Do you think Volquez should start Opening Day?

[JoshFogg]

I think so. in fact, I would call it an insult to not reward the teams best pitcher in 08 the ball for OD. It is not like it was even close; Volquez earned it. And if Harang wants it back, he will have to pitch his butt off. This is not a charity or a fraternity. Legacy should have nada to do with it.


Allowing Harang to start would, in my eyes, be rewarding below average performance.

[Slyder]

Let's see how Spring Training goes. If he "earns" it there fine. But what if Harang looks like the 07 Harang rather than 08 you could really make a case for either. You have a full month to look at everyone and decide no reason to rush especially considering what many are expecting out of this season, no job should be set in stone now.

[JoshFogg]

Let's see how Spring Training goes. If he "earns" it there fine. But what if Harang looks like the 07 Harang rather than 08 you could really make a case for either. You have a full month to look at everyone and decide no reason to rush especially considering what many are expecting out of this season, no job should be set in stone now.

True Enough. I cant wait to start checking box scores again.

[fourrunhomer]

I believe the job is Harang's. He has been the team's ace for three years now. If Harang had only had one good year then I would agree that it should go to Volquez because he had the best season last year. Argument could be made that Harang was the best pitcher in the National League the two previous years before last. It baffles me how he is so quickly cast as a has been (and never has been) by some. If he has another down year and Volquez continues to shine then next year will be a different story. I happen to believe that last year was an anomaly for Harang and he will bounce back and have a chance to win twenty games this year. Yes, I also think that Volquez is the real thing and will have a stellar season. But Harang is the Ace of this staff.

[Human Blender]

I believe the job is Harang's. He has been the team's ace for three years now. [...] Yes, I also think that Volquez is the real thing and will have a stellar season. But Harang is the Ace of this staff.
I think Dusty has already confirmed he has Harang pencilled in as an OD starter, unless something major would change his mind.

[JoshFogg]

I think Dusty has already confirmed he has Harang pencilled in as an OD starter, unless something major would change his mind.

that doesnt surprise me, coming from the manager that said jr "deserved to hit 3rd because of his past achievements" all the while jr was hitting .220 with 6 homers in 250 abs

[Ghosts of 1990]

I would say yes but I think Harang will be for a few reasons. With Volquez going against #2's this year it gives him a real chance to stockpile victories.

[JoshFogg]

I would say yes but I think Harang will be for a few reasons. With Volquez going against #2's this year it gives him a real chance to stockpile victories.

um, you can alter that with one days rest. in the regular season, you dont rank pitchers based on matchup ...you rank them on who is the best pitcher on your team. Heck, the Mets could make santana a # 4, but that would be insane.

[Ghosts of 1990]

um, you can alter that with one days rest. in the regular season, you dont rank pitchers based on matchup ...you rank them on who is the best pitcher on your team. Heck, the Mets could make santana a # 4, but that would be insane.

Um, okay. What do you want to bet that Volquez doesn't start opening day? I'd bet you anything. Even if he's lights out in ST he won't be the #1 by position to start the season whether he deserves it (I believe he does based on ability) and if he has a rough spring he probably could slip to 3 behind Arroyo. Its the way we do things. You watch.

And I know its altered with one days rest. But to start the season he'll be #2 I bet and that will predominantly have him going against #2's around the league and at least for this year for one more year Harang will be the #1 again because the Reds believe he's one of the best right handers in the league and the best starter in the staff.

So let me ask you again, what do you want to bet?

[JoshFogg]

Dusty baker is the manager. I bet zero. I firmly believe, that Volquez should be the OD starter. 95% of decisions dusty makes, i think the opposite should be done. So, why would I bet when I know the man who controls the outcome thinks 95% opposite the way I do?? Give me 20:1 and now we have a bet

[Ghosts of 1990]

Dusty baker is the manager. I bet zero. I firmly believe, that Volquez should be the OD starter. 95% of decisions dusty makes, i think the opposite should be done. So, why would I bet when I know the man who controls the outcome thinks 95% opposite the way I do?? Give me 20:1 and now we have a bet

haha 20:1 I don't have the bank should something crazy happen but I agree Dusty has no business managing this personnel filled with young flourishing players trying to grow. Why? Because he'll always favor his guys, veterans, and take at bats and innings away from youngsters to go with his hunch, has-beens.

