It's time to send Chapman to AAA

[mth123]

I think it needs to be a lefty. I'm not interested in seeing Herrera again. Valiquette is hurt. Maloney is a starter only. Joe Krebs is awful so far. Choices are Willis, Jeremy Horst and Tom Cochran.

Willis should probably get first crack. I'd move Valiquette to the 60 day DL to make room.

[Caveat Emperor]

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it at the major league level, but I have a feeling it happens every now and then in the minors and we never hear about it. All the more reason to get him off of the major league roster.

Rick Ankiel.

If Chapman isn't hurt, he'll be fine with some time to get sorted out at Louisville. If he's hurt, they'll figure it out and get him under the knife quickly. Either way, he can't stay in Cincinnati.

And, of the options in the minors, the best choice is Jordan Smith. I understand having only 1 lefty decreases options, but with hammers in the back of the bullpen like Ondrusek and Masset -- neither one of whom should be lifted for a situational lefty -- I'm not quite as worried about things.

Willis should stay starting. They might have need of him sooner rather than later if Volquez can't get his problems figured out.

[mth123]

I don't think I've ever seen anything like it at the major league level, but I have a feeling it happens every now and then in the minors and we never hear about it. All the more reason to get him off of the major league roster.

Steve Blass was the ace of those very good Pirates teams from the late 60s and early 70s. Then, in 1973, at age 33 with a perfectly healthy arm, he walked 84 guys with 12 Hit Batsmen and 9 wild pitches in 88 and two thirds innings. Those numbers seem like pretty good control compared to what we've seen with Chapman. Blass made one mop up appearance in 1974 where he gave up 8 runs in 5 innings and he never pitched again.

Sometimes they don't recover. I'm guessing Chapman will.

[reds44]

Here's Willis numbers in AAA:
41 IP
44 H
2.63 ERA

and, the most important part when you consider his bouts with wildness:
36 K/12 BB

It's the obvious choice, IMO.

[mth123]

Rick Ankiel.

If Chapman isn't hurt, he'll be fine with some time to get sorted out at Louisville. If he's hurt, they'll figure it out and get him under the knife quickly. Either way, he can't stay in Cincinnati.

And, of the options in the minors, the best choice is Jordan Smith. I understand having only 1 lefty decreases options, but with hammers in the back of the bullpen like Ondrusek and Masset -- neither one of whom should be lifted for a situational lefty -- I'm not quite as worried about things.

Willis should stay starting. They might have need of him sooner rather than later if Volquez can't get his problems figured out.

Not impressed with Smith at all. He barely K's 5 per 9. He reminds me a lot of Gary Majewski who also seemed OK for a while until it caught up with him. I'd rather have a lefty and if not, I'd rather have Fisher.

[HokieRed]

Not impressed with Smith at all. He barely K's 5 per 9. He reminds me a lot of Gary Majewski who also seemed OK for a while until it caught up with him. I'd rather have a lefty and if not, I'd rather have Fisher.

Fisher-Smith's a tough call. Fisher has much better K rate but walks 5 per 9 to Smith's 3 (over their career stats, which represent roughly equal numbers of innings). Smith's WHIP is lower and his groundball rate higher. I think they both need to keep working at Louisville and I'm not sure either will ever be a main player in our bullpen (I think Smith's got the better chance, based on his better control of sinking stuff). Possible alternative plan would be to start working LeCure regularly in one inning appearances and bring Maloney back for longer stints, including inning-eating mopups.

[Sea Ray]

You can't judge Jordan Smith by k/9 inns. That's not his game. His thing is groundballs and double plays

[Chip R]

He's gotta go.

[KronoRed]

I dunno, I kind of enjoy trying to guess how far outside the next pitch will be

[mth123]

Fisher-Smith's a tough call. Fisher has much better K rate but walks 5 per 9 to Smith's 3 (over their career stats, which represent roughly equal numbers of innings). Smith's WHIP is lower and his groundball rate higher. I think they both need to keep working at Louisville and I'm not sure either will ever be a main player in our bullpen (I think Smith's got the better chance, based on his better control of sinking stuff). Possible alternative plan would be to start working LeCure regularly in one inning appearances and bring Maloney back for longer stints, including inning-eating mopups.

Yeah, but Fisher didn't have those control issues in the minors (2.8 BB/9 in 492 minor league inings). I think he's nibbled too much against big league hitters. He may always nibble too much, in which case he won't last long, but there is reason to think he'll succeed. Smith just seems very hittable and hasn't even struck anybody out in the minors. Smiths minor league K Rate is only 5.9 per 9 innings and has fallen below 5 since a move to the pen. He's given up over a hit per inning as a minor leaguer with a hits per nine number over 12 since converting to the pen.

I'd agree that neither of these guys will ever be more than a 7th inning guy, but Fisher seems to have the stuff to be a decent one. I don't see it with Smith.

I still think Willis is the choice right now.

[cumberlandreds]

If Chapman isn't on the first bus back to Louisville this morning I'll be very disappointed in the Reds management. It's obvious he has no confidence and he's either totally messed up his mechanics or he has an injury he won't tell anyone about. You can't have him on the 25 man roster. You can't even have him in a blow out game without having to scramble the bullpen. Maybe he can go to AAA and work things out. Probably should go down and become a starter again. I'm not sure he has the mental makeup to be a reliever anyway.
I would bring up Willis just to have a lefty balance in the pen. If not him then probably Fisher. Fisher did well in his limited innings earlier.

[westofyou]

Bruce Berenyi was the wildest pitcher I ever saw in a Reds uniform

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1...0010031982.htm

[NJReds]

Rick Ankiel.

If Chapman isn't hurt, he'll be fine with some time to get sorted out at Louisville. If he's hurt, they'll figure it out and get him under the knife quickly. Either way, he can't stay in Cincinnati.

I was thinking Ankiel, too. Except when he lost it, he couldn't even hit the catcher. He was throwing it to the backstop ... 55 feet. All over the place. Chapman looks like he's aiming now. Starting around 100 mph, then slowing down to the mid-90s to place the ball.

I agree that he needs to go to AAA to work on his mechanics and control. I'm not ready to call him Ankiel, yet. Or even Volquez, for that matter.

[Chip R]

I was thinking Ankiel, too. Except when he lost it, he couldn't even hit the catcher. He was throwing it to the backstop ... 55 feet. All over the place. Chapman looks like he's aiming now. Starting around 100 mph, then slowing down to the mid-90s to place the ball.

I agree that he needs to go to AAA to work on his mechanics and control. I'm not ready to call him Ankiel, yet. Or even Volquez, for that matter.

Funny. Last night I watched part of the replay of the game. I saw he threw a 100 mph strike and a 91 mph ball. Seems like he's having trouble with that slider.

[Hoosier Red]

Probably should go down and become a starter again. I'm not sure he has the mental makeup to be a reliever anyway.
I would bring up Willis just to have a lefty balance in the pen. If not him then probably Fisher. Fisher did well in his limited innings earlier.

It's interesting Cumberland, I'm actually not sure his mindset isn't better suited to relieving than starting. He seems to be able to handle the short quick focus of relieving better than the long process of 4-5 days between starts.

Do you mind if I ask what makes you believe he'd be a better starter than reliever?