Maybe the minors might actually help Leake

[malcontent]

This "never been to the minors" smoke on Leake seems to me to have been counter-productive. Last year WJ said that they wouldn't have known what to tell him to work on if they sent him down. I think the FO should definitely be revising its expectations for Leake, and personally I don't know how a year-stint at Louisville could harm him.

Dontrelle had a very nice 6 innings the other day. I'd like to see him take the spot.

[FloridaBuckeye]

This "never been to the minors" smoke on Leake seems to me to have been counter-productive. Last year WJ said that they wouldn't have known what to tell him to work on if they sent him down. I think the FO should definitely be revising its expectations for Leake, and personally I don't know how a year-stint at Louisville could harm him.

Dontrelle had a very nice 6 innings the other day. I'd like to see him take the spot.

Not saying that a stint in the minors would or wouldnt hurt Leake... but simply plugging Dontrelle in for Leake WOULD most likely hurt the Reds.

I understand that the D-Train had a strong outing in the minors... but odds are in Leake's favor to have a good outing down there too after facing big leaguers for a year +.

Not sure we should read too much into Dontrelle's one good outing... and I also think its WAAAAY too early in the season to be pulling the plug on the guys that helped clinch the central last year (Leake, Bruce, Masset)

[brm7675]

What would sending him down help? He has shown he can pitch on this level, he needs to just continue to grow and learn on this level as a pitcher, sending him down would be stupid.

[FloridaBuckeye]

dont get me wrong... i think Leake should definitely stay up... i dont think sending him down would help much at all... if anything it would hurt his confidence

[SidneySlicker]

Not sure what's going on with Leake. It's not a question of understanding how to pitch in the majors, because he's proven he has the ability to do that. Last year when he started off the season with the success that he did he was painting the edges with consistency and he most importantly was living down by the knees. This year he's made alot of mistakes throwing pitches over the plate thigh to waist high and he simply does not have the velocity to get away with that. So I'm not sure what the answer is. I guess I'd like to think that my best coach to work with him would be Brian Price, which leads me to hope they keep him up. Maybe they could slide him to the pen once Bailey and Cueto are ready, but that is still a couple of weeks away it appears.

[bshall2105]

He's pitched 11 innings this season, out of those 11, 8 have been scoreless. He's given up 8 earned runs, of those 8, 5 came in one inning. One bad inning does not = Louisville.

[FloridaBuckeye]

He's pitched 11 innings this season, out of those 11, 8 have been scoreless. He's given up 8 earned runs, of those 8, 5 came in one inning. One bad inning does not = Louisville.

nice

[brm7675]

it's called learning, he is very young and it will take a couple of seasons, I am really unclear why people think he is an ACE right now or should be? This season i want to see more innings and durability and to see how he adjusts to hitters adjusting to him...

[Vottomatic]

I've had kneejerk reactions in past seasons. But the Reds started slow last year and won the division by like 5 games. They are 6-3 right now, and still waiting for some pitchers and hitters to come around.

Patience grasshoppers.

[Red in Atl]

Bottom line is when Cueto and Bailey come back, someone goes. Does Leake no good to sit in the bullpen, when he needs to build arm strength and stamina to stay in the majors.

Remember he did this twice last year, Braves and Phillies, where he had a big lead and then gave up 6 or 7 runs to lose.

I love the kid, but those type of performances can't happen.

[bshall2105]

Bottom line is when Cueto and Bailey come back, someone goes. Does Leake no good to sit in the bullpen, when he needs to build arm strength and stamina to stay in the majors.

Remember he did this twice last year, Braves and Phillies, where he had a big lead and then gave up 6 or 7 runs to lose.

I love the kid, but those type of performances can't happen.

If Cueto and Bailey come back pitching better than Leake then go ahead and send him down. I just don't want to hear how Willis should be in his spot when Leake has only had one bad inning.

[Girevik]

He's given up 8 earned runs, of those 8, 5 came in one inning. One bad inning does not = Louisville.

And in that one bad inning, he gave up one hard hit ball. The rest were grounders with eyes that just happened to find a hole.