[WVRedsFan]

Originally Posted by Caveat Emperor

Going to a game Volquez pitches is like watching a concert with a really crap opening act.

I'm kinda sick of it. It's clearly a head issue for him at this point (and, really, it's been head issues for him since his Texas days), and if he can't sort it out, I don't want him on the ballclub costing the the team games.

At the risk of getting another lecture and causing a long post by someone with all kinds of statistics with lots of capital letters in them, I'll just say this. Of course, i've said it before, but the guy has real talent. Real talent. Unfortunately, his history (just like Josh Hamilton's drug history and injury history) is there for everyone to see. He is a pitcher whose command comes and goes. It was that way at Texas and in the minors. He had a good first half in his first year, but after that, he's been an average pitcher who can wow you on one day and drive you nuts on the other. I do not expect anything else from him, and that's fine.

It's pretty obvious the kid has a mental block in the first inning this year, but he hasn't been around long enough (big early inning pitch counts) for anyone to know if he will pitch OK late in a game. So, those who expect him to be the ace will be disappointed.