Cueto, Harang and a bunch of #5s. Sounds like a winner.
You're going to make organizational changes based on the feelings of the fans? Wow, that's a sure fire way to win it all. Homer has been up and down so many times in his young career we haven't seen him for an extended time. He needs at least a year of solid big league time before you can judge him on improvement. Fans want instant results, so you have to stay stubborn with your plan and not be so soft to the fans' whining. If you win, the fans will come. I don't think the majority of fans have soured on Homer, and I have been delighted in the change I have seen with him in the last couple of months. Just because his stats aren't great at the moment doesn't mean he isn't learning and improving. A small market team cannot afford to cut ties with young talent that they have under control for a few more years just because.
The Reds should plan on him being in the rotation next year and he has to show improvement, but he is already headed in the right direction. Big market teams can afford to put prospects in the bullpen and try to groom them that way, but they have money to replace those prospects in the rotation until they feel they are ready. It just won't help the Reds to throw out a 5th starter who isn't going to be an improvement over Homer for the sake of sending Homer to the bullpen. The Reds don't have the money to do it, and even if they trade away one of the contracts then they will have yet another rotation hole to fill.
All in all, I just don't see any reason the Reds would be better off without Bailey in the Rotation.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
If the Reds don't plan on contending next year then by all means hand him a rotation spot. If they actually want to compete for the division and the playoffs then it would behoove them to find better starters.
"This isn’t stats vs scouts - this is stats and scouts working together, building an organization that blends the best of both worlds. This is the blueprint for how a baseball organization should be run. And, whether the baseball men of the 20th century like it or not, this is where baseball is going."---Dave Cameron, U.S.S. Mariner
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Keep him in the rotation. The numbers may not reflect it right now, but I think Homer Bailey has made some fairly big strides this season. His velocity is back, his curve appears to be back to where it was three years ago, and he's added another pitch in the splitter. His problem right now is inconsistent command/control. As he showed against the Cardinals and Phillies, when his command is on, he can be dominant.
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