Well folks the Magic switch the Reds needed to finally beat a contending club never transpired!
Many fans told me we would be OK this postseason(especially our pitching, which except for Volquez's game 1 meltdown wasnt bad!), and after Bruces magical clinching shot, I started to believe in something magical: maybe ;) What was never proven was our ability to beat contenders, something we didn't do all year.
Heck we were in this postseason thing right? Anything can happen, (My littlle bro predicted a Yankees/Reds WS and I wouldnt dare jinx it, in my gut though: I never saw it) even I started wearing the rose colored glasses, yes me, the hated realist and THE biggest Reds fan on this side of the Columbian River, thats right, only us fans that live and die with this team can say that. Am I just happy we made the playoffs: yes: because my expectations were a .500 season. Why? We fielded basically the same team as 2009, (+Cabrera/Chapman/Gomes) with no clear cut #1 starter(Harang's shaky 2009 should have been a clear signal, and Arroyo is not a Champions #1) so my expectiations were low, and i was rewarded with a wonderful year!
Folks kept predicting Reds success in the postseason, and I answered: Well, there would have to be a Return of the early season magic of: Leake/Wood/Gomes/Rolen etc etc....One huge piece of magic continued all year: Vottos MVP run, something still to be celebrated(hopefully) Unfortunately magic doesnt beat World Champion caliber teams like the Philles: Pitching and Defense normally dominate in short Postseason series. 7 Errors in three games will lose a short series everytime. (Unless you have the hitting of the 75 Reds, maybe and Foster/Bench/Perez were not walking through that clubhouse).
The three things that win in the PostSeason, escaped us, or beat us:
1. Pitching
2. Defense
3. Clutch Hitting
Game 1: Beat by Halladays Historic Pitching of the NoNo
Game 2: Beat by 4 Reds errors
Game 3: Beat by More Philllies pitching in the form of Hamels
But alas, we have much to build on: The Cuban Missile, Chapman our new #1? The young sticks of Bruce/Stubbs/Heisey. The Vets of Rolen/Phillips, and of course our MVP the Canadian Masher and probable 2010 MVP: Mr Joey Votto.
2011 should be special, and The Progressive Reds Machine will be there to set you straight with the Realist perspective!
Thank you 2010 Reds, you've excited a city left dead for 10 years: your back and so are we!
"There's somethin ‘ about growing up in Ohio that never leaves your bones, Our sports define us, bring us together, and bind us" ~ SS
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