Time for Reds to exorcise interleague demons?

Interleague play hasn't been very kind to the Cincinnati Reds.  

Of course, the new scheduling variation began in 1997, when the Reds were on their second of fourteen straight seasons without reaching the playoffs.  In other words, their results weren't exactly sparkling in any subset of games.  

However, their winning percentage in matchups with AL teams was even worse.  Through last season, the Reds' record in interleague games was 104-131.  At .443, that winning percentage was lower than every MLB team except the Padres (.437) and Pirates (.397).

By year, the Reds have fared as follows:
1997: 9-6
1998: 7-6
1999: 7-8
2000: 7-8
2001: 4-11
2002: 2-10
2003: 7-5
2004: 5-7
2005: 7-8
2006: 6-9
2007: 7-11
2008: 9-6
2009: 6-9
2010: 8-7
2011: 6-12
2012: 7-8

The Reds have never done better than 9-6.  In fact, only the Reds, Cubs and Brewers have failed to record a single 10-win interleague slate.  The biggest reason is that they've only had more than 15 games vs. the AL twice (2007 and 2011) and neither of those were successful years.

Many might jump to the conclusion that the Indians have been the main problem, because the Reds have been stuck with them as their most regular opponent.  While this has certainly been a tougher matchup than what the Cardinals get (the lowly Royals), it has actually been mostly even.  Entering this year, the Reds were 39-42 against Cleveland.

The main problems?  The Mariners (8-1 against the Reds), Red Sox (5-1 against the Reds) and White Sox (14-3 against the Reds).

By division, before this year:

AL East = 1 over .500 (thanks mostly to being 8-1 against the Rays)

AL Central = 16 under .500 (includes going 3-0 against the Brewers in their only interleague meeting)

AL West =  12 under .500

Could this be the year that everything changes?  Already, the Reds are 4-1.  The remaining schedule won't be easy, but the Reds have a strong club this year and should (barring a complete meltdown) finally get to 10 wins.  After all, they will play a total of 20 interleague games this year, thanks to the new alignment and scheduling format.

The games left:
2 at Cleveland (today and tomorrow)
2 at Oakland (June 25-26)
3 at Texas (June 28-30)
3 vs Seattle (July 5-7)
2 vs Oakland (August 6-7)
3 at Houston (September 16-18)

My prediction is that the Reds will win 9 of the 15 remaining games to go 13-7 for the year.  The way things are going in the impressive NL Central standings so far, they certainly can't afford to give away games against any of their opponents. 

Reds All-Time Offensive Leaders in Interleague Play

Since interleague play began in 1997 the Cincinnati Reds have, without question, been a team in flux.  They've made only one playoff appearance (in 2010) and the lineup, aside from a few mainstays, has shifted on an almost annual basis.


For example, the cutoff I used in comparing rate stats for this post was 55 interleague games - which is not even equivalent to four full seasons of such contests.  Even so, only 10 players made the mark.

Active players underlined.  All statistics through June 21st, 2012 - so they exclude the Reds/Twins series.


Most games:
1) Griffey - 115
2) Phillips - 106
3) Dunn - 98
4) Casey - 93
5) Larkin - 71
6) Bruce - 70
7) Votto - 67
8) Reese - 66
9) LaRue - 61
10) A. Boone - 55


Most hits: 
1) Phillips - 132
2) Griffey - 105
3) Casey - 94
4) Dunn - 87
5) Larkin - 82


Most doubles:
1) Tie - Larkin, Votto and Phillips - 18
4) Casey - 17
5) Tie - Dunn and Bruce - 16


Most triples:
1) Larkin - 4
2) Numerous others tied with 1


Most home runs:
1) Griffey - 32
2) Dunn - 28
3) Votto - 18
4) Phillips - 17


Most RBIs:
1) Griffey - 71
2) Phillips - 62
3) Dunn - 56
4) Votto - 49
5) Casey - 43


Most walks:
1) Dunn - 59
2) Griffey - 43
3) Larkin - 39
4) Votto - 38
5) Casey - 30


Most strikeouts:
1) Dunn - 125
2) Griffey - 102
3) Bruce - 72


Most stolen bases:
1) Phillips - 20
2) Reese - 14
3) Tie - Freel and Stubbs - 10


Best batting average:
1) Phillips - .317
2) Larkin - .314
3) Votto - .298


Best on-base percentage:
1) Larkin - .401
2) Votto - .394
3) Dunn - .361


The biggest surprises from this list, for me:


- Brandon Phillips dominated a bunch of categories.  I didn't expect him to have the best batting average or second-most RBIs.  Very impressive.


- Joey Votto with a batting average below .300 is a shocker.

Cincinnati Sweeps Cleveland: Facts and Stats

The Reds successfully finished off a sweep of the Indians with a 12-5 afternoon victory at GABP, and are now back to their season-high mark of 8 games over .500.


- This was only the second time they've swept Cleveland in an interleague series.  The first was in May of 2008.  Cleveland has swept Cincinnati 3 times, in 1999, 2004 and 2011.


- The Reds' all-time record against Cleveland is now 39-38 in interleague play.


- This was the second-highest single-game run total for the Reds against Cleveland.  They won 14-5 on July 8th, 2000 at Cinergy Field.


- This was the highest single-game run total for the Reds in any interleague game since June 22nd, 2007 when they won 16-1 at Seattle.


- This is only the 6th time in 229 interleague games that the Reds have scored 12 or more.


- The Reds scored a total of 24 runs in the three-game series.  They've never done that against Cleveland.  


- The last time the Reds scored 24 or more in ANY three-game series was August, 2010 at Arizona (26 runs in a sweep).


- The last time the Reds scored 24 or more in a home three-game series was May, 2010 against Houston (27 runs in spite of being on the losing end of a shutout in the finale).


- The last time the Reds scored 24 or more in an interleague three-game series was June, 2005 against Tampa Bay (34 runs in a sweep).  They only accomplished it one additional time - 1999 at Kansas City (30 runs in a sweep).

- The Reds' interleague record now stands at 103-126, for a winning percentage of .450 which is still the fourth-worst in MLB.  Only the Orioles, Padres and Pirates have been worse.