The Reds On Pace For Division Title

The Reds 3-6 start this season may be a good sign.

All three of their previous playoff teams got off to a slow start.

The 2010 team won the Central Division with a 91-71 record.  The team's record after nine games was 5-4 but then dropped five straight games. They were 5-7 after 12 games.

The 2011 team missed the playoffs with a 79-83 record.  That team started faster but faded.  The Reds were 6-3 after nine games and 8-4 after 12.

The 2012 team was 3-6 after nine, just like the Reds of 2014.  They were 4-8 after 12 but rallied with a phenomenal July and August to win the Central with a 97-65 record.

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Last season the Reds started out with a better 5-4 record but lost the next three to post a 5-7 record after 12.  The Reds earned a wild card spot with a 90-72 record, in spite of losing the last five games of the season. They were 2 1/2 games from the top record in the National League after 157 games.

The 2014 team takes the field against Tampa Bay with a 3-6 record four games behind the 7-2 Milwaukee Brewers.

The team is starting to get back some of its missing pieces.  There were eight players on the disabled list to start the season, including Jonathan Broxton and Devin Mesoraco.  Both are back from injury.

Mat Latos had a setback on Tuesday.  He was supposed to pitch for Louisville against Columbus but was scratched with inflammation in his elbow.  Latos threw a bullpen on Friday.

Skip Schumaker, who separated his shoulder in Goodyear, AZ, is rehabbing on the disabled list..

"We hope he can help us sometime in May," Bryan Price said.

Aroldis Chapman will throw off a mound on Monday.

"He had the staples removed," Price said.  "We won't put him in harms way but we'll start to do other things like fielding practice before he starts throwing to hitters."

Sean Marshall is expected to be back on the 18th of April.

Jack Hannahan is on the 60-day disabled list.  He had shoulder surgery last October.