Where do you rank the Reds pitching staff in the NL Central?

[PuffyPig]

Wainright is better than Cueto by quite a bit
Latos is better than Miller
Bailey may be better than Wacha, but I could see Wacha being better this year
Garcia is better than Leake
Lynn has a ton more experience than Cingrani, but Cingrani is more talented

The reason I don't rank the Reds 1st is because a.) Wainwright is a true ace, which is something I feel like the Reds have been lacking, but have made up for in depth and b.) I do not even remotely trust the health of Cueto.

I am very negative about Cueto's health.

Bailey would be considered a better bet this year to be stronger than Wacha, simply due to the fact he's more proven.

Garcia is coming back from a serious injury. You have to discount him based on that.

Cueto's health is really the key.

[swaisuc]

I think the Reds are 1a with the Cardinals right there. Ranking the other 3 is simple, Pirates, Brewers, Cubs

[Salukifan2]

If the reds staff stays healthy I think it has more upside this season. The reds simply can not afford injuries to their starting 5 this season.

Leake
Latos
Cueto
Bailey
Cingrani

After those 5 who is next in line? Duke? Not stephenson or corcino.
Meanwhile, the cards have Martinez, Garcia, Rosenthal, Lyons and more that could fill in.

With health the edge is to the reds, but not by.much, and certainly not enough to make up for their offensive issues.

[MikeThierry]

Disagree. Garcia probably isn't going to even pitch. Leake is healthy and coming off a good yea. Garcia's health knocks him out of the discussion.

He's scheduled to be ready by Spring Training so I don't think your assertion is accurate.

[MikeThierry]

I think the Reds have a slight advantage in the starting rotation but I think the Cards have a huge edge in the bullpen and it's why I would put the Cards slightly ahead of the Reds. Chapman and Rosenthal are both elite type closers so I don't think there's an edge there but Motte will be back, Seigrist is still nasty, Martinez will assume a full time role in the pen. I think the Cardinals can handle matchups better in the later innings.

[RedTeamGo!]

Will Motte still be a dumpster fire?

[Superdude]

The Pirates being ranked ahead of Cincy is...well I don't understand that reasoning at all.

I don't understand this at all either. Our top three blows them out of the water if Cueto's healthy. Locke was a time bomb that went off in the second half and Volquez is Volquez.

[WildcatFan]

After those 5 who is next in line? Duke? Not stephenson or corcino.
Meanwhile, the cards have Martinez, Garcia, Rosenthal, Lyons and more that could fill in.

Zach Duke is in Milwaukee. They would call on Jeff Francis first, then probably Chien-Ming Wang, then David Holmberg I'd guess. They're deeper at the AAA rotation than they were last season.

[MikeThierry]

If the reds staff stays healthy I think it has more upside this season. The reds simply can not afford injuries to their starting 5 this season.

Leake
Latos
Cueto
Bailey
Cingrani

After those 5 who is next in line? Duke? Not stephenson or corcino.
Meanwhile, the cards have Martinez, Garcia, Rosenthal, Lyons and more that could fill in.

With health the edge is to the reds, but not by.much, and certainly not enough to make up for their offensive issues.

Kelly also should be included. He's already filled in and has done a great job when guys went down.

[Salukifan2]

Will Motte still be a dumpster fire?

What does this mean? Urban dictionary defines it as 1.) a complete disaster and 2.) something very difficult that no body wants to deal with. I looked on urban dictionary becuase I assume you are aware that Jason Motte is an MLB player and not a burning trash can.

Excluding his rookie season when has he ever been a dumpster fire? The only black mark I see on his career is that he gives up to many HRs for a reliever.

2011 WHIP, k/BB: .956, 3.94
2012 WHIP, K/BB: .917, 5.06

Motte's 2012 season was better than Chapman's 2013 season. I see no fires

[Salukifan2]

I think the Reds have a slight advantage in the starting rotation but I think the Cards have a huge edge in the bullpen and it's why I would put the Cards slightly ahead of the Reds. Chapman and Rosenthal are both elite type closers so I don't think there's an edge there but Motte will be back, Seigrist is still nasty, Martinez will assume a full time role in the pen. I think the Cardinals can handle matchups better in the later innings.

You don't think Martinez will start in the rotation at Memphis? Personally, with Motte, Rosenthal, Maness, Siegrist, Freeman, Choate, Butler, Stoppleman, and Rondon all possibilities for the pen I don't really want Martinez in bigs in any capacity other starting.

[MikeThierry]

You don't think Martinez will start in the rotation at Memphis? Personally, with Motte, Rosenthal, Maness, Siegrist, Freeman, Choate, Butler, Stoppleman, and Rondon all possibilities for the pen I don't really want Martinez in bigs in any capacity other starting.

There are almost too many options. I think Matheny and company would like to have him as an option in the pen due to his stuff as he probably has the most electric stuff out of that group aside from Rosenthal. I think he's just too good to be sent down to AAA. If I were to put money on it, I would say he breaks with the big team at camp.

[westofyou]

Motte's 2012 season was better than Chapman's 2013 season. I see no fires

I'll say it's a wash with Chapman having the greater ability to get a K

[bucksfan2]

Do Homer and Latos take the next step? If they do I rank them

1. Reds
2. Cards

If they are pretty much the 2013 version I go

1. Cards
2. Reds

I don't see the Pirates recreating 2013 so I would rank them 3rd.

[M2]

Motte's weird. For years he struggled against LHBs and tooled on RHBs. Then in 2012 he completely flip-flopped it. The net effect is he's always got an Achilles Heel, we just don't know which one.