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Cincinnati Reds Season Predictions | 2014 Season Betting Preview

Betting On The Reds?

The Cincinnati Reds won 90 games last year, but they were considered a bit of a disappointment. Cincinnati faded down the stretch and finished the season by losing four straight games to the Pittsburgh Pirates, including the one-game playoff between the two wild card teams.

Dusty Baker was fired after the season, and Bryan Price will be the Reds new skipper. How will the Reds fare in 2014?

Bovada’s Odds to Win

NL Central: +375
NL Pennant: +1,000
World Series: +2,200
Win Total: 84.5

Team Strengths:

The Reds starting rotation could be one of the best in baseball if they stay healthy. Johnny Cueto often has injury issues, but when he is completely healthy he is one of the best pitchers in the league.

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Mat Latos is a consistent pitcher who gives you his best effort each time on the mound. Homer Bailey has developed into a really nice pitcher, as his two no-hitters should show quite clearly.

Cincinnati has one of the top five all-around hitters in baseball in Joey Votto. Votto had “down” year last year, and his numbers were still very impressive. He is a great guy to build a team around, and his on-base-percentage is always at the top of the league.

Flame thrower Aroldis Chapman is a nice piece to have at the back of the bullpen. Dusty Baker had some strange ideas for how to use and/or not use Chapman, so he might benefit from having a new manager guiding the way.

Team Weaknesses:

Cincinnati’s offense doesn’t have tremendous support around Votto. Shin Soo-Choo was a major loss for the Reds. Brandon Phillips slumped significantly down the stretch last year. Todd Frazier had a down year, and Ryan Ludwick was hurt most of the time. Jay Bruce had a big year last year, and if he doesn’t keep up that level of production this offense will be hurting.

The starting rotation is good, but if any of the top five guys get hurt, there isn’t much depth behind them. Over the course of the year, it is highly unlikely that all five of these guys will stay healthy. Cincinnati will need to find another starting pitcher at some point this year.

The back of the bullpen is good, but the middle relievers need to become more consistent. The Reds blew too many leads in the middle innings of the game last season. Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall have both been dinged up in Spring Training, and the Reds need those guys to get healthy.
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Projected Starting Lineup

1. Billy Hamilton CF
2. Brandon Phillips 2B
3. Joey Votto 1B
4. Jay Bruce RF
5. Ryan Ludwick LF
6. Todd Frazier 3B
7. Devin Mesoraco C
8.  Zack Cozart SS

The key to this lineup is Billy Hamilton. We know he can run, but can he get on base? If Hamilton sets the table consistently enough, this Reds offense could definitely put up a lot of runs. If Hamilton struggles, it’s hard to see this offense being anything better than mediocre.

Projected Starting Rotation

1. Johnny Cueto
2. Mat Latos
3. Homer Bailey
4. Mike Leake
5. Tony Cingrani

Keep an eye on Tony Cingrani. He’s listed as the team’s fifth starter, but he’s capable of big things if he stays healthy. His fastball is electric and he misses a lot of bats.

Closer

Aroldis Chapman

Not many teams have a pitcher as dynamic as Chapman. He was great down the stretch last year, and the Reds hope his consistency will improve a bit this season.

2014 Reds Prediction: Over 84.5 Wins

Cincinnati is worse on paper than they were last year. Still, they did win 90 games last year, and they can lose five less and still finish over the season win total.

I like the managerial change here too, and I think Cincinnati has enough talent to stay in the playoff picture for at least most of the season.

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By Kyle Hunter

Kyle Hunter sports picks – A degree in finance and a great ability to follow important trends and statistics set him apart from the rest. Totals are Kyle's specialty, so look for a lot of totals picks from NBA, NCAAF, & the NFL. Check out his plays today.