Homer Bailey

[Benihana]

Homer Bailey currently has an ERA of 7.06. While he is young and must take his lumps, it is debatable as to whether or not he's even showing improvement. While his upside has always been there, I believe he MUST show SOME improvement if he is to be counted on whatsoever going forward. Whether or not we buy it, the Rolen trade indicates the Reds front office wants to compete in 2010.

So my question is this- If Homer Bailey doesn't lower his ERA below 6.00 by the end of the season, what should be done with him? At what point do you forego his upside for the sake of the team?

[BRM]

What are the choices? He's out of options after this season, right? He either sticks in the majors with the Reds in 2010 or he's gone. I think Walt will give him every opportunity to stick in the rotation next year.

[WMR]

You throw him out there in 2010 and hope he pitches better.

Considering his arb and options situation that's the only real thing you can do, outside of trading him for very little return.

[Benihana]

You throw him out there in 2010 and hope he pitches better.

Considering his arb and options situation that's the only real thing you can do, outside of trading him for very little return.

I used to agree with this, but he must show some kind of improvement before I'm ready to watch this every fifth day for a full season. Sure, young pitchers will take their lumps but they have to show improvement. Otherwise at a certain point, a lemon is just a lemon. Even the JimBo-led Reds realized this a few years ago with Brandon Claussen.

[WMR]

I used to agree with this, but he must show some kind of improvement before I'm ready to watch this every fifth day for a full season. At a certain point, a lemon is just a lemon. Even the JimBo-led Reds realized this a few years ago with Brandon Claussen.

Are we really to that point with Homer? He's still a baby in terms of a pitcher's growth.. 22 right?

I just really fear that the way the Reds absolutely screwed the pooch on his arb clock that he'll put it together a couple years after he leaves Cincy.

Of course, maybe he puts it together BECAUSE he leaves Cincinnati. There's a depressing thought for you.

We have seen some flashes from Homer this season...

[redsmetz]

Are we really to that point with Homer? He's still a baby in terms of a pitcher's growth.. 22 right?

I just really fear that the way the Reds absolutely screwed the pooch on his arb clock that he'll put it together a couple years after he leaves Cincy.

Of course, maybe he puts it together BECAUSE he leaves Cincinnati. There's a depressing thought for you.

We have seen some flashes from Homer this season...

Personally I think I've seen a much more mature Bailey this year. And I think he's putting it together. He's young still, he's a year younger than Claussen was when he came to us really.

Sure we've had pitchers who didn't pan out, who never really made good. Certainly the OP can set up his poll however he likes, but I disagree with his original assumption, that Bailey won't improve. I think he has already.

[Spring~Fields]

I think that Bailey has showed some improvement while trying to pitch for a bad team in a pitcher unfriendly park while knowing in the back of his mind that he is always one bad game from being sent back down. Often though without the names or stats I can’t tell the difference between Owings, Cueto, or a Bailey on the mound.

I suspect that the younger pitching will continue to be trading chips for Mr. Jocketty (does he really have other to trade?) and the Reds organization and that some of this young pitching might be served well career wise by a change of scenery to an organization that has good fortune developing young pitching.

I just don’t see how anyone can adequately evaluate the pitchers who pitch for the Reds with their defense, offense, lack of overall talent playing behind them in that ballpark. Would any of us be shocked if a pitcher left the Reds to another organization and performed better ?

[Benihana]

Sure we've had pitchers who didn't pan out, who never really made good. Certainly the OP can set up his poll however he likes, but I disagree with his original assumption, that Bailey won't improve. I think he has already.

If you can't put up an ERA under 6.00 in over 100 innings over the course of a ML season, you simply don't belong in the major leagues (let alone in a major league rotation.)

If he can improve enough to get over that (not so lofty) hurdle, then I'm willing to have a little more patience.

[M2]

I used to agree with this, but he must show some kind of improvement before I'm ready to watch this every fifth day for a full season. At a certain point, a lemon is just a lemon. Even the JimBo-led Reds realized this a few years ago with Brandon Claussen.

It was actually Krivsky who put the fork in Claussen (and Kullman who acquired him).

It's just with the Reds it often seems like JimBo never left.

[Benihana]

It was actually Krivsky who put the fork in Claussen (and Kullman who acquired him).

It's just with the Reds it often seems like JimBo never left.

Ah, my bad

[nate]

I'd primarily like to see him shave a walk off his BB/9 and add a strikeout to his K/9 over his remaining starts.

Oh, and go back and time and have the Reds stop screwing him up.

[Chip R]

Dusty thinks Homer is close.

[NJReds]

Assuming he doesn't show enough to make the rotation in spring training, I'd put him in the bullpen. If the Yankees can put Hughes and Joba in the pen; the Mets put Parnell in the pen; the Sox put Masterson in the pen ... it shouldn't hurt and could help Homer.

[Chip R]

Assuming he doesn't show enough to make the rotation in spring training, I'd put him in the bullpen. If the Yankees can put Hughes and Joba in the pen; the Mets put Parnell in the pen; the Sox put Masterson in the pen ... it shouldn't hurt and could help Homer.

He's never pitched out of the pen before and the Reds have said time and again that they aren't going to do that. I think they should but I also think that ship has sailed.

[NJReds]

He's never pitched out of the pen before and the Reds have said time and again that they aren't going to do that. I think they should but I also think that ship has sailed.

The Reds don't do a lot of things that winning organizations do.