Baseball Prospectus

Back to Archives | Baseball Prospectus Home

Archives

Michael Meehan author archives.

May 28, 2003

Freakshow Reds: Can Cincy Stay in Contention While Being Outscored So Badly?

by Michael Meehan

Psst, wanna see a freak? You see, Major League Baseball this year has given us something so twisted, so extraordinary, so enigmatic that it belongs in Ripley's Believe It or Not. So put on your best gawk and prepare to be amazed. Right next to General Tom Thumb, Robert Wadlow and the great Frank Lentini you'll find a burly creature with a half dozen arms that don't work known as the 2003 Cincinnati Reds--the worst contending baseball team in history. As of today, the Reds sport a 25-27 record while allowing the opposition to outscore them by a whopping 58 runs. They're on pace to be outscored by 181 runs over the course of the season. A simple Pythagorean equation would predict a team like the Reds would finish with a record of 66-96 playing that kind of baseball. Technically they should be 21-31 at the moment. Yet there they are, hovering within striking distance of a division lead at 3.5 games out, record-wise playing respectable baseball. It's thoroughly abnormal. They should be an afterthought by this point of the season.

February 13, 2002

Managing Montreal: F. Robby's New Gig

by Michael Meehan

January 16, 2002

The Latest Import: Kazuhisa Ishii

by Michael Meehan