild Card team, among other changes, has added to the confusion. So, to the best of my understanding, here is what the National League playoff bracket would look like if the regular season ended yesterday. As you can see, the Nationals have the No. 1 seed with the best record, with the Reds at number two and the Giants at No. 3. In my opinion, that's a good match-up for Cincinnati. The Giants are now without Melky Cabrera, and ace Madison Bumgarner has been struggling as of late. San Francisco, too, is a much better option in my mind than having to face a postseason-Cardinals squad or the recently-purchased All-Star lineup of Los Angeles (Dodgers only one game back of NL Wild Card spot).

Another Cuban Missile Crisis?

Has another Cuban Missile Crisis arisen upon this great nation?

First of all, a disclaimer. No one here is saying Aroldis Chapman has hit rock bottom, or that there is any question as to who the best closer in baseball is this season. Number 54 of the Reds has been excellent on the mound, and for some time, unhittable.

Because of this dominance, any miscue at all raises red flags across the country, and not the Cincinnati car-flags that fans attach to their windows. No, being perfect comes with a price, and that price is having your imperfections, when they finally surface, magnified in utter disbelief.

With that said, Chapman’s last two appearances have been disasters. On Friday, he recorded a blown save off a Matt Dominguez three-run homer, a shocking loss  to the worst team in baseball. Yesterday, he threw for two thirds of an inning before being pulled after loading the bases with walks. His earned run average reached 1.61 after Friday’s fiasco, a number most closers would love. For Chapman though, that number is his highest since July 20 and replaced his 1.23 ERA going into the game.

Many people have pointed to Chapman’s velocity as the problem. Dave Schoenfield of ESPN has reported that over his last three appearances, it truly has declined. Chapman, known for posting triple digit speeds, threw an average fastball speed of 98.0 mph on Sept. 4, 96.3 mph on Sept. 7, and 94.4 mph yesterday, according to Schoenfield.

Concern?

“He might be a little tired. He might have to rest for awhile,” Dusty Baker said yesterday following Chapman’s disappointing performance.

On nine occasions this year, Chapman relied solely on his fastball, some games averaging 100.0 to 101.3 mph. Lately, however, and not to discredit the value of mixing it up, Chapman has significantly raised his implementation of the slider. A usually effective pitch, Chapman threw his slider 21.7% of his pitches during his blown save on Friday.

What does this mean? Is Chapman, who was supposed to be a starter at the start of the year, reaching a point of late-season fatigue? Is there a mechanical breakdown erasing those crucial few miles per hour that can be a difference between the catcher’s mitt and the hands of a lucky fan in left field?

In this analyst’s opinion, Chapman is simply starting to wear down. Repetitive use does that to a player. Yes, many starters grow stronger as the year progresses, but Chapman is a closer who makes an appearance almost every other day, throwing high nineties to low hundreds on a consistent basis. The body, and the arm in particular, naturally needs rest.

The largest question is what to do about the Cuban Missile to best preserve him for the postseason. The odds of the Reds losing the division are currently at .05%, so coasting from here on out is acceptable if the goal is to make the playoffs. To succeed in October, though, Chapman must play a critical role in the Cincinnati bullpen. That means having him at 100%, pitching at or close to 100 mph.

For at least a week, I say rest the man. Maybe give him some bullpen work to keep him sharp, but give the arm a break. Cincinnati signed Jonathan Broxton before the trade deadline, a very capable closer who can produce when called upon. Let Broxton carry the majority of the workload for now, and then slide back into the setup role towards the end of the year.

This is not a Cuban Missile Crisis, Cincinnati. The missile just simply needs to cool his jets before he’s ready to fire again.

Monday Night Football: Bengals @ Ravens Fantasy Preview

The time has almost arrived for Monday Night Football and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals kick-off tomorrow night in Baltimore at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN, with a chance for an AFC North statement to be made by either team. Cincinnati is 9-19 on MNF, while Ravens are 8-9. Head-to-head, Baltimore leads the series 18-14.  Now, let’s be honest: while some of us may be watching for the true thrill of the rivalry, most will be cheering for our fantasy players. Here’s the position-by-position fantasy match-ups for both teams.

Quarterback

CIN – Andy Dalton – Position rank: T15; Completion %: 58.1; Yards: 3,398; Touchdowns: 20; Interceptions: 13; Rating: 80.4; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 195

BAL – Joe Flacco­ – Position rank: T15; Completion %: 57.6; Yards: 3,610; Touchdowns: 20; Interceptions: 12; Rating: 80.9; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 195

Edge: Wow, was not expecting this, but statistically Flacco and Dalton are practically identical. Quarterback is a toss-up.

