Who will start Game 4?

[BLark = HOF]

Latos only threw 57 pitches the other day. So even though he is on 3 days rest, it's not like he threw 110 pitches and is coming back in 3 days. I believe if we don't win Game 4, then we are done, no matter who pitches Game 5. I just don't see us beating Cain again. The guy is just so good.

[RedTruck]

Originally Posted by BLark = HOF

Latos only threw 57 pitches the other day. So even though he is on 3 days rest, it's not like he threw 110 pitches and is coming back in 3 days. I believe if we don't win Game 4, then we are done, no matter who pitches Game 5. I just don't see us beating Cain again. The guy is just so good.

Cain is good, but the reds have seem to have his number. 0-3. Don't forget we beat him in GABP as well. Plus Latos is a giants killer, if anything, it'll be kept close (one would hope)

Let's just focus on winning tomorrow so a Game 5 isn't even a theoretical possibility.

[WalksWillHaunt]

I don't think Cueto is coming back for the NLCS with an oblique strain. If it's very, very mild, maybe he can pitch game 6 or 7. That's doubtful, with the way he does that half turn in his windup. I hope I'm wrong, but there's a good chance he won't be back for the World Series either based what I've read on recovery time for others who've had this type of injury.

I think the Reds will have to DL him and go with Leake. Latos on short rest again and then potentially Arroyo also on short rest seems too risky if this goes five games. If you still hold out hope for Cueto in the NLCS, maybe you can take your chances on getting three innings each out of LeCure and Simon. I'd prefer to save Latos to face Cain in a game 5 either way. I don't like the idea of asking someone else on the team to fake an injury and lie about it under MLB scrutiny.

[Reds]

I'd go with Latos. Dude is a stub and will nail it down before do-or-die time sets in.

Or you could start Chapman..

From what I read it's going to me Mike though and I haven't a lot of confidence in him to show his best stuff. Just a gut feeling. Frazier should start @ 3rd. I hope game 5 isn't necessary.

[jhiller21]

Originally Posted by Reds

I'd go with Latos. Dude is a stub and will nail it down before do-or-die time sets in.

Or you could start Chapman..

From what I read it's going to me Mike though and I haven't a lot of confidence in him to show his best stuff. Just a gut feeling. Frazier should start @ 3rd. I hope game 5 isn't necessary.

There's no way you could start Chapman... He's been pitching relief all year, and wouldn't last more than two innings. Dusty didn't even trust him to pitch the 10th in game 3, plus he had to sit for more than a week to regain his velocity at the end of the season. His arm isn't ready for that.

The best choice is Leake. The Giants seem to have trouble with soft tossing tricksters (Arroyo), and he'll be on a short leash anyway. Worst case scenario Leake gives up a few in 5 innings and Simon or Lecure comes in.

If we lose, we have Latos rested for game 5... and this team is NOT going to lose... bank on it.

[Reds]

Chapman comment was a joke.

I do worry about Leake but only if he gets in a jam early.

[Biff Pocoroba]

The pitching matchup section of the NY Post shows Latos as the starter, so I'm going with that. The NY Post is NEVER wrong!

[dubc47834]

Originally Posted by Biff Pocoroba

The pitching matchup section of the NY Post shows Latos as the starter, so I'm going with that. The NY Post is NEVER wrong!

That's who I would go with. Get the series over with before it gets to Cain. If we can get at least 5 outa Latos then turn it over to the pen I would call it a success.

[Girevik]

I don't like any of the options. If you start Leake, that means that Cueto is out for the NCLS which just makes me sick to my stomach. But running Latos out there on short rest is a scary thing too, and leave you in a bind for game 5.

Thinking outside the box, how about starting LeCure and hoping for 4-5 innings out if him and turning it over to the pen?

[Biff Pocoroba]

Originally Posted by dubc47834

That's who I would go with. Get the series over with before it gets to Cain. If we can get at least 5 outa Latos then turn it over to the pen I would call it a success.

Would normally agree but then again, I said the same thing yesterday about Bailey. He exceeded that...and we STILL lost!

[ukwazoo]

Since there are no good options for game 4, I say save Latos for game 5.

[Biff Pocoroba]

My gut says go with Latos tonight. He's the best pitcher we have - and he showed on Saturday that he doesn't get rattled when he's thrown off his routine.

With Latos, we have a favorable pitching matchup tonight. I don't want to see Matt Cain in a game five.

[texasdave]

As long as Zito starts in Game 4 it is all systems go.

[redsrolen]

It's official...it's Mike Leake!!

[RSNtransplant]

I don't think losing Cueto for NLCS should factor into the NLDS starter decision because:
1) If you are pitching Cueto in the NLCS, it should be game 4 of NLCS to give him max rest before you use him, so he would only pitch 1 game of NLCS.
2) If you are pitching Cueto in the NLCS, then Leake is on the roster, because you need to plan to have him for an all hands on deck situation in Game 4 if Cueto falters. So you might get Leake pitching NLCS game 4 any way.

Given those 2 condition, I think they should sacrifice the possibility of Cueto pitching game 4 of NLCS and DL him, then you get the best 2 options of winning a 3rd game in the NLDS. Leake vs Zito and Latos versus Cain at this point are the 2 matchups possibilities that give Reds best chance of winning a 3rd NLDS game. Without that 3rd NLDS win, the NLCS conversation never takes place.