Farmer’s Only: We don’t talk enough about Hunter Greene

Brandon Larson Honorary Memorial Star of the Night

*deep breath*

Okay, I know we all know about Hunter Greene. We’re all excited about Hunter Greene. He was the most-hyped draft prospect in years when Cincinnati selected him second overall in 2017. He’s a potentially generational talent. He is amazing at the game of baseball in basically every way.

But almost a year later to the day the Reds signed Hunter Greene, it seems like we don’t pay the proper amount of attention to him. Here’s why we should.

On Monday, Hunter Greene gave the best performance of his career to date. He pitched seven innings, a career high, and didn’t allow a single run. He did not allow a walk. He allowed just two hits, both singles. He struck out 10 batters. He did this in 69 pitches.

Okay, my heart’s beating fast again, I need to step away from my laptop.

Greene’s overall numbers still don’t look like much after the way he got dinged up at the start of the year. In his last eight starts, though: 43.1 innings, 1.87 ERA, 30 hits, nine walks, 51 strikeouts. He will not turn 19 years old until August.

Pitching against competition roughly four years older than him on average, Greene is becoming one of the most dominant pitchers in the Midwest League. If he performs this way for another two months, he might be the top-ranked pitching prospect in baseball this offseason. I’d be psyched as hell if that guy was a Reds fan. But he’s on the Reds, you guys. He plays in the organization right now. Why are we talking about anything else?

*assistant whispers in my ear*

Wait, really? Fifteen wins in their last twenty games? Huh. Being a Reds fan seems like fun right now.

Louisville Bats 1, Indianapolis Indians 7

Okay, not everything about being a Reds fan is fun right now. For instance, it currently means watching a former rotation cog look hopelessly lost in a AAA bullpen. I’m of course referring to Brandon Finnegan, who faced seven hitters and retired precisely one of them, allowing three hits, one of which was a double, and two walks while one reached on an error. In all, six runs scored on Finnegan’s watch, and though just two were earned, it’s still bad. Very, incredibly bad.

Finnegan’s wretched outing spoiled what had been a fine start by Jose Lopez. He went six innings and allowed just one run on three hits and four walks while striking out six. Domingo “Tapioca” Tapia and Jimmy “Margaritaville” Herget combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless relief bookending Finnegan’s misery.

There wasn’t much going on for the Bats offensively. Dilson “Pickle” Herrera double, walked and scored a run, which rocks ass. Blake Trahan “Not To Love You” went 2-for-3 with a walk and Hernan “The Barbarian” Iribarren went 2-for-4 with a double, and Phillip “Phlava Phlerv” Ervin smacked himself a nice little triple.

Homer Bailey toes the rubber for Louisville today at 6:45 p.m. EST. It will probably make you sad.

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3, Mississippi Braves 0 (7 innings)

Pensacola Blue Wahoos 3, Mississippi Braves 6 (7 innings)

The Blue Wahoos were on make-up duty with the Braves Monday, and played two shortened games because of it. The first game was highlighted by Vladimir “More like Greatierrez” Gutierrez pitching six shutout frames and allowing just six hits and two walks while fanning five. Luis Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a homer, Mitch Nay “Smith” went 1-for-2 with a homer, and Chris Okey “Pokey” whacked a double and walked.

Victor Payano got smacked around on the mound in the second tilt, allowing five runs in just 2.2 innings. Jose Rafael De Paula “Inigo Montoya”, Joel Bender “I hardly know her” and Jesus “No Longer The Devil” Reyes combined for 4.1 innings of near-shutout (one unearned run) baseball after him, though. T.J. “Rhymes with Weedle” Friedl collected three hits in four AB’s in this one, while Nay rocked a double and Narciso “Cannibal” Crook homered.

Pensacola will play one nine inning game today, but it doesn’t know who’s pitching.

Daytona Tortugas 3, St. Lucie Mets 4

The score told a sad story, but this was a fun one to watch if you’re into top prospects doing prospect-y things. Tyler “Large Adult Catcher” Stephenson homered for the eighth time this season, for instance, while Taylor “Trample” Trammell tripled for the fourth time this season. Stuart “Son of Lois” Fairchild reached once on a walk and stole a base, and Michael “Bible” Beltre singled and walked.

On the mound, it was an okay day for Tommy “Bessie” Bergjans, who allowed four runs in six innings. He allowed six hits, but walked only one and struck out seven. Two of the hits against him were homers. Aaron Fossas “The People”, Kevin Canelon and Joel “Popcorn” Kuhnel combined for three shutout frames behind him.

Daytona will send Tony Santillan to the mound for today’s game, a 7:05 p.m. start time.

Dayton Dragons 2, Lake County Captains 1

HUNTER GREENE IS ON MY TEAM.

While Greene was doing his thing, the lineup was doing just enough to get him the win. Leandro Santana wanged a solo honker, and Alejo Lopez went 2-for-4 with a double. Jeter “RE2PECT” Downs also doubled in this one, and drove in a run for good measure.

Dayton faces Lake County again today at 7 p.m., with Not Hunter Gre- er, Tyler Mondile getting the ball on the mound.

Billings Mustangs 8, Missoula Osprey 7 (8 innings)

So this was supposed to be another shortened game, but they wound up in “extras” and played eight before the Mustangs won it on a walk-off. Bren Spillane doubled and walked in this one, while Dylan Harris went 2-for-4 with a very Reds-ish grand slam. Pabel Manzanero went 1-for-2 with a double and a walk, and Mariel Bautista went 2-for-4 with a triple.

Mac Sceroler was solid on the mound. He went three innings and allowed two runs on five hits, walking none and striking out six. Dauri Moreta pitched a scoreless eighth to get the decision.

Even though I’m typing this at 2 a.m., Billings has yet to finish its second game against Missoula, which is horseshit. The Mustangs are down 4-3, but Harris is having another terrific game (3-for-4), as is Reshard Munroe (2-for-4). Former Buckeye and my personal 419 compatriot Connor Curlis started the game and threw two innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks. He struck out three.

Jared Solomon will pitch for the Mustangs when they get back at it tonight at 6:35 p.m. MT.

Greeneville Reds 12, Johnson City Cardinals 13

Pitching standouts for this game included... oh... oh god... oh dear heavens no....

At the plate, the Mini Reds got a homer from Zeke White, who went 3-for-4 with a walk, while Cash Case went 1-for-5 with a walk and three RBIs. Brian Rey doubled and walked twice at the top of the order, and drove in a pair too.

Josiah Gray will pitch for the Mini Reds at 7 p.m. tonight.

No Baby Reds action happened Monday. They’ll match up with the AZL Indians’ 1-team at 10 p.m. EST tonight.