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Saturday, May 11, 2014 Homer Bailey v. Juan Nicasio
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The final embers of yesterday's dumpster fire are slowly becoming extinguished as the Reds look to take the weekend series against the Colorado Rockies two games to one. While the Reds are certainly willing to return the favor from yesterday's curb stomping loss, many fans may be anxious for a save situation today so they may witness the return of Aroldis Chapman.
The Reds will call on Homer Bailey today to slow down the hottest offense in baseball this season. Bailey's inconsistency has provided fodder for individuals who love to complain about player's contracts; as Bailey's record is 2-2 with an ERA of 5.36. I use inconsistent instead of below-average because Bailey has had 3 quality starts in his seven games for the Reds this season. However, the past two seasons, he has averaged a quality start 63.5% of the time. Shutting down the Rockies today will go a long way towards shutting down what may be one of the most alarmist narratives seen this season thus far by critics.
The twenty-seven year old Juan Nicasio will take the mound today in an effort to thwart Bailey's attempt to get back on track. This is Nicasio's second full season as a starter in the Rockies rotation. Nicasio will bring a respectable 3.89 ERA to the table along with a K/BB ratio of 2.08 and a limited, but effective history against Reds in today's lineup. Only one Red has more than ten plate appearances in his career against Nicasio and that is Skip Schumaker. Skippy is one for eleven with one strikeout and a walk. Joey Votto, meanwhile, is one for six with two strikeouts against Nicasio. The righties in the Reds lineup fare better, with Todd Frazier and Ryan Ludwick sporting 2 for 5 records. If there's a pick that needs to be clicked, it is perhaps Brandon Phillips. Dat Due is 3 for 3 in his career against Nicasio with a home run, a double, and a triple.
So, there you have it. It looks to be a beautiful day for a baseball game in Cincinnati. Hopefully, the Reds can again bring some Mother's Day magic to all our families. Go Reds!