Nasty Boys Part Two

The Cincinnati Reds have had one of the best bullpens all year long in the 2012 season. There are many writers comparing this bullpen to that of the 1990 World Series bullpen, appropriately titled The Nasty Boys. While Rob Dibble, Norm Charlton and Randy Meyers aren't walking through that door, you can count on Chapman, Ondrusek and now the newly-acquired setup man, Jonathon Broxton. 

As older Reds' fans (well, older than me considering I am only 22) The Nasty Boys were one of the toughest, most feared trio of pitchers in the National League. Comprised of Norm Charlton, Randy Myers and Rob Dibble, the trio combined for 351 strikeouts in the 1990 season. They also combined for 44 saves: Meyers with 31, Dibble with 11 and Charlton with two. 

All three of those pitchers were in the midst of their prime. Meyers, 27, was 4-6 with a 2.08 ERA, Charlton, 27, started out the year a starter, but later moved to the bullpen was 12-9 with an ERA at 2.74 and Rob Dibble was 8-3 with an ERA of 1.74. This trio, with the help of Jose Rijo twice, shocked the world, when they swept the American League Champion Oakland Athletics in the 1990 World Series. They totally shut down the Bash Brothers and the rest of the Athletics that series and will forever be remembered as one of the biggest upsets in baseball history.

While 1990 was awesome (even though I do not remember it) this year's team has the same, maybe more a hybrid-like, setup as the Nasty Boys. While Reds' fans were upset that newly signed Ryan Madson went down with an injury causing him to miss the entire season, it's players like Aroldis Chapman and Logan Ondrusek who have been this year's stoppers. Chapman has filled in very nicely as the closer (I told you he would). Chapman has 22 saves this year with an ERA at 1.42 and has a unimaginable 95 strikeouts in just 50 2/3 innings. He is putting up numbers that no one has seen in quite sometime, maybe ever. Logan Ondrusek has filled in very nicely as the set up man. This year, Ondrusek is 3-2 with an ERA at 2.95 with 26 strikeouts in 39 innings. Now, the Reds have added another part to this bullpen in Jonathon Broxton. Broxton this year with the Royals was 1-2 with 23 saves and 25 strikeouts. He, in my best guess, will be the new setup man for Chapman, and will move Ondrusek to the seventh inning. Or possibly give Chapman a day off and come in to close the game out. Whatever he does, he will be the third part to this new trio and 2012 version of The Nasty Boys.

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