mhs95_06;1288433 wrote:The #1 key aspect to determine how far the Reds go in the postseason is DEFENSE. If they play air tight defense giving no extra outs they can go a long way. I'm assuming their offense will be pretty poor, and it will be helped some by the opponents. Also, their pitching can not blow up which is some concern to me. The good defense has to handle well the problems that happen this time of year with the low sun and game times that are not the best for seeing the ball well, like the 5:37 game Tuesday, and the crowd noise. And baserunning errors could be bad news for the Reds also.
Pitching blew up twice, game 4 and game 5(6 run inning) and nearly blew up once(game 1, 9th).
Defense cost big in game 3 10th inning, and game 5 5th when after Cozart bobbled allowing the 2nd run, he outright dropped it costing him getting an out at all which would have saved the grand slam.
Baserunning cost big in game 3 in the first inning when the Reds were in line to get enough runs to win in the first with the light conditions and the way the pitching was going. Also baserunning/fundamentals were big in the strike-em out, throw-em out DP in game 5, when the batter and baserunners weren't on the same page(can't take a close pitch when runners going).
The sun and light levels did not cause any obvious big play, but it and the fans stupidity(waving the towels when the Reds were in the field in addition to when they were batting) may have been a factor in Rolen's game losing error. If he can get that ball on the first high hop, it is an easy play. I was there and it looked like he may have circled it a little bit right off because he couldn't see it that well in the twilight and with the towels waving, causing him not to get it on the first hop.