Homer Bailey pitching at 10:35 AM this morning

[traderumor]

Semetics maybe, but important nonetheless.

Oh sure, blame it on the Jews

[MikeS21]

OK, I admit I came here to check out Homer's performance, but the JA pictures trump Homer Bailey any day of the week. :

[OnBaseMachine]

Homer, Reds fall just short of no-hit odyssey
Top Cincy prospect fans nine in six near-perfect frames
By Christopher Heine / Special to MLB.com

Homer Bailey's three-pitch repertoire was in full force Thursday afternoon as the Reds' top pitching prospect threw six no-hit innings to lead Sarasota past Lakeland, 2-0.

Brock Till (1-0) was nearly perfect in the seventh and eighth and earned the win for the visiting Reds. However, Carlos Alvarado gave up a bunt single to Gilberto Mejia with one out in the ninth to end the team's no-hit bid. The Mejia roller toward second base turned out to be the only Tigers hit.

"It's disappointing that we lost the no-hitter on a bunt in the ninth," said Reds catcher Tom Purdom. "But, I can't blame [Mejia] at all. It's a two-run game. They were still in it and trying to win any way they can."

Darren Anderson's two-run blast in the eighth proved to be the game-winner for Sarasota (11-10) but came too late to garner a win for Bailey, who was caught in a pitcher's duel with Lakeland starter Dallas Trahern.

Bailey, a 6-foot-4 flamethrower, was simply dominating while striking out nine, issuing two walks and lowering his ERA to 3.08. He rebounded dramatically from a poor outing against Dunedin on April 22, when he surrendered four runs on five hits in five innings.

"Today, I was just attacking with my fastball and getting ahead in the count, which made it easier to set the batters up for my changeup and curveball," Bailey said. "My change-up was better than it has been. I was locating all three of my pitches really well."

Sarasota manager Donnie Scott pulled his starter after the sixth because Bailey was too close to his mandatory 90-pitch count to justify beginning another frame. Scott said that Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky is keeping the organization's top prospect on a short leash.

Bailey's fastball typically clocks out at 92-94 mph but occasionally reaches the 96-97 range. Scott said his young hurler's reliance on it Thursday was planned.

"Homer had been pitching backwards a lot, throwing his breaking stuff first, and today we told him to go out there and trust his fastball," Scott said. "We told him to go out there and get beat with his best stuff if he's got to get beat. He was locating his fastball well, and that allowed him to get ahead in the count. Staying ahead in the count will be key for him. Once he gets that under his belt, he'll be able to take it to the next level."

Bailey, who hasn't thrown a no-hitter since tossing multiple ones in high school, didn't try to convince his manager to let him stay in the game.

"It's a little frustrating to have to come out of the game with a no-hitter going, but it's for the best in terms of my development," he said. "It would have been the first in my professional career, so it would have been kind of special."

After Mejia's bunt single, Alvarado notched his second save by striking out Clete Thomas and getting Jeffrey Frazier to hit a routine fly ball into center to end the game.

Jeff Hahn (4-1) gave up the homer to Anderson and took his first loss while throwing the eighth. Eddie Bonine blanked the Reds in the ninth to keep the game close.

Trahern was almost as good as Bailey, allowing four hits without any runs and striking out four for the Tigers (9-12). He lowered his ERA to 5.40.

With the Reds leading the series 2-0, the two teams conclude their three-game set at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. -- Christopher Heine/MLB.com

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/a...milb&fext=.jsp


Homer Bailey was unhittable against Lakeland on Thursday, striking out nine in six no-hit innings. (Sarasota Reds)

[registerthis]

Lakeland singles on a BUNT!

Bush league.

Well, yeah. They were playing Lakeland, after all. Doesn't get much more Bush League than that.

[Aronchis]

Interesting quote about Homer's pitch selection. Might confirm the Wood rumors as well.

