Reds Celebrate Fourth of July In A Good Place

The old baseball saying goes, whoever is in first place on the 4th of July wins the pennant.

It wasn't true then and it isn't true now but that was a common saying in the days of two eight-team leagues.

The Reds are in last place in the National League Central.  That is a true statement but the distance between the Reds and the top of the division is small.  With three games left until the All-Star break and 78 left in the season, the Reds are within three games of everybody in the National League in the loss column with the exception of Los Angeles and Atlanta.

Why is the loss column important?

A team can make up a win but it can not make up for a loss.

The Reds have played 84 games, the division leading Brewers 87, the second place Cubs 87, the third place Cardinals 84 and the Pirates 85.

In hockey that uses a points system, two points for a win, one for a tie, they call those games in hand. If a team has three games fewer than the team higher in the standings, the opportunity is there for the lower team to make up six points, no matter what the team above them does.

In the Reds case for instance, the Brewers have 41 losses the Reds 44.  Those are permanent; written in stone; they ain't changin.   The Reds have 40 wins the Brewers 46.  The Reds can win three games and make up a game and a half no matter what the Brewers do. That alone would put the Reds three games out of first place.   The same goes for the Wild Card.  By winning the three games in hand versus the Cubs the Reds have the opportunity to move within two games of the second Wild Card.  The Phillies currently hold the first Wild Card.  The Reds have two games on them.  They have the opportunity to close to within three games of the Phils.

The opportunity is there.  It is up to the Reds to take advantage.