I can't really say there was a need for this:
Homer Bailey is going to be promoted this week from Class A Sarasota to Class AA Chattanooga, and if manager Jerry Narron had his way the promotion would be an airline ticket to Cincinnati.After hearing that Bailey struck out the side on 12 pitches during a one-inning appearances Saturday in the Florida State League All-Star game, Narron said, "I kid (general manager) Wayne Krivsky that when I get the minor-league reports every day and Bailey pitches, they white-out his results so I don't see them."
Said Krivsky, "Bailey's next start will be in Chattanooga."
Bailey just turned 20. There's absolutely no need for him to be in the major leagues until he's 22 or 23, and keeping him in Single A for the rest of this year would have kept him on that timetable.
This isn't something I'm terribly upset about or anything (I have a hard time believing the Reds will get much out of Bailey anyway - he's still years away and I've seen too many Reds pitching prospects go under the knife) but I think a conservative approach is the way to go.
David Shafer is 21-21 in save opportunities at AA Chattanooga with a 1.16 ERA. He's also 24 years old. Carlos Guevara has a 2.70 ERA in 40 innings, at Chattanooga and he's also 24. Why are the Reds so much more cautious in their cases as opposed to Bailey's?