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I'm feeling pretty frustrated after last night's loss. I don't know why. Perhaps it's the fact that they came out early and looked like they might actually do something unexpected, but then less than an inning later, they were losing again. This team isn't terrible. They aren't 20 games under .500. They aren't getting completely blown out of the water on a regular basis, though it does happen from time to time. They just aren't doing anything that special either. They are at best a .500 team right now. What a bland experience.
If the Reds are going to trade Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo, it will likely be because they think that Homer Bailey is ready for a regular spot in the rotation. While he clearly looks better than he ever has, I'm not sure if he's quite to the point yet that the Reds can start clearing space for him. Tonight will be another tester. If he's wild at all, he probably doesn't have a shot against a team like Los Angeles that will let you walk them. If he can pitch like he did against the Cardinals before the break though, he might be able to throw the Dodgers off for the night and sneak by with a win. Beating this Dodger team is a tough task, but a good performance from Bailey might go a long way in deciding the future of Arroyo or Harang.
What can you say about Randy Wolf that won't flat out confuse you. Somehow, the 32-year old has found his rhythm after several consecutive years of mediocrity. I suppose it helps that he's playing in a pretty big park, given that he's a flyball pitcher. He's also regained some of the control that he'd lost for a couple of years there. He's also just been a bit lucky, posting a .265 BABIP while pitching in front of a fairly pedestrian defense. I guess that means that the Reds have a shot tonight. Then again, they had a shot last night and let it slip away.
They've now lost 10 in a row at Dodger Stadium. Hopefully this thing doesn't go to 11.