So far, it’s not looking good.

The Cleveland Indians swept the Cincinnati Reds in Cleveland earlier this season. The best the Reds could hope for was a share of the Ohio Cup. Alas, that was not to be, as even the Reds TweetUp wasn’t enough to overcome the appearance of Bronson Bad-rroyo.

The TweetUp itself made for a great time, and I’ll have some pictures up later. The game, not so much.

The Reds lost 8-2, dooming them to a losing record against Cleveland in 2011. The Reds’ next chance to win their first game of the year against the Indians is this afternoon. Homer Bailey takes the mound at 4:10pm. This time, the Reds will be looking to the totem that is Dusty Baker’s toothpick holding bobble head to provide them with the power to vanquish the Indians. We’ll see if that’s enough.

Boxscore

Okay, this is getting old. The Cincinnati Reds lost to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays tonight, dropping their record to 41-40.

That’s 81 games total: the halfway point. Feeling good about the prospects of this team for the rest of the season? Because Walt Jocketty has shown his complete lack of ideas on what to do to improve the .500 team. And manager Dusty Baker’s calm, toothpick-chewing ways aren’t exactly lighting a fire under the under-performing team’s ass.

Tonight, the Reds wasted another brilliant start by Johnny Cueto. Cueto went 7 2/3 innings, allowing 3 runs–two of which were allowed to score thanks to a rare bad appearance from Bill Bray. And then Logan Ondrusek allowed a walk-off home run to lose it in the 9th.

The Reds continue to be a tough team to watch, and the lack of apparent caring by anyone in charge of the team doesn’t make it any easier. I’m not one to panic, but 81 games into the season is no longer early. That’s a long enough time to get a good idea about the team’s problem areas. And the 2011 Reds are weak on starting pitching and have gotten no offense and not good enough defense from shortstop. Waiting and seeing isn’t going to make things any better.

Boxscore

Wait, what?

I know what you’re thinking, looking at the title of this post, but it’s true. The Cincinnati Reds actually won an interleague game! And this was the first game of the series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

Mike Leake started for the Reds and did very well, going 6 shutout innings, allowing 4 hits, walking 2, and striking out 3. He picked up his 7th win. The bullpen closed out the shutout and the game, thanks to Sam LeCure and Nick Masset.

The offense still left 8 players on base, but they did drive in 5. Brandon Phillips was the hero, going 4-5, driving in 2 and scoring 2. Jonny Gomes returned to his former ballpark and did well, too, hitting a home run in the 4th.

All that added up to a shutout win. And it gives the Reds two chances to win their first series in about a million years.

Rumors are bouncing around the internet tubes that the Cincinnati Reds will be calling up shortstop Zach Cozart from Louisville before Friday’s game.

Who’s the source of such wild speculation? None other than Cincinnati Enquirer Reds beat writer John Fay.

I think you could see Zack Cozart in a Reds uniform by the time the club gets to Baltimore. I don’t know that for sure, but I get that sense.

The club is struggling so badly offensively that it needs some sort of spark. Cozart could provide it. He’s hitting .320 with 25 doubles, seven home runs and 29 RBI at Triple- A Louisville.

If this is true, then the Reds have reached the “point” that general manager Walt Jocketty referred to.

It also means that the Reds would have to free up a spot on the 25-man. Cozart is already on the 40-man, so no move is needed there. The most likely person on the 25-man roster to make room for Cozart would seem to be Edgar Renteria, who really hasn’t produced this year. Of course, the Reds would have to DFA him, unlike Paul Janish, who has options.

I hope a move is made. This team keeps plodding along. It feels like a spark is all that’s needed to get them going. And an eager, young guy might just be what’s needed.

Cincinnati Reds backup shortstop Edgar Renteria has not had what you would call a good 2011. His batting average is .219, he gets on only 30% of the time, and his slugging is at .246. Between him and starter Paul Janish, the Reds are sporting one of the worst shortstop tandems in all of baseball.

The Internets have a solution, though: Free Zach Cozart.

Cozart plays shortstop for the AAA Louisville Bats, and he’s been doing well. In contrast to Renteria and Janish, Cozart seems to be able to actually hit. So far this year, he’s batting .318, getting on base 36% of the time, and has a slugging percentage of .496. His defense seems solid, too.

These facts have people clamoring for the release of Renteria and the call-up of Cozart. And it does make a certain amount of sense. The team has been getting no offense from the shortstop. In my opinion, great defense is an excuse for no offense at that position, but when there’s an alternative, there is logic in trying it.

Reds beat writer John Fay talked to general manager Walt Jocketty about it.

I asked Walt Jocketty Saturday if Cozart’s play was about to force the issue. “We’re not at that point yet,” he said.

Jocketty has always been a patient GM. But with the .500 ball the Reds have been playing all year–in no small part to a hit or miss offense–I hope he doesn’t miss “that point” before it’s too late.