ESPNs Jayson Stark on the Reds

[Kirkendall]

A snidbit from Jayson Starks' column about the Reds.

They were in fifth place a week and a half ago. They were being outscored by their opponents for the season until Monday. They're hitting .233 with men in scoring position. They've won just half their one-run games (7-7). And their entire starting rotation makes less money than Jose Contreras.

So no wonder the hottest question in baseball is: Are the Reds for real?

People we've surveyed sure have lots of reservations. But as long as Junior Griffey, Sean Casey, Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns can make it out onto the field (and the Reds were 16-4, through Tuesday, with all those guys in the lineup), this team is legitimately dangerous.

As one NL scout put it, "How can you say they're not for real until they show you they're not? Casey, Dunn, Kearns and Griffey are as good as any four guys you could find anyplace."

But a high-ranking official of one club that played the Reds recently has his doubts.

"There's no fooling the game," he said. "It's too long a season. By the time Cinderella gets to September, it's going home as Cinderella or it's Miss America, because it's proved it's the real thing."

And there are many skeptics who still need to be sold on a Reds rotation that includes nobody with a chance to blow a fuse on any radar guns.

"On a staff like the Cubs, with all those 'stuff guys' like (Carlos) Zambrano and (Kerry) Wood, guys can get away with not having good command," the same NL scout said. "But with guys like this, what happens if they start to make mistakes? ...

"What happens after clubs have seen guys like (Aaron) Harang and (Cory) Lidle more than once, and they've got some innings on their arms? It will be interesting to see how they hold up, if they get a little more vulnerable as the year goes on."

[semiotter]

If thats a CUBS G.M talking about the REDS pitching he better worry about his on staff. They cant stay healthy 1 month. What a joke. STARK is right though, GRIFFEY,DUNN,KEARNS AND THE MAYOR ARE AS GOOD AS IT GETS!! Hey you can through in LARKIN to, best 40 y old ss ive seen.