Another day, another prospect

[BoCcc2832]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_...asy/index.html


Homer Bailey has 30 strikeouts in his last four starts for Triple-A Louisville.

After a couple of delays, it now appears that the Reds will indeed call up top pitching prospect Homer Bailey for a start Saturday against the Indians. Bailey is a solid 6-1 with a 2.39 ERA plus 51 strikeouts in 58 1/3 innings. However, the 24 walks in that period does bring up a few red flags, as does facing the potent Cleveland lineup in his potential first start.

With the Reds flailing away in the NL Central, it's as good time as any to bring up Bailey, although as both Phil Hughes and Tim Lincecum have already shown, it's not easy to keep up a consistently good profile in the majors. Lincecum has already seen his share of ups and downs in his big-league career, and he hasn't been able to stop the Phillies yet (11 earned runs in two starts vs. seven earned runs in his other four starts). Hughes had a so-so big-league debut, then had a no-hitter before injuring his hamstring against Texas and likely won't be back until later this summer.

The Reds could use another good arm in the starting rotation to go with Aaron Harang, as Bronson Arroyo has definitely not lived up to expectations. However, the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, along with a sometimes spotty offense, could give Bailey some trouble early on. Keeper leaguers obviously will ride the storm with Bailey, but others should be careful with him, although he would be an upgrade over any team's worst couple of pitchers.