Wittenmyer & Williams: Cincinnati Reds not going away. What'll take to get NL wild card?

Wittenmyer & Williams is a weekly point/counterpoint column from Enquirer Reds reporter Gordon Wittenmyer and sports columnist Jason Williams. This week, they discuss how the Reds have suddenly become playoff contenders.

Williams: You just might have to follow through on your promise to jump in the Ohio River. Have you started thinking about where you’re going to do that yet?

Wittenmyer: Not so fast, pal.

Williams: What do you mean? The Reds are starting to look like a playoff team, a month after you wrote them off. I’m going to hold you to your promise to jump in the in the river if they pull this off.

Wittenmyer: You can hold me to whatever you want. We’re not even halfway through the season, and these guys still haven’t figured out a way to beat the Brewers. The Reds haven’t won a series against those guys since about half this team was in the minors.

Williams: Get those swim trunks out, because they don’t have to be beat the Brewers for you to take the big, cold, muddy plunge. Have you looked at the National League standings lately? Eight teams with losing records started the week either in playoff position or within 1½ games. That includes the Reds, who are right in the middle of that group despite losing the weekend series in Milwaukee.

Wittenmyer: Go ahead and put your money on all those losing teams if you want. There’s more than half a season left to sort that out. If you think a losing team is going to make the playoffs, good for you. But I’m not worried about getting wet anytime soon.

Williams: No one said a losing team is going to make the postseason. But a .500 team or a team or two that finishes slightly above .500 could make it. Arizona won 84 games last year and went to the World Series. Philadelphia won 86 the year before and went to the World Series. That’s the power of the expanded playoff field, now in its third year. And I’m old enough to remember the 2006 Cardinals, who won 83 games and then won the whole dang thing. Heck, that was enough to win this same division.

Wittenmyer: Look, you don’t have to tell me the history of this thing. I get it. And I believe the Reds pitch well enough that they’ve got a chance to win more games than they lose the rest of the way. But I still don’t think they’ll have enough this time around to get past some of those other teams that might have a trade and a run in them. I’m still keeping my shirt on.

Williams: We’re all thankful for that, and you better keep it on when you jump in the river. There might be kids watching.

Wittenmyer: What makes you so sure that I’m going swimming?

Williams: The Reds are in as good a position as anyone else to make a trade. And they might not need the kind of pitching help that most of the other teams will be looking for. They’ve pitched as well as almost any team in the league. The Reds aren’t going away.

Wittenmyer: You think they’re going to be able to add enough hitting to make a difference? Matt McLain might not come back this season from that shoulder injury. Christian Encarnacion-Strand is at least doubtful right now.

Williams: I’m not counting on either of those guys coming back when I say these things. TJ Friedl has already shown the difference he can make now that he’s back healthy and productive again. And I know you’ve seen what Jeimer Candelario has done in the last month. In fact, you called him an All-Star candidate. Noelvi Marte is expected back in a few weeks. If he gives them anything, that could also help. Imagine if they were able to add one good hitter to the mix through a trade.

Wittenmyer: You’re still asking them to beat out a lot of other talented teams to land in one of the last wild card spots. And one area I don’t know if you can upgrade enough is the fielding. These guys have had some significant lapses, especially among the infielders. That can make a really big difference down the stretch in a pennant race and definitely in October.

Williams: Well then, go get a glove or two. That might be easier to find than a difference-making bat.

Wittenmyer: You think you have all the answers, don’t you? I’m still not taking my pants off yet.

Williams: Wait a minute. You said October. You’re not convinced these guys are going to miss the playoffs, either.

Wittenmyer: I’m not convinced of anything. By the way, how strong is that undertow in the river?

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds not going away. What'll take to get NL wildcard?