Running Back

CIN – Benjarvus Green-Ellis – Position rank: 22; Yards: 826; Touchdowns 11; Fumbles: 0; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 138

BAL – Ray Rice – Position rank: 1; Yards: 2,068; Touchdowns 15; Fumbles: 2; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 283

Edge: Ray Rice and the Ravens. To be fair though, Green-Ellis was part of the pass-happy New England offense, and will see a much heavier workload in Cincinnati as the feature back.

#1 Wide Receiver

CIN – A.J. Green – Position rank: 16; Yards: 1,057; Touchdowns: 7; Fumbles: 1; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 144

BAL – Torrey Smith – Position rank: 22; Yards: 841; Touchdowns: 7; Fumbles: 1; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 123

Edge: A.J. Green and the Bengals. Both receivers had breakout years in 2011, their rookie season, and rose quickly to become Dalton and Flacco’s first choices.

Tight Ends

CIN – Jermaine Gresham­ – Position rank: 13; Yards: 596; Touchdowns: 6; Fumbles: 1; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 87

BAL – Ed Dickson – Position rank: 19; Yards: 528; Touchdowns: 5; Fumbles: 0; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 75

Edge: Jermaine Gresham and the Bengals. This one again is incredibly close, but outperformed Dickson as a rookie, with a rookie quarterback. Gresham is likely to be even more involved in the Cincinnati offense as a returning starter.

Defense/Special Teams

CIN – Position Rank: 9; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 133; Average fantasy points per week (in standard ESPN leagues): 8.3

BAL – Position rank: 3; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 283; Average fantasy points per week (in standard ESPN leagues): 17.7

Edge: Baltimore. The Ravens are known for their smash-mouth defense, led by Ray Lewis. This game could be decided by the ability of Baltimore to crash an offense’s party.

Kicker

CIN – Mike Nugent – Position rank: 7; Field goal attempts: 38; Field goals made: 33; Field goal %: 86.8; Fantasy points (in standard ESPN leagues): 141

BAL – Justin Tucker – Rookie

Edge: Nugent and the Bengals. Tucker won the spot from Billy Cundiff, but it’s tough to go with an un-tested rookie.

OVERALL FANTASY EDGE:

Tough, but the Ravens’ defense is going to tip the scales, as been the case the last few years. 

September 6 -- Weekend Preview

Huge weekend for Cincinnati sports, and a long weekend at that. Let's take a look ahead, shall we.

Pittsburgh Panthers @ Cincinnati Bearcats, tonight 8 p.m. ESPN

An annual Big East premier match-up, Nippert Stadium is sure to be rockin' for the University of Cincinnati's season opener. The Bearcats squeezed a win out of this one last year by a mere three points, but the Panthers come to town 0-1 after a loss to, dare I say it, Youngstown State. Pittsburgh finished 6-7 overall last season, well behind Cincy's 10-3 mark. The Bearcats recorded better numbers in interceptions, passing touchdowns, rush yards per attempt, rushing yards per game, and sacks last year, but games are always close between these two teams. Cincinnati has won the the Paddlewheel Trophy the past three of four years, but historically the Panthers have dominated this match-up (8-3 in the River City Rivalry game). Pittsburgh also brings much more offensive experience in senior quarterback Tino Sunseri and running back Ray Graham, while Cincy quarterback Munchie Legaux makes his inaugural first-string start tonight.

UC Players to watch:

Munchie Legaux, #4 QB, Junior -- (2011) 749 pass yards on 116 attempts, 5 TD, 4 INT

George Winn, #32 RB, Senior -- (2011) 219 rush yards on 40 attempts, 2 TD

Anthony McClung, #6 WR, Junior -- (2011) 49 receptions for 683 yards, 6 TD

PITT Players to watch:

Tino Sunseri, #12 QB, Senior -- (2011) 2,616 total passing yards and a 124.1 QB rating 

Ray Graham, #1 RB, Senior -- (2011) 958 total rushing yards, 9 TD

Devin Street, #15 WR, Junior -- (2011) 53 receptions for 754 yards, 2 TD

Cincinnati Reds @ Houston Astros, 9/7, 9/8 7:10 p.m. FSN, 9/9 1:10 p.m. FSN

The Reds host Houston this weekend with an eight and a half game lead in the National League Central, hoping to inflate that gap. The Astros have the worst record in baseball and a interim manager at the helm. Head-to-head this season, the Reds are 9-3 against the Astros. Joey Votto will be truly game-tested if he plays in this entire series after going 2-3 in his return from knee surgery last night against the Phillies. Also, keep an eye on Todd Frazier's playing time; recently the NL Rookie of the Month, it will be interesting to see how Reds' manager Dusty Baker uses his young gun with Votto back in the lineup.

Probable pitchers:

9/7 HOU Lucas Harrell, RHP (10-9, 3.81 ERA) vs. CIN Homer Bailey RHP (10.9, 4.09 ERA)

9/8 HOU Bud Norris, RHP (5-11, 4.80 ERA) vs. CIN Bronson Arroyo RHP (11-7, 3.76 ERA)

9/9 HOU Edgar Gonzalez, RHP (1-0, 1.69 ERA) vs. CIN Johnny Cueto, RHP (17-7 2.58 ERA)

So fast the county was named after him before he was even born.....

