After securing the organization’s first division crown in 14 seasons in 2010, the Cincinnati Reds took a step back in 2011 winning twelve fewer games and finishing 17 games out of first place. The Reds should fare better in 2012. The front office made moves that should help the team this season. More important however is that the two teams that finished ahead of Cincy in 2011, Milwaukee and St. Louis, each lost their offensive monster of a first basemen – Prince Fielder (MIL) and Albert Pujols (STL). This is not to say the Brewers and the Cardinals are going to fall off a cliff, but each team is expected to be worse than last season. With two of its division foes falling back and the Reds presumably moving forward, the 2012 season could be a successful one for Cincinnati. Continue reading →