Homer is Int'l League Pitcher of the Week

by Daedalus on Jun 8, 2009 1:54 PM EDT

Right-hander Homer Bailey was the League's only pitcher to win two games without allowing a run last week, also leading the circuit with 14 strikeouts and finishing 2nd with 14.2 innings pitched. Tuesday night in Pawtucket Bailey squared off against top Red Sox prospect Michael Bowden. Bailey turned in a masterpiece, limiting Pawtucket to four singles and two walks in 8.0 innings while striking out eight. Just once did the Red Sox manage to get a runner to third base as the Bats cruised to a

6-0 victory. Last night against Lehigh Valley, Bailey threw 6.2 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and striking out six with no walks to pick up his sixth win of the season.

23-year-old Homer Bailey was a 1st round draft choice of Cincinnati in 2004. He made his first Major League start of the 2009 season on May 23 against Cleveland, allowing six runs in 4.1 innings (no decision). Since returning to Louisville, Bailey has won three straight games and given up only two runs in 20.2 innings. Bailey is a native of La Grange, Texas.

G GS CG SHO W-L ERA IP H R ER BB K SV

Week: 2 2 0 0 2-0 0.00 14.2 11 0 0 2 14 0

Season: 11 11 2 1 6-5 3.41 66.0 68 31 25 22 58 0

Very happy to see this. I, for one, am still a big Homer fan and can't wait until he finally puts it all together. He will. He will!

Note that he gave up zero runs in the week, 11 hits, 2 BBs, and 14 K in 14.2 innings pitched.

Also note:

Bailey is now a two-time Player of the Week (April 20-26), and along with teammates Drew Stubbs (May 4-10) and Matt Maloney (May 11-17) gives Louisville a League-best four weekly awards this season.

Our farm system rox.

Thoughts?

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Next year's staff is going to be interesting......

if Maloney can be at all effective, if Homer can keep his control, and if Travis Wood and Zach Stewart keep tearing up AA.

That gives 9 legitimate rotation options for next year, assuming no-one gets traded. Stewart may be another year away, but he’d definitely be ready by late ’10 or ’11. So the question is, who gets traded?

At any rate, it’s good to see Homer having some success. I’m sure the big club will need another spot start or two, and I hope he can come up and be effective.

Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?

by nycredsfan on Jun 8, 2009 2:09 PM EDT reply actions

Harang or Arroyo or both?

Or we might trade one of the young guys for a power hitting leftfielder if we’re still in this thing in another month.

Baseball worshiped here.

by Daedalus on Jun 8, 2009 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions

I love the guy, but I'd be looking to trade Bronson this offseason at the latest

Hopefully we can continue giving him a lot of run support and inflate his win totals, but the dude’s about to be owed a lot of money, and with our pitching depth, I’m happy to let someone else pay it to him.

by Brendanukkah on Jun 8, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

I like Bronson too, he’s a reliable innings eater, but so are Harang and Cueto (lately)

Save that money and put a league minimum guy in the rotation, use Bronson’s money for another bat.

Isn't there a slanket somewhere you should be filling with your farts?

by nycredsfan on Jun 9, 2009 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm glad he's playing well

But I don’t read too much into it.

Kei Igawa was the IL player of the year last year or some such thing, but that doesn’t mean he can cut it in the big leagues.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Jun 8, 2009 2:22 PM EDT reply actions

Until Homer...

….develops some velocity and control at the big league level, he’s going to continue to be a ‘pitcher of the week’ in the minors. I’m not giving up on him. He has great stuff, but he’s already shown that he can get minor league batters out. Maybe we should do what Earl Weaver used to do with pitchers like this, stick them in the bullpen (in the show), get them some innings, to work out their kinks, and then put them in the rotation. It seems more useful than having him dominate minor league hitters who will chase pitches that the big leaguers will not.

by tonywf on Jun 8, 2009 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

not that I'm necessarily opposed to your plan

But Homer was not doing so well in AAA, not that long ago. Ten games ago, his ERA was in double digits. I think there are still things he can learn in AAA.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Jun 8, 2009 5:10 PM EDT up reply actions

My only complaint was directed at the fans who continued to proclaim Homer Bailey the answer to the 5th rotation spot when he wasn’t pitching that great in triple A with an e.r.a. over 4.00 and a WHIP near 2.00. Then consider his +6.00 e.r.a. in like 20 starts in the majors………..it just got old hearing people gush over him.

He is now doing what I said he needed to do………DOMINATE triple A. He is doing that. I think if he does it all this season, it will show something about him.

by Dude Rock on Jun 8, 2009 6:34 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

he needs more than 2 dominating starts to be back on top. He needs to dominate for a long stretch before I’d bring him back up.

"It seems like we're not hitting because we're not getting hits." - Dusty being Dusty

by Slyde on Jun 8, 2009 6:59 PM EDT up reply actions

New Pitch

In the newspaper here in Louisville, the article said Homer is now throwing a split-finger fastball that acts as a changeup. New pitch he is having success with. The article said he had struggled to throw a traditional changeup for strikes.

If Homer has a couple more solid starts I would like to see him come up again. Move Micah to long relief and say adios to Lincoln.

by heisgee on Jun 11, 2009 1:15 PM EDT reply actions