i wanna see homer bailey.

Cueto pitched 7 innings (according to your data) on April 24th.

Eight is still tied for the most, with Kansas City and Florida.

but every time I check the line-ups and see Corey Patterson batting lead-off, I am disheartened about the team and their chances not just to win this year, but to put together a successful program. I do not dislike Corey Patterson. I love what Corey Patterson can do if he’s put in the right situations, but he’s not. And Dusty seems unwilling to change.

Perhaps I’m wrong in seeing the CP situation as a microcosm for what is philosophically wrong with the team, but there it is.

The situation in the top of the first last night was another touchstone moment for me.

Patterson singles and Piniero walks Keppinger on 5 pitches.
-With runners on 1st and 2nd, Ken Griffey works a 6 pitch at bat to a full count – one of those foul balls, btw, was about 15 feet from of a 3-run jack.
-With a full count and no one out, Baker calls a double steal OR hit and run.
-The pitch to Griffey is a pitch off the outside corner that’s probably ball 4.
-But either because it’s a hit and run OR because Griff knows that it’s the kind of pitch that Molina will be able to gun to 3rd base quickly, he waves at it for strike 3.
-Essentially, Baker has taken the bat out of the hand of the 3 hole hitter - a hitter who also happens to be one of the most successful of his generation.
-Baker has also given a free out to a pitcher who’s struggling early.

The base-running clusterfuck that ensued with BP’s grounder was frustrating, but, for me, it only compounded the problem of “aggressive” play that Baker’s hit’n’run/double steal call introduced. In the top of the FIRST FUCKING INNING.

Now, there are other problems that are more responsible for the day to day woes of the team (Arroyo’s “dead arm,” fielding errors, Dunn’s pitiful slugging % large among them), but I can abide mistakes and slumps from hitters, fielders and pitchers. What I find absolutely deflating is clear personnel mistakes and managing ourselves out of runs. That’s where my frustration lies.

In a bizarre way, I could have more easily accepted Griffey grounding into a double play in the first inning last night than the “successful” double steal that occurred – if only because it would have meant letting the big hitters hit with men on base. Nothing cute, nothing “aggressive,” just simple baseball.

Reading over this post, I’m tempted to delete it. I’m afraid its the kind of knee-jerk over-reaction, built on small and anecdotal evidence, that leads to poor discussion and claims to find demons in a grain of sand. But these things are why I’m a pessimist rather than an optimist.

We have two rookie starters and an unresolved 5th spot in the rotation (and some may argue an unresolved 2nd spot too). I think the Reds need to bring up Bailey in another month or so and let our 3 rookies just get seasoned. Interestingly and fortunately, the one who is having the most success so far is the one who has the most experience. I think that’s a really good sign. So…. this year is practice. Don’t expect a pennant. But 2009 could be interesting. That has been my take since Spring Training and I’ve seen nothing this year to change my mind.

...the Reds told the Louisville Bats to stretch out all their relief pitchers. Dunno if they’re looking for a starter or a long man for the pen. Maybe they’re just preparing for a season where they’re expecting the starting rotation to have trouble going deep.

Dunno if I want to see Bailey called up. Watching the Yankees’ young guns struggle, I think I’m being won over to the idea of “veteran presence.” At least some. I think three rookies might be too much. The other night, Phil Hughes was nearly in tears after a terrible outing (six earned runs, including two homers, in 3.2 innings). Just watching him, I couldn’t imagine sending him out there again. It would be downright cruel. But there was some worry that sending him back to AAA might crush his confidence even more. So the Yankees came up with solution: putting him on the DL for an injury many believe is non-existent.

I don’t think Hughes is particularly fragile, emotionally. He’s struck me as being a very mature and down-to-earth young man. (Chad Moeller’s temporary replacement was awful, and it wasn’t Hughes’ fault, since other pitchers had trouble with him, too, but Hughes took responsibility for the numerous crossups.) But he’s only 21, and he’s under a lot of pressure, being “Phil Phranchise” and the team struggling so much. Ian Kennedy has struggled as well, but he’s a couple of years older, with college experience, and there are fewer expectations for him.

I dunno, I guess I’d think twice about bringing up a young pitcher with the idea that he’ll turn around the team.

I a 3/5 empty kind of cat, in that Dusty’s meddling appears to be such a hindrance for this season. We all know that the roster is screwy and the young starters are going to have their ups and downs. As many of us have expressed all along, Bob is not being realistic with his thinking that this team can win consistently this season. I think they’ll look good in stretches and god-awful in others, ultimately ending up just shy of .500 for the season. The longview is good, but realism aint gonna stop Jocko from wheeling and dealing to placate the boss. Let’s just hope that the young talent isn’t tossed away for empty veteran hope.

The Good:
I think past this year we’re set at 1B, 3B, RF, closer, and at least 3 rotation spots. I’m not concerned about the bullpen (Wayne Krivsky? I’d like you to meet Kent Merker and Mike Lincoln. You may remember them – you didn’t have to trade away any starting position players to get either one.)

The Bad:
I think we have major problems at C. The rest of the OF is potentially a mess.

I don’t know:
Will BP’s attitude become a problem? How long can he stay successful striking out 3X as often as he walks? If the worst happens, (a) can he be traded with that contract, and (b) can Keppinger take over at 2B?
What happens if neither Dunn nor Jr are back next year?
It appears Keppinger should play everyday; what happens when AGon comes back?

In the end, I’m optimistic. If Dunn and Jr. are both gone, that leaves a ton of money to acquire a free agent or two. If AGon can play, I think BP gets traded and Keppinger gets shifted to 2B; if not, I think we’re OK as we stand now. I think Arroyo recovers to be what he’s always been, and at least 2 of the youngsters become solid ML pitchers, leaving only the 5th spot in the rotation open – and like the non-closing bullpen, those guys are usually freely available. I think what we’re seeing from EdE is his break-out; I think Votto’s is still coming. Unfortunately, I don’t think any of the 3 catchers should be on the team next year – unfortunate because there’s no one in the minors.

All of that is next year, though. I also think the Reds are Arroyo pitching the way he always has, plus Dunn keeping it together, away from making a run this year. I’m not convinced they’d get far in the playoffs, but I think they can at least get there (knowing full well that they’d need to go 75-58 to get to 87 wins, or 78-55 (.586) to get to 90).