[traderumor]

So, Mr. Heine can crank out an article like that and have it posted in the afternoon after a morning game, but John Fay can only give us a game story in 100 words or less the next day on the Reds. Now that's bush! Great article, thanks for posting OBM. Consistency, Homer, consistency.

[lollipopcurve]

Consistency, Homer, consistency.

All pitchers have games where they get hit. Homer's had one such game -- the rest of his starts have been good (this one stellar, obviously). I'd say he's been consistent enough so far. No one should expect him to go out and throw a game like he did today every time he's on the mound.

[Aronchis]

All pitchers have games where they get hit. Homer's had one such game -- the rest of his starts have been good (this one stellar, obviously). I'd say he's been consistent enough so far. No one should expect him to go out and throw a game like he did today every time he's on the mound.

I disagree. If Homer is close to the majors like the Reds were acting in spring, he should be having these types of games regularly.

[traderumor]

All pitchers have games where they get hit. Homer's had one such game -- the rest of his starts have been good (this one stellar, obviously). I'd say he's been consistent enough so far. No one should expect him to go out and throw a game like he did today every time he's on the mound.

From what I've seen so far, his starts have been average with the one stinker you mention. This is the first time this season I recall seeing a totally dominating stat line. You should know I don't expect a no-hitter every time out, but until he holds those numbers where they're at now, I would not consider him to be dominating his level as a high #1 pick should be.

[lollipopcurve]

From what I've seen so far, his starts have been average with the one stinker you mention.

How'd you like the one where he went 5 innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 runs and walked two?

You can believe Homer has failed for a high-first round pick all you want. But, in my view, this kid is better than you recognize.

[dougdirt]

I disagree. If Homer is close to the majors like the Reds were acting in spring, he should be having these types of games regularly.

What gave you the idea that the Reds thought Bailey was close to being ready for the majors? He isnt even 20 years old yet. He isnt close to ready.

[RedsManRick]

I'm not yet convinved that Jessica Alba is pretty. More pictures please.

[traderumor]

How'd you like the one where he went 5 innings, gave up 1 hit, 0 runs and walked two?

You can believe Homer has failed for a high-first round pick all you want. But, in my view, this kid is better than you recognize.

Homer's ERA was sitting at nearly 4 and his K rate was down prior to today's outing, so he again has not been setting his league on fire. How you arrive at a conclusion about what I believe on this subject is not readily clear. His overall performance to date has not been to be consistently dominating, but consistently inconsistent. That is his body of work.

Hopefully, his removal from the tandem system is now paying benefits, but it is still more likely that if Homer Bailey, HS draftee, ever has a significant major league career, it will be in another uniform after failing with the team that drafted him. That was true the day he was picked and it still holds true today. I hope he bucks the enormous odds facing him and the Reds for the Reds to recoup their investment.

But forgive me for being skeptical when a high #1 draft pick posted an ERA in the 4s in his first full campaign at low A and was in the same range until today. Forgive me for being skeptical when an arm injury is more likely than Homer pitching for the Reds in 2008. Forgive me for understanding the flame out rate for draft picks such as Homer and not buying into the pipe dream that he's our ace in training. Man, it would be great for your gnosis on Homer to become reality, but the performance thus far has not been commensurate with your level of confidence.

[cincyinco]

Lakeland singles on a BUNT!

Bush league.

They still get the shutout.

EXACTLY!@ Beyond Bush League...

Great outing by Homer today... thanks for the PBP OBM!

[lollipopcurve]

Man, it would be great for your gnosis on Homer to become reality, but the performance thus far has not been commensurate with your level of confidence.

Depends on the performance metrics you're looking at. ERA is one thing, but K rate, HR rate, hits/innings, not to mention all the anecdotal and "soft scouting" information that has come through, has provided all kinds of evidence that Homer is a power pitching prospect worth getting excited about. But hey, you might as well ignore all that because you apparently are already close to certain about things will work out with Homer. Gnosis indeed!