Merged: Comfortable with Claussen? / Anybody Disappointed With Brandon Claussen?

[GitRDunn]

I am... check out my post.

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46558

[Caveat Emperor]

Who's that other broken down guy DanO brought to town. Grant Balfour or something? He's the guy that was so injured that it would be until after the AS break before he could pitch. It's a long shot but maybe he could be a middle reliever type once he returns? I don't know squat about him and haven't taken the time to look. May have to do that later today.

Per Rotoworld:
Grant Balfour (shoulder) threw 20 pitches during extended spring training batting practice on Tuesday.

"He felt good and had no complaints," Reds head trainer Mark Mann said. Balfour is expected to be healthy enough to pitch at Triple-A by the All-Star break and could be with the Reds by August.

[Crash Davis]

Per Rotoworld:
Grant Balfour (shoulder) threw 20 pitches during extended spring training batting practice on Tuesday.

"He felt good and had no complaints," Reds head trainer Mark Mann said. Balfour is expected to be healthy enough to pitch at Triple-A by the All-Star break and could be with the Reds by August.

Has anybody seen an update on Balfour's progress since this one? Thanks.

[Ltlabner]

Claussen certinally hasn't done himself any favors with his performance thus far. The short term problem is, who would take his spot. They seem to have confidence with Mayes, but I don't think they can catch the "Brandon Phillips in a Bottle" luck twice, can they?

He's been a decent pitcher, but never spectacular and there isn't much reason to think he ever will be. Hurrang seemed to take that "next step" but Claussen hasn't (he's gone backwards it seems).

You could bring up a kid from AAA but none of them are especially fantastic and will go through a major learning curve. If we were trolling around fighting Pittsburg for last place then bring him up and get him going, but while we are contending is the wrong time to throw a kid in the line up to "get some experience".

They will be buyers come the trade deadline and middle relivers and perhaps another starting pitcher will be at the top of their list.

[Redus]

I still have faith in him. He was pretty good earlier and got crap run support.

[registerthis]

I don't know what Claussens issues are, to be honest. What I do know is that he has fallen behind Elizardo to the #5 starter position. And like others have said, I don't know who you'd run out there if not Claussen. The Reds don't exactly have a brevy of starters beating down the door to take his spot.

[Ltlabner]

Since he's a "controll" guy and relies on his pitching placement and fooling batters, would learning a new pitch help him out? Maybe add some sinkerball, screwball or whatever pitch would be new to his standard pitches? Maybe this would give him a few more miles and fool a few more batters before his goose is cooked.

That said, since his main issue is controll, adding another pitch that moves all over the place could become, in the words of Marty B "an adventure".