           As we have become accustomed with Brad Pitt’s character in the 2011 baseball blockbuster film Moneyball, the Oakland A’s are a team willing to think outside the box to win. A small market club with small market money trying to compete in a large-market league has to do so to be successful. It comes as no surprise then, that in the 1970s the A’s tried something a little out of the ordinary, based on the idea of owner Charles Finley. Finley had a notion that speed was an essential element to a winning baseball franchise, and that the greatest place to demonstrate speed would be on the base paths. To satisfy the need for speed, he did something of a rarity in the sport of baseball: he instituted the specialist pinch runner.

            According to Baseball-Reference.com, Finley believed that having a man with wheels would give his team five to ten extra wins per season. To put his plan into action, outfielder Allen Lewis was utilized for this role from 1967 to 1973. In 1974, Finley took his theory to a whole new level by hiring Herb Washington, a track star with no prior baseball experience as his specialist. Washington was used in 91 games during the 1974 season, recording 29 runs and 29 stolen bases (caught stealing 16 times). His stay in the majors only lasted until early 1975, as his baseball instincts were obviously lacking, but the impact he left that speed was an invaluable tool in itself has left its mark on the game. Over the next few years, Finley shuffled in more specialist pinch runners, until Larry Lintz became the last of the breed in the 1977 season.

            What does this have to do with the Cincinnati? Well, we could very well be about to experience Finley’s experiment in front of our very eyes. As I’m sure anyone following Reds baseball has heard, shortstop Billy Hamilton just recently finished out the season with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (AA) and set the minor league stolen base record at 155 (previously 145 belonging to Vince Coleman, set in 1983), which is also the most across all professional baseball, even the majors. The record alone has gained national attention, but seeing Hamilton in person brings an even greater appreciation for his talents. Hamilton’s presence on base rattles pitchers: he is already in their head by just being in the game. Wild pitches are a common occurrence as pitchers keep an eye on his lead foot, knowing that he is likely to strike at any given moment. Many try their pick-off move again and again, only to be taunted as he glides into second the first time they dare to deliver the ball home. Prior to the season’s start, Hamilton played in the Reds’ “Futures Game,” an exibition between the 2012 Cincinnati Reds roster and a collection of the organization’s highest rated prospects. Hamilton stole one base easily, but on the second attempt catcher Devin Mesoraco was ready. He called a pitch-out in attempt to gun down Hamilton at second, a sure suicide attempt for most base runners.

            Hamilton beat the throw. He overslid, an unlucky move that got him tagged out as he scrambled back to the bag, but the crowd was already in awe. 21-year-old Billy Hamilton just outran a major league pitch-out.

            According to ESPN The Magazine, Hamilton has been clocked at 3.5 seconds from home to first, with the MLB average being only 4.2 seconds. He hit only two home runs this season: one of them was in the park, rounding the bases in under 13.8 seconds (fastest ever is 13.3 seconds, set in 1932 by Evar Swanson, according to Guinness World Records).

            Switch-hitting Hamilton has played shortstop this season in the minors, producing a .311 batting average and .410 on-base percentage. The Reds currently have a budding star in rookie Zach Cozart at shortstop, so many believe Hamilton’s speed will one day be utilized in the outfield for the big league club. As for this season, however, the question still remains: do the Reds call up Hamilton as a specialist pinch-runner for the playoffs? Cincinnati is currently eight and a half games ahead of St. Louis in the National League Central prior to today’s 7:10 p.m. matchup against Philadelphia, therefore likely to win the division. Having Hamilton on the bench could provide a weapon in a close game when every run counts, snagging a few extra bases when called upon. As if Cincy fans aren’t going to be pumped up enough watching their team after the 162 game mark, bringing Hamilton onto the field as a pinch-runner would instantly get into an opposing pitcher's head and intensify the atmosphere even more.

            Reds manager Dusty Baker said earlier this season that Hamilton’s call-up was “possible,” but John Fay, of The Cincinnati Enquirer, reported on Saturday that Cincinnati general manger Walt Jocketty said probably not. There has been no final decision, however, and we all know baseball is a game of surprises. Even if Dusty and the Reds are ready to take a chance on Hamilton, is baseball ready yet again for a specialist pinch runner?

            That question has rattled the Queen City all summer, but consider this before forming your own opinion on Hamilton’s 2012 fate: the A’s made an appearance in each American League Championship Series from 1971 to 1975, winning back-to-back-to-back World Series titles in that expanse (defeated Cincinnati in the 1972 World Series, 4-3).

            Finley’s ideologies may have come to pass in Oakland, but a new “Man of Steal” could soon reign in Cincinnati.