It's hard not to admire the fight that the 2010 Cincinnati Reds are putting up.

Faced with obstacles that would have derailed a less strong-minded team, the Reds have hung tough and persevered. At critical junctures this season, when it appeared the  Reds might be in trouble, the club bowed its' collective back and stayed relevant. They've shown considerable pluck and when faced with must-win situations, generally Cincy has come through.

At present, the Reds are positioned to make their first serious run at a postseason berth since what seems like the Stone Age, 1999 to be exact. Poised just a scant half-game behind the division leading Cardinals, the Reds are right there.

But the question now becomes can they stay there? The Cards of Tony La Russa won't be easy to track down. And, unfortunately, some issues are cropping up that might very well compromise the Reds' push for first place or, at the very least, a wild card spot.

Currently, the most pressing concern for Cincy is getting irreplaceable Scott Rolen back in the lineup. Rendered inactive for more than a week with a balky hamstring, Rolen has been sorely missed. Despite a commendable performance by Miguel Cairo in Rolen's absence, the Reds are greatly diminished when Rolen is sidelined. All one needs do is compare the Reds' record when Rolen plays as opposed to when he doesn't and the difference is striking.

Rolen is indispensable because he provides three key components; quiet leadership, a nifty glove and a potent bat. Before he developed the suspect hammy, Rolen was having a huge offensive year that had him in the discussion for MVP honors. It's hard to imagine the Reds remaining contenders if Rolen continues to have physical woes that plague him.

The veteran third baseman is scheduled to return to action this week during the team's trip to Milwaukee. His reappearance can't come soon enough for manager Dusty Baker who probably let out with a hosanna when he learned Rolen would be available again. 

But not only must Rolen stay productive, he must stay healthy. Any further breakdowns and both Rolen and the Reds are going to be in a world of hurt.

Another concern has to be what can the Reds expect from right-hander Edinson Volquez? In his first appearance on July 17 since returning from Tommy John surgery, Volquez amazed everyone with a masterful effort against Colorado. But his follow-up outing versus Washington was disappointing. Volquez was erratic and inaccurate and on those occasions when he did find the plate, the Nats smacked him around.

Coming back from such a significant injury is always iffy and it may take Vasquez a while before he finds any sort of groove or flow. The trouble is the Reds are in a dogfight for first place and can't afford to be all that patient with their 17-game winner of 2008. No matter how unfair or unrealistic it may seem, the Reds need Volquez to step up right this minute.

Complicating the situation is that both Homer Bailey and Aaron Harang, candidates to pick up the slack should Volquez falter, are rehabbing and won't be available in the immediate future. Hence, there's a load of pressure on Volquez to deliver because if he doesn't, the Reds probably won't remain contenders.

Who would have thought that team leading the National league in hitting, runs, RBI and slugging percentage, would have to worried about their bats but that's exactly the reality the Reds find themselves in. Some very troubling patterns are emerging and they involve how ineptly, at times, the Reds have been swinging the sticks.

Sunday's 4-0 loss to Houston marked the fifth time in the last 15 games Cincy has been whitewashed. More disturbing, the Reds lead the majors in being shutout, a whopping 12 times. An even more alarming factoid involving the Reds' sometimes puny offense is that since June 18th, Baker's club has dropped five games by 1 to 0 scores. Now that's the surest way there is to waste some awfully good pitching.

How to avoid being blanked with such regularity in the future is something the Reds absolutely have to figure out. Baker, for one, can become much more proactive by using the hit-and-run and the bunt with greater frequency. Too often Dusty plays for the big inning instead of hunting runs one at a time. The Reds' skipper needs to be more creative and assertive when it comes to getting numbers on the board. Unless the Reds put an end to this shutout trend and quit spoiling stellar work by their pitchers, their chances for ultimate success will take a major, and please pardon the pun, hit!

Though not as immediately pressing as those concerns listed above, there are other areas that could cause the Reds consternation down the stretch. Francisco Cordero's unpredictability, to name one. Cordero has already blown six saves and rarely does he pitch a clean inning. He literally turns nearly every appearance into an adventure. That has got to stop if, for no other reason, than Baker's long-term health. The Reds need their closer to be much sharper and efficient in the season's second-half.

The set-up situation could be problematic as well. Too often in the past, the bullpen has scuffled and imploded. But, with the emergence of tall man Logan Ondrusek and more recent consistency from last year's revelation Nick Masset, things don't look as shaky as they did earlier in the season.

If the Reds are to enjoy a memorable run into October, they will need to resolve most, if not all, of the aforementioned issues. Anything less would prove fatal to a team desperate to enhance its reputation and brand.

Oh yes indeed, the Reds clearly have issues. They have concerns. And they certainly have enough worries to keep them on edge. The question remains, do they have the wherewithal to deal with them? 

A return to the postseason hinges on the answers.