Agreed Volquez SHOULD be the opening day starter. But I think Dusty will have his reasons for letting a veteran get the call unfortunately. But I think all year volquez will be matched up against a lesser man bc of it more often then not and it should have its positives for the youngster. FWIW I don't think Harang has ace stuff and never has and he'd give us a better shot against #2's and #3's all year but someone has got to face the big fella Volquez sometime and when they do he's going to wreak havoc.

[WildcatFan]

Let's get a few spring training appearances under our belts before making bets on this sort of thing. We could very well find that harang, god forbid, hasn't fully recovered from whatever was giving him all that trouble last season. Or we could see Edison is missing his spots like he was over the last couple months. Or we will find that they are lights out in the spring and we will have the best 1-2 punch in the national league.

But for the record I would put my money on harang.

[flash]

Agreed Volquez should pitch on opening day based on record, but everyone knows Harang is the #1 starter based on seniority right now. Baker's giving him the nod is based on that. Besides it is only one game. After opening day it is a non-issue.

[mroby85]

I agree, Volquez > Harang as a pitcher, however, they probably aren't going to beat Santana anyway, so you might as well run Volquez out against their #2 starter, and hope to get a win there in a mismatch.

[JBChance]

Harang appears to be focused this year; he came early to camp and lost some weight to try to regain his competitive edge.

Unless he comes completely unglued in ST, he deserves the shot to get his mojo back. He earned that right by carrying the, oftentimes miserable, pitching staff,over the years. If he doesn't do it, then we can all turn the page to the younger hurlers.

Here's to hoping he will:thumbup:

[robmadden1]

Already decided by the Reds Harang is going to start opening day if healthy.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/reds/2009/02/15/ddn021509spreds.html

[redsfandan]

What? No poll?

[BPhillips4]

Harang absolutely deserves to start opening day again this year. He's been a horse for this team over the years and he's clearly put in the work this offseason to rebound from an off-year. Volquez will get his chances in the future, hopefully, as he continues to mature as a pitcher, but as of right now, this is still Harang's team in my eyes.

[Captain Hook]

I think that it is stupid to announce an OD starter on the first day of ST.Maybe tomorrow Dusty will let us all know the entire starting roster for OD.

[gilpdawg]

I would say yes but I think Harang will be for a few reasons. With Volquez going against #2's this year it gives him a real chance to stockpile victories.
After...oh, the first week of the season that doesn't matter. Teams have different off days, ya know.

[PedroBourbon]

Agreed Volquez should pitch on opening day based on record, but everyone knows Harang is the #1 starter based on seniority right now. Baker's giving him the nod is based on that. Besides it is only one game. After opening day it is a non-issue.


Bingo!

[elfmanvt07]

What? No poll?

They knew I'd try to pencil-in Jose Rijo.

[Jerome]

Yes. He should. He doesn't need to earn it in Spring Training. He deserved it in 200 innings last year. Okay, okay, Harang lost some weight! Oh boy. Harang needs to get his act together. I said it before, but even in his best years, his ERA has been above 3.70. I like Harang as a two man, but I'm not sure if he's a #1 like Volquez showed in his rookie year. Volquez deserves the nod.

http://jeromesredscare.blogspot.com

[gedred69]

No.

[CesarGeronimo]

I'm really surprised that people question this decision. Harang has been the leader of this staff for a few years now, even though he had a bad year, an injury-filled year last season. I don't see any positive in the Reds' annointing Volquez as the ace of their staff before the year even begins. Let's let him earn that over the course of another season and let's show some support for Aaron Harang as he starts a bounceback season where his success is crucial to the team's success.

[adampad]

This thread really got me thinking hard about this. Volquez proved he was the best pitcher we had last year. So yes he SHOULD start. Of course he won't, and Harang is not by any means a bad decision. I truly believe they are both aces. But if you had to win 1 game right now. Who would you want? That is the real question. My guy would be Volquez.

[BPhillips4]

This thread really got me thinking hard about this. Volquez proved he was the best pitcher we had last year. So yes he SHOULD start. Of course he won't, and Harang is not by any means a bad decision. I truly believe they are both aces. But if you had to win 1 game right now. Who would you want? That is the real question. My guy would be Volquez.

Volquez proved that he was the best pitcher we had in the first half last year.. Honestly, given your question of who do I give the ball to to win one game, I'm giving it to Harang. Harang is a proven commodity as a workhorse who is going to keep you in a ballgame. Volquez was sensational last season, but he still has to prove that he can be that pitcher consistently. He's young, and he can do it and I'm thrilled we have him, but let us not sell ourselves completely on him being this team's savior.

