‘Wait Till Next Year’ : Reds Have Good Shot at the Pennant in ’86

“Wait till next year” isn’t just an empty baseball cliche in Cincinnati. It’s the gospel.

The surprising Reds, the most improved team in baseball in 1985, figure to be a solid pennant contender in 1986.

Picked by many to finish next to last this year in the National League West, the Reds wound up a solid second and kept the heat on the division-winning Los Angeles Dodgers until the final week of the season.

Cincinnati, after a 70-92 record in 1984, improved to 89-72 this year. In games decided by one run, a good indicator of how a club performs under pressure, the Reds were 39-18.

Last in the league in hitting in ’84 with a team batting average of .244, the ’85 Reds hit .255, fifth best in the league. In pitching, the staff’s earned run average improved from 4.16 to 3.71.

Much of the club’s success is probably due to player-manager Pete Rose. The players respect him--and in return seek his respect--because he practices what he preaches. At age 44, he hasn’t stopped hustling.

Because Rose was intent on breaking Ty Cobb’s career hit record of 4,191 this year (he did it Sept. 11 and now has 4,204 hits), he played in 119 games and may not play that much next season. But he still will be in the lineup enough to lead by actions, not just words.

Aside from Rose becoming baseball’s most productive hitter, the 1985 Reds’ player of the year was Dave Parker, who was so awesome at the plate that he has a chance to beat out St. Louis batting and fielding sensation Willie McGee for National League Most Valuable Player.

Check Parker’s league numbers -- first in RBI (125), first in doubles (42), second in home runs (34), second in slugging (.551), second in hits (198) and fifth in average (.312).

Second baseman Ron Oester hit a career-high .295 and Nick Esasky, who should begin feeling comfortable in his new left field position nest season, displayed power with 21 homers and 66 RBI.

Even though third baseman Buddy Bell only hit .219 for the Reds after being acquired from the Texas Rangers, Rose hopes he will become much more productive in his first full season next year. Shortstop, though, remains a question mark for ’86. It could be the year a young replacement arrives for Dave Concepcion, who hit .252 in ’85 and slowed down in the field.

For the first time since Johnny Bench quit catching, the Reds will begin next season with a decent defensive catcher in Bo Diaz. Although Diaz got off to a slow start after being acquired in August from Philadelphia, he improved his average to .261 by season’s end.

Pitchers are more difficult to predict than hitters, but it appears the Reds could have one of their strongest staffs ever in ’86.

Tom Browning will be coming off a 20-win rookie season and everybody expects Mario Soto, the ace of the staff until this year, to bounce back from a disappointing 12-15 record.

The Reds found both right-handed and left-handed bullpen aces in ’85. Lefty John Franco had a 12-3 record, 2.18 ERA and 12 saves. Righty Ted Power was 8-6, with a 2.70 ERA and 27 saves. Franco worked in 67 games, Power in 64.