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Homer and a blooper

JohnU

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"We talked with Homer earlier today," Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "We're contemplating moving him to the bullpen. It's going to be a real transition. We've got a few days to sort it out and see, with more to discuss with [pitching coaches] Danny Darwin and Teddy Power, Homer and myself to see how that would work for him."



Riggleman's 40-minute answer to Bailey's future is symptomatic of the meltdown that has become the Reds.

If the front office isn't to blame, it's not clear who is. Bailey is a loser and he is being sent to the bullpen where he insists he won't be good because after all, he's been a starter his whole career and is pretty sure he won't be able to warm up fast enough to be effective as a relief pitcher on a team that always needs one based on how it has performed with Bailey as a starter.

And if that previous sentence isn't long enough, it's consistent with Riggleman's answer.

Bailey isn't going to pitch well in the bullpen either and at this point, it's a $43 million disaster.

To that end, this franchise deserves what it has.

But Disco is finally riding in on his white horse.

Iglesias is hopefully not having another fake injury this week and if Austin Brice is a moment of optimism, Lord help us.

Next up on the skewer: Sal Romano.
 

eburg5000

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I don't think anyone thought Bailey was worth the money Bob Castellini paid him. Even if he stayed healthy.
 

JohnU

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I don't think anyone thought Bailey was worth the money Bob Castellini paid him. Even if he stayed healthy.
Probably not but I think the front office had to show that they were ballzy enough to sign a front-line pitcher. They had already extended Cueto and that was a pretty deft move. Lots of moving parts there, much of which was connected to the impending rebuild -- and it appears nobody had much of a clue about that. But it's easy to blame it all on Brandon Phillips, I suppose.
 

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The Reds have spent most of the first two months trying to correct roster mistakes they made from day one. I guess it became increasingly difficult to ignore the proof in that 15 games under .500 bowl of pudding roster they put together. The problem is the corrections aren't a whole lot better.

Homer to the pen. Finny still bitching how it's everyone else's fault. Disco waiting for his shot at completing the tic-tac-toe trifecta. Fire the guy that thought those three were going to help. Never mind, they already did.

Another great veteran bench flushing a few million down the toilet. Still don't know what they saw in Rosie Red Herrera, Penny, and the Goose. They could of just gave the jobs to Blandino and Dixon out of ST.

The four outfielders for three positions experiment is over. Turns out they have three positions, but no outfielders.

Only 105 more games to go.
 

JohnU

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That outfield musical chairs ... the problem is, Winker is the only hitter of the bunch and easily the worst outfielder. I think he will end up somewhere else, probably playing first base.
 

eburg5000

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I think they are hoping that Duvall will get going. I am not sure what can be dome right now So I guess letting the 3 play everyday is as good as any. Except it doesn't help Winker improve

They were pretty productive in their 1st game
 

JohnU

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I think there is irrational anger/disappointment over Rig's decision to sit Winker. If the guy wants to make a lineup, he needs to be better. As of now, Duvall has more power and experience (and defense) and Schebler is better at most aspects of the game.
Winks can get on base. But it's Schebler who needs to replace Hamilton. That isn't going to happen until the Reds give up on BH -- and that's imminent.
 

Hit-n-Run

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Winker can't run, throw, field, and has 1 HR for the season. One tool outfielder's are a tough fit for any team. How is it the Reds are just now figuring that out?

As for the other two corner OF getting going. Duvall is a career .233 hitter and Schebler is only slightly better with a career .244 BA. So I don't think playing everyday is going to significantly impact that. Both have homered at a rate you'd expect based on past performance. So splitting time hasn't hampered their only real offensive tool and I don't think the BA will improve beyond the back of the baseball card. Power and defense makes Winker the odd man out on the corners. Hamilton plays because nobody else on this roster is servicable in CF.
 

JohnU

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Hamilton plays because nobody else on this roster is servicable in CF.
Reds did have Ben Revere in camp in the spring. No great upgrade but not a loss either. I suppose that was about money. Dunno ... moving forward, I suspect he will walk when it is time. (or run).
 

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I thought they might give Ben Revere a better look than they did. He was signed late and really never got that much playing time. He has since signed with the LAA and is on the Milb DL.

