Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CINCINNATI — Heading into the second half of the season, there are plenty of questions facing the Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds think they have the answers.
The Reds begin the second half 39-49 and nine and one-half games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central Division.
There is speculation the Reds will trade All-Star shortstop Zack Cozart since he becomes a free agent at the end of the season. There have been trade talks swirling about closer Raisel Iglesias even though the Reds are not really in the market to move the young talent.
Other names tossed around are relievers Tony Cingrani and Drew Storen, but so far the Reds are more focused on having a strong second half and making a run at the division title.
Joey Votto is a five and 10 player — 10 or more years of service and five with his current team — and can refuse any trade. Votto opted to remain with the Reds and expressed optimism that the team has the talent to contend and wants to be part of that resurgence.
Votto is enjoying the finest first-half success of his career with 26 home runs, 68 runs batted in and a .315 batting average. Those numbers earned him an All-Star selection but he is more focused on the second half.
Votto said the return of pitcher Homer Bailey and the performance of Luis Castillo since his call-up has given him even more reason for optimism going into the second half.
“We’ve got every single part of the game that has to be good. With getting Homer back and the performance with Luis (Saturday) that’s exciting and I hope that continues,” said Votto.
Reds’ manager Bryan Price also is excited about the return of Bailey and how well he has pitched in his last two outings.
“After having three surgeries on his arm you wonder how long is it going to take him to round into form, if he’s lost anything on his arm. The last two games would suggest that he’s really getting back to the Homer we knew before the injury problems,” said Price.
“If we get that type of starting pitching on a consistent basis — every other area of our game is solid. We’re really good offensive, defensive, and relief pitching type of club. We really need to enhance the quality of our starts, get deeper into the game and not ask so much of our bullpen. We have the equipment here, we just have to be somewhat patient with the young guys and allow them get their footing and get Homer back in the mix.”
Bailey went 6.2 strong innings on Sunday and Castillo pitched seven good innings on Saturday, both wins over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Cincinnati won two of three games with the D-Backs after splitting a four-game series with the Colorado Rockies. The 4-3 road trip is a modest success but is a confidence builder after the previous 0-6 road trip.
“Competing on the road against very competitive teams I think that’s a good thing. It’s never good to go on the road and have a rough stretch which we did the last time. This feels much better and these two teams are very solid teams,” said Votto.
Besides Bailey and Castillo, Sal Romano got his first major league win at hitter friendly Colorado’s stadium and he could give the Reds a needed boost in a starting rotation that has been the team’s Achilles Heel in the first half.
Besides Bailey, the Reds lost ace Anthony DeSclafani in spring training as well as Brandon Finnegan from the starting rotation.
Finnegan returned only to re-injure himself and has been lost for the season. DeSclafani is due back in August.
Price said the improvement of the starting rotation will hold the key.
“I think we all know universally that there’s an area if we perform at a higher rate we’re still one of the better teams in our division. People laugh at me because we’re at the bottom of the division,” said Price.
“But things can only get better if these young kids grow, we bring DeSclafani back at some point in August and all of a sudden every fifth day we’re looking at a really nice pitcher giving us a chance to win a ball game.”
Price said Votto has been a key to the team not only offensively but in terms of leadership with the younger players and building their confidence.
“My first year with the Reds he had 37 homers and to have 26 at the break at (age) 33 is seven years removed from 2010 is something I would not have ever guessed,” said Price.
“He’s such a line drive type hitter, gap-to-gap guy, on base guy. He certainly has it in him and he’s showing that but I certainly wouldn’t have gone into the season saying he’d have 26 at the break.”
The Reds will send Tim Adleman to the mound against the Nationals to begin the second half. He is 5-6 with a 4.71 earned run average in 84 innings pitched.
Washington will counter with Gio Gonzalez who is 7-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 113.1 innings.