Reds Wind Down 2019 Don't Like Spoiler Role But Look To Future

The Reds have nine games left, including the game with the New York Mets tonight.

They could still avoid a losing season by winning all nine games to even their record at 81-81.  Among the nine remaining game the Reds play the Mets and Milwaukee Brewers both of whom have a chance to make the playoffs.  The Mets are 3-1/2 games behind the Brewers for the final Wild Card spot with 10 games left.  They come to Great American Ball Park with a two-game winning streak and are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

This will be the third straight series that the Reds have played playoff contending teams.  The Reds were 2-1 against the Arizona Diamondbacks last weekend and 2-1 against the Chicago Cubs at the beginning of the week.

"For us, I get that we, I hesitate to use the word spoiler that means we're not in it," David Bell said. " I don't like to read or see it put like that.  I see every game is really important for the progress that we've made and taking that into the off season.  Going into next season, these things are really important. We're playing teams that are trying to get into the playoffs.  It really takes your best. We've responded to that.  We've played some of our best baseball against some of the best teams in baseball.  It is just another step for this year that we can take into next year.  We've played a lot of close games.  Even the games we've lost.  We lost more than we've won.  Just having that experience, there's no doubt that it makes us a better team."

The Reds swept three games from the Houston Astroa during the season, a team that won 100 games for the third straight year.  One more Reds' victory will allow them to avoid its fifth straight 90-loss season.

"I've thought a lot about our one-run losses," said Bell.  The team is 23-32 in one-run games.  "To me it is, yes, we're really close but also how do we get better.  I have to use it as a process for how we get better.  You can't replicate that.  You can not replicate your pitchers pitching in close game or hitters facing the other teams best.  You can have spring training but it is not going to get you battle tested."

The Reds have to search for things to celebrate and they did honoring Eugenio Suarez, who became the player born in Venezuela with the most home runs in a season.  He hit his 48th in Wednesday's win against the Cubs.  The team gathered around with a giant bottle of champagne and sang the Venezuelan National Anthem.  It was a moment that Bell hopes becomes a more common with post season wins to celebrate.

"That crossed my mind (the celebration for Suarez) that it's a something we can look forward to.  It was a celebration of what Geno did," Bell said.  "Every person in that clubhouse was happy, not for themselves, for what Geno did.  Number one, it says every thing you need to know about Geno.  It says a lot about the rest of the guys in the clubhouse.  It was as authentic of a celebration as I've ever been around.  Celebrating was something that everyone accomplished.  When people are truly happy for a teammate"

"Having that experience and being a part of that, I use the word addictive, celebrating.  It makes you want to experience more of it.  All the grind, all the work you put into it, makes it all so worth it."