Most concerning of all, the Reds somehow have survived giving the most plate appearances to hitters who get on base the least. Entering this week the Cincinnati leadoff hitters ranked last in batting average (.198), OBP (.242), OPS (.552) and stolen bases (3). Their number two hitters weren't much better: 11th in batting average (.265), 10th in OBP (.322) and last in strikeouts (94). Zack Cozart and Drew Stubbs have taken most of those plate appearances, and while each of those young hitters has pop and promise, neither is adept at getting on base.
The combined effect is that no team is worse at setting the table than the Reds, who have a .282 OBP out of the 1-2 spots -- the worst in the league and 28th in baseball. (Baltimore and Seattle are worse in the AL.) While Votto kept the Reds afloat, they actually were wasting his talents. Look at it this way: Through 86 games for each of them, Matt Holliday, the three-hole hitter for the Cardinals, batted with 72 more runners on already than Votto, the three-hole hitter for the Reds (272-200).
only against the Reds that happens
