The Reds are stuck in the middle with no relief in sight.
Put another way, Cincinnati's middle relief corps has been the pits.
Just think bad and multiply it by a factor of 10. Then you'll begin to get an idea of just how woeful this group has been.
Expected to be a dependable bridge from the starters to the closer, the middle men have failed miserably at that mission.
They've committed enough sins to keep them in confession for an eternity. They've blown leads, allowed deficits to widen and have cost their team plenty of games.
Instead of putting out fires, the Reds' relievers have added to the flames and in numerous cases, created infernos of their own. They've become arsonists who just happen to pitch.
Suffice to say, this crew has proven to be highly flammable. Be sure to wear some flame-retardant material should you ever get near them.
More than any other component of the club, the middle relief has done the most to undermine the Reds' attempt to remain a contender in the NL's Central Division.
In truth, they've been a major hindrance and of very little help. They've been a considerable drag on the rest of their teammates.
It's interesting to speculate just where would the Reds be if the middle men had been merely competent. Nothing special mind you, just decent.
Without a doubt, Cincy would be atop the standings instead of scuffling to hang onto second place. It's just a matter of how much distance they would have placed between themselves and the Cardinals had the relievers delivered.
You only need look at the numbers to get an understanding of the magnitude of the relievers' futility. Gazing at such ugly stats, one could easily go blind. These figures are downright nasty.
The list of the culprits reads as follows; David Weathers-4.50 ERA, lefty Chris Hammond-5.60 ERA, Esteban Yan-6.00 ERA, Rick White-6.25 ERA and Kent Mercker-7.20 ERA.
Manager Jerry Narron must pass out whenever he glances at the stat sheet.
What makes the situation all the more unbearable is that this not-so-fabulous five is decidedly long in the tooth. In many ways, they're ancient.
Weathers, Hammond, White and Mercker are all over 36 while Yan is no neophyte at 30. Being old and bad is a lousy combination.
As an organization, you can tolerate young hurlers getting ripped because you figure they'll learn from their mistakes and eventually mature into solid contributors. As such, young arms get more leeway.
But you can't afford to be as patient with seasoned vets. They've reached their ceiling and in many ways have already maxed-out their talent. If they're not reliable and consistent at this advanced stage, they can become nothing but dead weight.
So what to do? Where do the Reds go from here? Is it at all possible to rectify the current middle relief blues?
It'll be up to G.M. Wayne Krivsky and Narron to come up with a solution soon or else the Reds will be on the outside looking in. Their postseason hopes will be all but dashed.
The options available are rather straightforward.
To begin with, Cincy can basically stand put and hope that at least a couple of the greybeards find themselves. This course seems rather risky given what's happened thus far in '06. Staying with the status quo doesn't appear to offer much promise.
But stranger things have happened. Of the current oldsters, Weathers, Yan and Mercker seem the most likely to experience a turnaround.
Though up and down, Weathers has shown on occasion he has the goods to hold the fort until closer Todd Coffey can take over. The question is can he do it repeatedly?
A one-time closer, Yan still throws reasonably hard and he's shown flashes of dominance in his past.
When Mercker is right, he can be effective in a situational role. But have his recent bouts with injury reduced him to being nothing more than ordinary?
Another alternative involves the Reds looking to their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville. In fact, they've already plucked an arm from the Bats.
When Brandon Claussen was placed on the DL yesterday, righty Mike Burns earned a promotion. Whether the 27-year old can be of any real value remains to be seen.
In an earlier stint this year with the Reds, Burns got and please pardon the pun, burned. His stratospheric ERA of 8.71 in nine games paved the way for a deserved trip to the minors.
But Burns has pitched well in Kentucky ( 2-0, 1.27 ERA) and it must be remembered that last season in Houston, he was a factor out of the Astros' bullpen. The guy has some genuine upside.
The Reds can only hope that Burns regains some of the form he showed in Texas. If so, it would go a long way in easing the Reds' relief crisis.
Right-hander Jason Standridge is another Louisville hurler who might merit a shot if things in the bigs continue to unravel. Standridge is still relatively young (27), can pitch in lots of games (29 thus far) and his solid ERA of 2.62 can't be dismissed. He seems deserving of a look.
The wild card in the Louisville mix is Ryan Wagner. Once thought to be a star-in-the-making, the 23-year old has taken his lumps in the minors as his 6.67 ERA would attest.
But there's no doubt that he possesses a formidable and live arm. If he can ever get a handle on his control problems, the sky's the limit for the one-time University of Texas standout.
If he should begin to show signs that he's harnessed his stuff, he might prove to be the long-term answer to what ails the Reds' bullpen.
The final option, of course, would be to pursue a trade. It's hard to imagine Krivsky remaining passive if the current situation persists. The possibility of a deal looms large.
One of Krivsky's more admirable traits is that at some time he will demand accountability. If a player should continually falter on Krivsky's watch, he's headed for the gallows. It's either produce or so long. Heads may soon roll!
Given Krivsky's intimate knowledge of both the National and American Leagues when it comes to personnel, if there's someone out there who's worthwhile, the Reds' exec figures to find him. Krivsky will leave no stone unturned in his quest to make the Reds' middle relief more asset than liability.
But Krivsky will need time to correct such a glaring weakness. Unfortunately, an overnight fix is unlikely.
So unless some of the current relievers undergo an epiphany or the Reds find a savior in Louisville, the immediate future is rather cloudy if not downright bleak.
At present and as mentioned before, the Reds are stuck in the middle. With no relief in sight!