Bracing for the Bucs

This is by far the biggest series of the season.  Three games with 2nd place Pittsburgh with a 3-and-a-half game lead.   If the Pirates come to town and sweep the series, the Reds are still in first place but only by a slim half-game margin.  Thus giving the upstart Bucs plenty of reason to believe as we head into the final two months of the season.  However, taking 2 of three or -- dare I say it -- sweep the three-game set and it would send a message to Pittsburgh that they may be playing for 1 of 2 Wild Card spots in order to make the playoffs.

You know it's an important series as the Pirates have adjusted its pitching rotation, throwing Wandy Rodriguez, Reds-killer James McDonald and staff ace A.J. Burnett against Cincinnati.  The Reds counter with Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Homer Bailey.  The latter two coming off their worst outings of the year after pitching brilliantly throughout most of the month of July.

I said at the top it's the biggest series of the year and it by far may be the most challenging.  The Reds have won 20 of its last 23 -- 17 of which without MVP candidate Joey Votto and the last two without Gold Glove second baseman Brandon Phillips.  But that was all against teams with losing records.  If Phillips can't play, it will take a total team effort to beat Pittsburgh who's led by its own MVP candidate Andrew McCutchen.

It'll start with pitching.  Latos needs to be close to as good as he was Sunday in Colorado when he gave up just 2 runs in 8 innings.  Leake and Bailey can ill afford the poor short outings they each had earlier this week.  The bullpen has been used a lot during the Padres series, which is why the trade deadline deal for Jonathan Broxton was so huge.  Dusty Baker has also tried to give the guys in the 'pen days off when he could so as not to overuse them.  The Pirates meanwhile had Thursday off, so they come into town well rested and ready to make a statement.

The fact is we'd all feel better if Votto and Phillips were healthy, but if nothing else, this winning streak at least gives this team believe they have a chance without them.  Let the games begin.