So is he major league material or not?

[brm7675]

If you saw these numbers out of your pitcher over their first 6 starts of the season what would you think?

05/03 vs HOU L 4-10 3.2 7 7 7 1 1 5 6 7 19 72 L(3-1) -- 5.77
04/26 @ MIL L 2-3 7.0 7 2 2 2 0 6 10 11 27 98 -- -- 4.40
04/21 vs ARI W 7-4 7.0 4 3 3 1 2 6 9 10 27 97 W(3-0) -- 4.94
04/16 vs PIT W 11-2 6.0 4 2 2 0 4 6 9 5 24 102 W(2-0) -- 5.40
04/10 @ ARI L 8-10 4.2 9 6 6 1 2 4 10 10 26 87 -- -- 6.75
04/05 vs HOU W 8-2 6.0 3 2 2 0 2 4 6 11 24 94 W(1-0) -- 3.00

[Who Dey Time]

If you saw these numbers out of your pitcher over their first 6 starts of the season what would you think?

05/03 vs HOU L 4-10 3.2 7 7 7 1 1 5 6 7 19 72 L(3-1) -- 5.77
04/26 @ MIL L 2-3 7.0 7 2 2 2 0 6 10 11 27 98 -- -- 4.40
04/21 vs ARI W 7-4 7.0 4 3 3 1 2 6 9 10 27 97 W(3-0) -- 4.94
04/16 vs PIT W 11-2 6.0 4 2 2 0 4 6 9 5 24 102 W(2-0) -- 5.40
04/10 @ ARI L 8-10 4.2 9 6 6 1 2 4 10 10 26 87 -- -- 6.75
04/05 vs HOU W 8-2 6.0 3 2 2 0 2 4 6 11 24 94 W(1-0) -- 3.00

If I feel that Mike Leake isn't one of my top 5 starting pitchers he doesn't go in my rotation. Obviously, the Reds felt that and sent him down. However, he will be back and get a chance, perhaps as soon as Friday.

[The DARK]

I'd say it's not great, but also that he hasn't been blown up yet and that it's a small sample size for a pitcher we expect good things of in the long run.

[brm7675]

As a 1 or 2 guy I would want more, but as your 5th starter, to me those numbers are very much in line as to what I would expect from that starter.

[Hanover]

I'd think, "That guy gave my team a great chance to win 4 out of the 6 times he took the mound." Then I would look at my other options and realize that is pretty good.

[smixsell]

He is. End of story.

The idiots who want to pronounce him "not big league" or "never better than back end of rotation" are dumb as trees. The kid, without any significant time in the minors, is already VERY good when used properly (no extra days off--pitchers of his type are adversly affected by too much rest), and he will likely have a much better career than any starter currently on our roster, save perhaps Chapman if all goes well for him.