Wondering what everyone thought about the idea of Homer as the Reds closer in 2007.
This would allow the Reds to have Homer plug a major hole on the pitching staff without expecting him to throw 200 + innings.
Thoughts
Wondering what everyone thought about the idea of Homer as the Reds closer in 2007.
This would allow the Reds to have Homer plug a major hole on the pitching staff without expecting him to throw 200 + innings.
Thoughts
No.
"Strickland Propane... Taste the meat, not the heat." - Hank Hill
I'd rather keep Bailey on track as a starting pitcher. A possible number one starter is much, much harder to find than a relief pitcher. If Bailey doesn't make the majors until 2008, so be it.
"Hey...Dad. Wanna Have A Catch?" Kevin Costner in "Field Of Dreams."
I think its scary. Following the Papelbon path and making him a starter in 2008 I assume. Need to determine if he can pitch on back to back days or if that will hurt his arm. The reds went back and forth with Charlton and it set him back for a while. Moving certainly did nothing to help Danny Graves. Its easier for a starter to closer than a short reliever to start IMO but I wouldn't take a risk for a year of closing. I also think he still needs to build up his innings to become the starter we want and closing would derail that progress. He needs to pitch a combined 160 innings or so between AAA and the Majors in 2007.
If you are talking about a permanent move, no way.
Papelbon's 25 years old and closed in college, pitches a few too many back to back games, his mechanics get a little off from the fatigue, and the next thing you know, he feels a "pop" in his shoulder and he's shut down and preparing to convert back to starting again so they can keep him on a shoulder strengthening program during the season. Bailey will be 21(?), and is one of the most valuable commodities in all of baseball? Scary is exactly the right word.
"Reality tells us there are no guarantees. Except that some day Jon Lester will be on that list of 100-game winners." - Peter Gammons
And we don't yet know how the Papelbon experiment will turn out. Will the fact that he spent a year at closer set him back in his development as a starter? The Papelbon closer experiment cannot yet be labeled a good more by the Sox until we see how he does next year as a starter.
In fact, I don't see how anyone can consider it a good move right now at all, since they're already being forced to undo it. If it had gotten them into the playoffs, then at least it would have that going for it, but you could just as easily make the case that it was one of the things that kept them from making the playoffs, and it may have put him at unnecessary risk. He sure was good at it, though, and you could tell he had the time of his life while it lasted. But, in hindsight, if they could go back in time and choose all over again, I wouldn't want them to do it.
"Reality tells us there are no guarantees. Except that some day Jon Lester will be on that list of 100-game winners." - Peter Gammons
Not a smart move at all.
I really don't see any change in axiom to start out your best arms as a starter until they prove otherwise. Whether it be closer, setup or middle relief, relievers are always failed starters. Filling out the rotation should always be the priority.
It depends how his pitches develop.
I'd like to keep him as a starter. The Sox are moving Papelbon to the rotation next year as are the Cards with Wainright.
Operative word - Patience! Keep him a pitcher, for heaven's sake. why mess him up?
I would only have him in the pen for a year. The Braves had a lot of success breaking their young starters in by putting them in the pen for a year before they turned them lose in the rotation.
Absolutely not. The risks far outweigh the rewards. Let the kid develop into a major league starter and leave it at that.
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