Johnny Cueto

[OnBaseMachine]

I can't say enough great things about Johnny Cueto's start last night. How impressive was that? Seven shutout innings against one of the toughest offenses in baseball and it was on the road. On top of his great pitching, he was 2-for-2 at the plate. That bunt single he dropped down was a thing of beauty. Kid is a great athlete. I'd say Cueto is one of the five fastest players on the team.

Last night was Johnny Cueto's 34th major league start, which is about a full seasons worth of starts. Let's take a look at his numbers over those 34 starts:

191.2 IP, 192 H, 30 HR, 75 BB/173 K, 4.60 ERA, 98 ERA+

9.0 H/9, 3.5 BB/9, 8.1 K/9, 2.31 SO/BB

Basically, Cueto has been a league average starter through his first 34 starts. That's very impressive when you factor in three things:

1. He just turned 23 years old in February

2. He had just 83 innings of experience above High-A

3. He had the worst/second worst defense in all of baseball behind him last season

His 8.1 K/9 is an outstanding strikeout rate, especially when you consider his youth. His walk rate isn't bad (it's better than Zambrano's and right in line with Lincecum) but I think it will drop as Johnny matures as a pitcher. Cueto was known for his great control in the minors (2.1 BB/9 in minors). The hits should decline too as he learns to hit his spots more consistently.

I've been tracking Cueto since 2006 and I've always thought he was going to be something special. I think the sky is the limit with this kid. All he's lacking at this point is experience. I think he'll improve this season but he'll still have some ups and downs. With another year of experience under his belt, I expect 2010 to be his breakout season.

[WVRedsFan]

When he's "on," he amazes and when he's "off" or loses his temper, he's horrid. Maturity will come. My only concern is the HR rate. He has had 30 in 192 innings. Isn't that close to what Milton had?

[nate]

Originally Posted by WVRedsFan

When he's "on," he amazes and when he's "off" or loses his temper, he's horrid. Maturity will come. My only concern is the HR rate. He has had 30 in 192 innings. Isn't that close to what Milton had?

JC's HR/9 has been about the same as Arroyo's and Harang's.

[RichRed]

Originally Posted by OnBaseMachine

I've been tracking Cueto since 2006 and I've always thought he was going to be something special. I think the sky is the limit with this kid.

Tell us more, Pops.

Just messin' with ya, OBM. I'm excited about Cueto's potential too. And shutting down the Cubs always scores extra points with me.

[jojo]

Cueto's Achilles heel is his HR rate. He likes to pitch up in the zone. He'll either have to K more or walk fewer batters in order to mitigate the dingers if he is to move up a tier as a starter.

[OnBaseMachine]

Originally Posted by RichRed

Tell us more, Pops.

That is pretty funny. I'm calling him a kid and he's a year older than me.

[Falls City Beer]

Originally Posted by nate

JC's HR/9 has been about the same as Arroyo's and Harang's.

Which is to say a rate he shouldn't be looking to emulate.

[VR]

I was disappointed the game wasn't on TV last night, Cueto was obviously dealing. His pitch count crept up early, but looks like he recovered well against a very very very patient Cubs lineup in their house.
Hopefully the nasty Harang we saw in the dugout shows up to punk Zambrano once again today.

[cincrazy]

Originally Posted by Falls City Beer

Which is to say a rate he shouldn't be looking to emulate.

But not a rate that's going to keep him from being a stud.

[jojo]

Originally Posted by cincrazy

But not a rate that's going to keep him from being a stud.

It has the potential to be a problem.

[Reds1]

Originally Posted by WVRedsFan

When he's "on," he amazes and when he's "off" or loses his temper, he's horrid. Maturity will come. My only concern is the HR rate. He has had 30 in 192 innings. Isn't that close to what Milton had?

Except Mliton didn't play in GABP where Cueto has always pitched. I think that will get better, but when you have a fast ball a few are leaving the building - especially in some of these parks these days. I pitched him in my fantasy league last night and it was sweet. I can live with a few bad starts with those Ks.

[RedlegJake]

It's going to be very difficult for any pitcher in GAB to maintain a low HR rate. Keepng runners off base in front of the park assisted dingers is key. Something Harang has been pretty good at. Cueto will get better as he gains more maturity and control of himself on the mound. As long as he's pitching half his starts in GAB (plus starts in Chicago, Denver and Houston) I think his home run rate will look worse than it would be in normal park but as the number of runners who reach drops so will that long ball damage. When you think of it, current Reds pitchers really have a better HR rate than you might expect given the higher than average number of starts they make in "HR" parks.

[Homer Bailey]

Originally Posted by Reds1

Except Mliton didn't play in GABP where Cueto has always pitched. I think that will get better, but when you have a fast ball a few are leaving the building - especially in some of these parks these days. I pitched him in my fantasy league last night and it was sweet. I can live with a few bad starts with those Ks.

Milton was signed in '05. GAPB built in '03. Cueto is fine.

[cincrazy]

Originally Posted by Homer Bailey

Milton was signed in '05. GAPB built in '03. Cueto is fine.

And if I remember correctly Milton gave up like 46 homers his first year with us.

[OnBaseMachine]

Young Cueto trusting his catcher more

By Hal McCoy
Staff Writer
6:57 PM Thursday, April 23, 2009

CHICAGO — Dick Pole says with a smile, “I know the gig. I’ve been around a few years, you know?”

A writer had approached him in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse and said, “How come nobody is asking you about Johnny Cueto today?”

As the Reds pitching coach said, he knows how it works. If Cueto is walking the world, the media wants to know why. But when he pitches seven innings against the Chicago Cubs and doesn’t walk anybody, nobody bothers Pole.

But he was happy to talk about Cueto.

“He’s learning,” he said. “He’s a young man (23). But what a fastball he had last night. When he got into trouble, he stepped it up a notch to 95 and 96 miles an hour.

“But the big thing I noticed was that he is trusting his catcher (Ramon Hernandez),” said Pole. “He wasn’t shaking him off as much as he had been doing.”

Cueto understands English, but won’t speak it to the media. But his smile says it all.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/dayto...ore-93624.html