There's nothing wrong with having hope about the remainder of this Reds' season. Hope gives the team, and the fans the encouragement to fight on. It's not a false emotion with this team. I don't believe in giving up until the season is over. However, the 2008 Reds can have good starting pitching, offense and bullpen. They've shown that they can beat good teams. It's just they're inconsistent and that's why they're not winning.  They're not out of it yet.

    I've written about the 1973 Reds but I want to remind you that team was almost out of it in July.  It was on July 1, in game one of a doubleheader aganst the hated Dodgers, our rival back then. In danger of falling behind by 12 games to them,  Hal King slammed a three run homer to win the game. That ignited the Reds and they caught the Dodgers and won the division. (NL West)  The Reds list the homer as the number eight moment of all time at Riverfront Stadium.  (Here's the cite.)  

     So is it still possible to get in the playoffs?  Based on the 1973 season, yes.  Also note last year, the Rockies won 14 out of their last 15 games, finishing 20-8 in September to make the playoffs. (They won a one game playoff against the Padres. Here's a wikipedia article on them.)

 Hal King, C.