[NeilHamburger]

Harang. Honestly, I think Volquez is for real, but I worry about a young pitcher in a big game like that. Lots of pressure, lots of adrenaline and maybe a lack of control on that day. I'd much rather him pitch a relaxed easy game 2 with 15,000 in the stands. If he pitched opening day I could see him walking the bases loaded to start the game, then striking out 3 straight. I don't know if my heart could take it, and I'm only 23.

I realize he'll need to pitch big games for the Reds, hopefully real soon, but another season under his belt will really help him, and prepare him for a big game.


I just really have a bad feeling if he pitches opening day you're going to see a lot of that wildness he's prone to have, maybe too much to overcome. I could just picture Wright clearing the bases in about the 3rd inning.

[NarrowStairs]

Nope.

For all we know, Volquez could be a flash in the pan.

[$1 Hot Dog]

I personally think it does not matter at all who is the #1 starter after the first week is over. I think after their performances last year Volquez deserves to start opening day, but I also see why Dusty would want Harange to start because with the exception of last year he is a proven solid pitcher with opening day experience. After different teams start to have different days off, #1's start to go up against #4's etc. I'm just glad that for once we have the kind of rotation where we can actually discuss this instead of knowing that we have Harang and Arroryo and then 3 question marks after them. Go Reds!

[Orodle]

After opening day who really cares. That being said I would give it to Harang simply because hes a veteran and has had success over a longer period of time compared to Volquez. Volquez is still my favorite pitcher but I think Harang deserves it.

[EdSqaubensee]

of course volquez should start. he is the best pitcher. but of course, the reds do everything wrong and ass backwards- so they will reward a guy who blew last year and let him get the OD start. A typical move from an organization that is on the same exact level as the Royals and Pirates. Honestly, for a decade the reds have been deplorable; I wonder why? It is because they do not make good decisions- obviously.

[chettt]

Volquez had a great first half last year & tailed off during the second half. Harang would be my choice for opening day pitcher. He has earned it for his overall work for the last few years. He did look more like the old Harang late in the year last season. Volquez will have his chances for OD, if he continues to improve & more consistant over an entire year.

[dcruz]

I hope he does. I am a new Reds fan and he has been the player that has excited me the most, especially after last year. I hope he can keep it up throughout the year this time.

[Farnsie]

I'll just borrow this thread for a second (sorry, not allowed to start a thread). Anyway, I have a question which may seem kind of odd but I was wondering if there's someone here with ESPN Insider? And if, could you do me a favor? To paste This (http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/insider/news/story?id=3930093&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fmlb %2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d3930093) <--- article.

It's just that I'm a big fan of Andrew Miller and would love to read what they wrote. I would be very grateful if someone could do me a solid.

[BLEEDS]

the first spring games lineup tonight:
Willy Taveras cf
Jerry Hairston Jr. ss
Joey Votto 1b
Brandon Phillips 2b
Jay Bruce rf
Edwin Encarnacion 3b
Chris Dickerson lf
Ramon Hernandez c
Jacque Jones dh
Edinson Volquez p

Looks like Opening Day to me...

It wouldn't be THAT terrible if you swapped out Dickerson and Tavares - but with it, it sucks blue whale...

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[JBChance]

the first spring games lineup tonight:
Willy Taveras cf
Jerry Hairston Jr. ss
Joey Votto 1b
Brandon Phillips 2b
Jay Bruce rf
Edwin Encarnacion 3b
Chris Dickerson lf
Ramon Hernandez c
Jacque Jones dh
Edinson Volquez p

Looks like Opening Day to me...

It wouldn't be THAT terrible if you swapped out Dickerson and Tavares - but with it, it sucks blue whale...

PEACE

-BLEEDS

DH on opening day?

Did we switch leagues or something? ;)

[Kingspoint]

I don't think any of the rotation should be decided until 10 days are left in Spring Training, and let the guy who pitched the best start on Opening Day.

[PedroBourbon]

the first spring games lineup tonight:

It wouldn't be THAT terrible if you swapped out Dickerson and Tavares - but with it, it sucks blue whale...

PEACE

-BLEEDS

"Party on Bleeds, Party on Garth"

[bounty37h]

I think also with Volquez missing most of ST for the classic puts Harang in as OD starter, as he will have his work in and done for it.

[BSUFB]

Harang has been the opening day pitcher for the last Three years (?), I would go with him. Besides last year he was the work horse of this staff. EV will be the opening day starter soon enough.