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View Full Version : Is Johnny Cueto an ace?


mroby85
06-22-2011, 08:51 PM
I know the consensus up to this point had been the Reds didn't have an ace, but could Johnny Cueto possibly be one that has come into his own? He has always shown a lot of potential, and has just been lights out this year. I'm not saying he's definitely an ace, but maybe.
jwmann2
06-22-2011, 09:28 PM
Here are your major league aces: Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Jurrgens, C.C., Beckett, Kershaw, etc. Now...do you think Cueto is in the same league as any of these guys?
mroby85
06-22-2011, 09:38 PM
Here are your major league aces: Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Jurrgens, C.C., Beckett, Kershaw, etc. Now...do you think Cueto is in the same league as any of these guys?

Well so far he's been better than Lee, Hernandez, Jurrgens, C.C. and Kershaw this year. I realize he hasn't bee an ace in the past, but you have to move into that group at some point, you don't just automatically start there.
UC_Ken
06-22-2011, 09:39 PM
He has to do it for an extended period of time but he's certainly trending towards being an ace.
RedLegsToday
06-22-2011, 09:59 PM
Si. He is the Red's ace
bshall2105
06-22-2011, 09:59 PM
He has pitched better than anyone in baseball in 2011.
R_Webb18
06-22-2011, 10:03 PM
every year the guy gets better and better and is only 25.
texasdave
06-22-2011, 10:06 PM
If he is not in that class, he is certainly knocking on the door.
Stray
06-22-2011, 10:10 PM
Well he's our ace lol. I know I feel like we're gonna win every game he starts, regardless of who the opponent is.
Reds
06-22-2011, 10:10 PM
We just need someone to win in shutdown fashion in October, that's an "ace" in my book. Sure I want productivity in the regular season but it's up to the overall staff to make the playoffs.
TheBigLebowski
06-22-2011, 10:17 PM
Cueto belongs on that list moreso than Jurrjens. And am I the only one who thinks CC Splish-Splash I was Taking Sabathia is overrated at this point in his career?
HalMorrisRules
06-22-2011, 10:20 PM
I cant remember who it was but recently there was a discussion about the definition of an "ace." One criteria that I hadnt considered before but I find it hard to disagree with is that an ace has a realistic chance to go nine innings any game that he starts. Cueto is not at that level.
skywalker
06-22-2011, 10:24 PM
Here are your major league aces: Halladay, Felix Hernandez, Cliff Lee, Jurrgens, C.C., Beckett, Kershaw, etc. Now...do you think Cueto is in the same league as any of these guys?



Kershaw ???
knoonan991
06-22-2011, 10:26 PM
He is the one starter on this staff that I would put up against any lineup and still be confidant in the Reds winning every time.

That to me defines an "ace".
DocRed
06-22-2011, 10:35 PM
So far this season yes, but I don't put him in the same conversation as Halladay, Felix, Lee, Lincecum YET...these guys have done it for years now.

edit:Throw in Price, Verlander and Johnson into the conversation too.
TheBigLebowski
06-22-2011, 10:35 PM
Oh, and you've still got Beckett on that list? I almost let you slip that one by me. No sir.
DocRed
06-22-2011, 10:37 PM
Oh, and you've still got Beckett on that list? I almost let you slip that one by me. No sir.

Lester is more of an Ace than Beckett IMO...maybe not this year, but over the last several years.
NatiWolfpack24
06-23-2011, 09:14 AM
He's the Red's ace and the guy I figured who would have to step up this year. He has now the rest have to follow.

Jurrgens is an ACE? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
bounty37h
06-23-2011, 10:59 AM
I know the consensus up to this point had been the Reds didn't have an ace, but could Johnny Cueto possibly be one that has come into his own? He has always shown a lot of potential, and has just been lights out this year. I'm not saying he's definitely an ace, but maybe.

I gotta give him credit, I was losing faith last season-always loved hsi stuff, btu thought he dindt have the mental side ot dig down deep when needed and find that extra something. A few seasons ago it seemed like he would quit or lose it mentally if he gave up a hit or wsnt making hsi pitches and that got him in trouble. This year he has a better mental focus it seems, love it! He is def the ace of this staff right now and if he keep going he could be a legit MLB ace.
smixsell
06-23-2011, 06:24 PM
He has to do it for an extended period of time but he's certainly trending towards being an ace.

Spot on. And I just want to add that my guess is that, barring injury, he will continue trending up and soon prove himself a true "ace" like Lee, Hernandez, Halladay, etc.
Redeye fly
06-23-2011, 11:13 PM
I love what I see from Cueto. I mean he's had streaks before so it's not necessarily time to anoint him just yet. But the thing is, you've got a young pitcher who's doing exactly what you want him to do. He's getting a bit better every year and every year he transitions a little more into a true major league pitcher.

By the way...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/746450-cincinnati-reds-johnny-cueto-standing-tall-as-cincinnatis-ace

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110623&content_id=20907462&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
wire2wire90
06-23-2011, 11:50 PM
Dude has been a stud so far this year. His BABIP is a way low, which is worrisome if/when it returns to the supposed mean, but it seems deserved from an eyeball test because few are getting a good swing on him.

He seems to be letting his defense help him out more than in years past and if he gets into trouble, he saves his nasty stuff for strikeouts.

Overall, a complete joy to watch this year...deceptive, good stuff, works quickly, and effective.
bubbachunk
06-24-2011, 11:57 AM
He is one his way if he can keep up similar production but you need to do it for an entire season to be considered an ace.

Everything is trending in that direction for him though, glad we have him.
Who Dey Time
06-24-2011, 12:05 PM
I'm not sure how you clearly define an ace. What I do know though is, that when Johnny Cueto is listed as the starting pitcher, I feel very good about the Reds' chances to win that night.
bengalsown
06-24-2011, 12:11 PM
CC Splish-Splash I was Taking Sabathia

Wow, that was weak :laugh::laugh::laugh:
bigredmechanism
06-24-2011, 12:17 PM
I love what I see from Cueto. I mean he's had streaks before so it's not necessarily time to anoint him just yet. But the thing is, you've got a young pitcher who's doing exactly what you want him to do. He's getting a bit better every year and every year he transitions a little more into a true major league pitcher.

By the way...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/746450-cincinnati-reds-johnny-cueto-standing-tall-as-cincinnatis-ace (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/746450-cincinnati-reds-johnny-cueto-standing-tall-as-cincinnatis-ace)

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110623&content_id=20907462&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110623&content_id=20907462&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb)


Interesting note from the BR link:


He has slightly altered his delivery and that has resulted in a groundball-flyball ratio of 1.43 compared to .79 last season.

Pitching in GABP, this is probably the most important improvement in his game. He doesn't need the strikeout pitch like he did when he was 21-22 anymore. He has the movement to make any pitch into a weak grounder.

Take Monday night's game for example. 7th inning, bases are loaded with one out after an error by Cueto. One pitch to Ramiro Pena.. jammed him. 2 out. One pitch to Jorge Posada... jammed him. Inning over. 2 Pitches to get out of a huge jam. In years past that would have been one of those 20 pitch meltdowns, resulting in a Yankee lead.

Gotta give some credit to Dusty for sticking with him. If I were manager I would have pulled him after the first baserunner. Cueto's confidence probably got yet another big boost as well.