Robert Stephenson has strung together 5 solid outings in Louisville. He's abandoned the wind up and is pitching out of the stretch full time. It's paying dividends over the 30 IP short sample size. He's had a very respectful 2.7 BB/9 and an ERA below 2.50 since the change.

Stephenson has been streaky in his success/failures. When he's pitching well he'll put together some nice outings, but when it goes south it can become a free fall. Not much different than what we've seen this year from some of the young guys on varying levels. The key for all SP is to gain some semblance of consistency and limit the damage when they aren't clicking on all cylinders.

Within the guys we're currently seeing I could see 2 or 3 being solid middle to back of the rotation SP. Of course they could all become injured and/or pitch their way into oblivion.

Putting together a competitive rotation looks like a daunting task at this point.
 

JohnU

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I think you end up getting lucky with draft picks, many of them the Dominican types like Cueto who just have a natural gift that emerges as they mature. If you get a couple of those guys and trade for one more, you can be in place for 3-4 years.

Stephenson has enough talent to win in the bigs. I think they will give him one more good chance pretty soon.

What they do with Garrett is another matter though it seems clear the FO is planning to keep him in the bullpen. Maybe some starts in September would show something.
 

eburg5000

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How's Finnigan doing down in AAA. I know he's talking a lot. Some think that is good, Myself if you show something on the field 1st then you have the right to talk.

I heard them say they were putting Bailey in the pen, but the other day, they said they were just going to sit him for a start. You never know what the FO is really going to do
 

JohnU

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I don't think Bailey is ready to go to the bullpen.
Not sure what that means.
Finnegan isn't on the radar, from what I hear.
 

JohnU

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I think Lorenzen is raising his stock value for a shot at the rotation. I wonder if the Reds are going to start giving Garrett the ball in similiar situations.
 

eburg5000

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This might be a bit critical, but I thought Hamilton should have been charged with 2 errors in that ninth inning.

I think it would be good for the Reds and maybe Hamilton too, if they would sit Hamilton on the bench for a week or so. Doesn't seem like his head is in the game.

Of course that may be happened anyway after him hitting the wall last night. Maybe bring up Ervin. His defense is not as good as Hamilton, but he should at least hit 25 point higher. Which still isn't saying much.
 

JohnU

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This might be a bit critical, but I thought Hamilton should have been charged with 2 errors in that ninth inning.

I think it would be good for the Reds and maybe Hamilton too, if they would sit Hamilton on the bench for a week or so. Doesn't seem like his head is in the game.

Of course that may be happened anyway after him hitting the wall last night. Maybe bring up Ervin. His defense is not as good as Hamilton, but he should at least hit 25 point higher. Which still isn't saying much.
The ball that went for a double was played pretty casually.
Dunno about the ball he dropped. I think he plays too shallow in a no doubles defense part of the game.
 

eburg5000

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I'm more upset because he can't hit, I would rather see the pitcher up there at the plate with men on base than Hamilton. Maybe he will start hitting better, I hope he does.

On a more positive note, the Reds are undefeated, so far in the month of June
 

JohnU

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Homer finds a convenient home on the DL with this season-long knee injury that we're just learning about. I guess that means he'll need surgery ... or the 60-day DL.
Lucky for the Reds, DeSclafani is just finishing up his rehab work which should keep Homer from bitching about being moved to the bullpen.
He claims the media broadsided him on that, but I've seen nothing but pure evidence the talk about him being moved to the pen was common knowledge. He's making Riggleman out to be the jerk.
Sorry, not buying it. I think he and his "people" negotiated the knee injury. Could be the Reds get some "insurance" on this.
 

eburg5000

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DeSclafani has a 6+ ERA in AAA, I'm not sure he will be much help up here. Then that might be him just throwing and working on his pitches than really trying to get anyone out. We will find out soon enough,
 

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Homer's problem sounds like the "Dem Bones" song.

Knee bone connected to the thigh bone
Thigh bone connected to the hip bone
Hip bone connected to the back bone
Back bone connected to the shoulder bone
Shoulder bone connected to the neck bone
Neck bone connected to the head bone.
.
It's what we've known all along. Homer Bailey is a bonehead.
 
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