Brutal series for the Red Legs, does it mean anything?

The Reds could have easily swept the defending NL champ Phillies in their building this weekend, but instead limp into the All-Star break losing 4 straight.

Three of the four loses came in extra innings, and the last two were 1-0 shutouts. In the series, really good pitching performances from Mike Leake, Travis Wood and Matt Maloney were wasted by poor managing, shaky bullpen pitching, and a lack of offense.

The Reds have had a terrific first half, one that the team and the fan base should feel very proud about, but this series worries me as a potential harbinger of second half doom.

First, I have to listen to the devil on my shoulder, you know, the one that's been saying all year that this is a mirage. Jonny Gomes carried this team for a month, and he'll never have another month like May the rest of his life. Scott Rolen has been terrific, but isn't he due for a stint on the DL? The guy hasn't played more than 128 games since 2006. Outside of Arthur Rhodes, and his own career year, this bullpen has not been very good. You can't count on Mike Leake to have only one loss the whole second half. He's been fantastic, but let's get real. Aaron Harang is done. D-O-N-E. Orlando Cabrera is awful offensively. Seriously, Janish would be better but Crusty Baker will never let that happen. Oh yeah, we have an absolute clown for a manager who is and will always be too much of a "player's coach". This division has been beyond abysmal. Two of the worst teams in all of baseball are in this division, and I'm not even talking about Milwaukee and Chicago, who have to be the two most disappointing teams in the NL if not the league. It's not enough to make you slit your wrists, but it's enough to make you question things.

Okay, I've given the devil his due, so let me try to see the silver lining. Joey Votto is a legit MVP-type player. What he and Brandon Phillips are doing can be sustained the rest of the way barring injury. Jeez, it only took Crusty four years to see what everyone else already knew, BP is not a cleanup hitter. Jay Bruce, Johnny Cueto, and Mike Leake have legit star potential. Drew Stubbs, Ryan Hanigan, and Chris Heisey look like everyday major leaguers. Maybe Travis Wood is legit too. Bronson Arroyo just keeps on doing his thing. Edinson Volquez and Aroldis Chapman will both be up at some point in the second half and have the stuff to change games. While the August schedule is rough, the end of the season is very easy. This team doesn't quit, which may be the most important factor going forward. There's a lot to like and be positive about, I'm just not sure it's enough to win.

I'm certainly not saying they're done, but I'll be very interested to see how this team responds. The offense has stalled with Gomes cooling off and Rolen missing time. This team is lacking one more consistent right handed bat. I really hope Heisey gets more playing time, but I have no faith in Mr. Baker to avoid playing veterans. The bullpen needs help, and someone other than Arthur Rhodes has to be counted on in key late inning situations. The rotation has no real ace. This may not come back to bite them in the regular season because of the depth in the rotation, but it will in the playoffs should they get there. Atlanta, San Diego, St. Louis, San Francisco, Colorado, and Philadelphia all have better top of the rotation pitching than the Reds right now.

This putrid division is winnable as this team is currently made up. The very weak NL is winnable with the right additions. But barring a miracle, the AL is winning the Series again this year. I still believe the Phillies are the best team in the NL (although they may not even make the playoffs), and the Reds hung right there with them. I'd have felt a whole lot better about this team if they'd managed at least one of those wins. But four loses, like that? A real contender doesn't go out like that.....