Jay Bruce called up!!!!!

[membengal]

Nope, 3 starters (and Volquez and Harang are All-star quality), a closer, and some useful set-up guys.

The cupboard is FAR from empty in the minors, Thompson is about half a year away. Bailey is still a possible help at some point (or, if Walt is as good as I hope he is, a piece to be shined up and sent somewhere for more help for this team), and there are others that are coursing up behind those two. Maloney actually should be here now in place of Belisle in the rotation, with Belisle to the pen and Fogg to the next boat out of town to wherever.

It's closer than you think it is FCB. Again, watch and see.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

It's closer than you think it is FCB. Again, watch and see.

I'll see, but it will be Jocketty's revamping that gets it done, if it indeed gets done. (Cueto's at least two or three years from really contributing, if ever).

[Stormy]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

You've watched this team for the last decade, and you still say, "Nowhere to go but up"?

Seriously?

Who do the Reds have to call up? How exactly has Arroyo trended anywhere but down the last 5 or 6 months of pitching he's thrown over two seasons? Does Cueto show any signs of "improvement"? Aside from Cordero and occasionally Affeldt, who inspires confidence in this pen?

I figured that his last 4 starts of 2.05ERA 26.1IP 26K 9BB ball would qualify is trending in a positive direction. Add that to Harang's and Volquez's demonstrated dominance, and Cueto's likely progression, and we are in a nice situation with the future of our rotation barring injury.

[membengal]

Cueto is contributing now, FCB. He's a fifth starter at this point in his career, and has been very useful already at that spot.

The staff needs more help. It better come from Jocketty, because he is here now, but no way do I think WK thought it was a finished product yet. But WK had made some nice deals to get it to this point. So Jocketty very much needs to build on that. I hope he does.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by Stormy

I figured that his last 4 starts of 2.05ERA 26.1IP 26K 9BB ball would qualify is trending in a positive direction.

Two of his three good starts came against garbage offenses.

[membengal]

Nevertheless, good starts.

Look, if Jock is up to his old tricks, he will turn Arroyo into some younger arms for this team in a month or so. I hope he does.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by membengal

Look, if Jock is up to his old tricks, he will turn Arroyo into some younger arms for this team in a month or so. I hope he does.

And how.

I'd like to see the trio of EdE, Arroyo, and Griffey long gone. The first two could really bring back something of value.

[Cyclone792]

Originally Posted by membengal

I simply refuse to accept that foisting horrible baseball on the team and fanbase to save a few dollars and hold back a guy that was clearly ready to help this team be better than it has been was worth it. I just don't.

This whole things hasn't been about money. Jock made a good point on that, as they have carried Cueto all year, not worrying about his "Super 2" status.

mem, if you truly believe this wasn't about money then I've got a lot of things I can sell ya right now.

Cueto was brought north with the club immediately because of a few different factors, namely A) he was dominant in spring training, and B) the Reds were lacking starting pitching options given Belisle's injury and Bailey uhhhh ... fill in the blank here.

If the Reds were in a situation in spring training where they were lacking outfielders and Bruce was dominating, then yes he'd have been brought north with the club, same as Cueto, and there wouldn't have been anything wrong with that decision. But neither of those happened, and while myself and many others don't give a rats tail about spring training stats, it's obvious that in Reds land spring training stats are used as a Dustification for making the roster. And I know how you feel about Corey Patterson, because I feel the same way, but even without Patterson the Reds could easily have played Freel regularly in center field. The Reds simply weren't lacking in outfielders the way they were with starting pitchers in spring training.

Also, remember this: Bruce struggled very early in the season down in Louisville. It's difficult to remember, but his first two weeks or so weren't all that great. Then he caught fire in late April and got even hotter once May began. That's when the cat calls to get Bruce up starting get loud, and by that point the amount of time until he was going to clear Super Two status was just a couple weeks.

Once the team was committed to keeping Bruce in Louisville through April, then there's zero reason whatsoever not to hold out an additional few weeks to get through the Super Two date. I'll put it to you this way: if less than a month of Jay Bruce is worth $6+ million, then what's a full season of Adam Dunn worth?

[lollipopcurve]

Two of his three good starts came against garbage offenses.

Doing what a good pitcher should do against a weak team. Everyone pitches against them.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by lollipopcurve

Doing what a good pitcher should do against a weak team. Every pitches against them.

I'm saying he didn't pitch well against those bad teams, but I fail to see those starts as a happy omen.

[The Baumer]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

When I picture you, the mental image I get is of a chubby Mii covered in Band of Horses stickers.

Please tell me your pants are on when you do this.

[HotCorner]

Sweet! I had a good feeling that he might be called up today so I picked him up in my ESPN league yesterday.

[alexad]

I am watching Louisville right now. Great to hear about Bruce. Mercker pitched the first inning and looked sharp. Threw 91. He looks ready for 9
Cincy.

[PuffyPig]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

Two of his three good starts came against garbage offenses.

But some of his bad games came against great offenses, so surely they should cancel out.

So, for the season, cancelling out good/bad games against good/bad offenses, he's pitched 9 innings and given up 4 runs.

Same as last year. Except last year, he had 15 innings that counted.

[membengal]

Cyclone:

I have been plenty vocal elsewhere about my displeasure about how the whole thing went down with Bruce. It became apparent VERY quickly into April that this team was being hurt by not having him up. Certainly by late April it was clear.

IF it was money (and I certainly accept that was probably it), then I remain in firm disagreement with the club on that. Damaging yet another season and inflicting more active trauma in the form of CP in center and leading off and Jr. in RF and waving at balls not hit right at him on a fanbase already in long-term therapy for PTSD was dumb. Flat-line dumb. All-time dumb.

Cast wants to know where the fans are? They are at home, trying to make the lambs stop their screaming. They open their eyes after their latest therapy, see C Patt willie mays hayes another pop up to short lf, and the lambs start their screaming all over again.

But, hey, sure, if it saved the Reds a few million down the road, that was probably worth it, right?

Or, not. I stay with "not".