Vladimir Gutierrez

[JaxRed]

Here's the case for Vlad. It's a little more sophisticated than checking 2 year old stats and yelling "PEDs". Vlad always had the stuff. He was a big signing bonus baby getting 4.75 million. His results until his suspension were not good. Ironically it seems the suspension might have made things "click" for him.

He's shown in videos during the suspension working with pitching coach Hector Berrios (who has some connection to Phillies). There are lots of tweets about it. Here's one

https://twitter.com/HLB_Pitching/sta...28945010335744

He'd been working with Berrios right up until Spring Training. Vlad couldn't work out with the Alt Site last year but he could go to Instructional League and reports there said he looked very good. The Reds saw enough to add him to the 40. Then he went to Winter League Ball and looked very good there. Then he reported to Spring Training and put up 7 innings with a 0.00 ERA and 11 K's.

He has been working at the Alt Site this spring and again reports are very good. That's why some people are anxious to see what he can do.

[757690]

Purely personal observation:

Vlad in his first spring looked like he had good stuff, but one thing I noticed was that he couldn’t fool any of the MLB players with his off speed pitches. They all took every curve or slider or whatever he was throwing.

This spring, he was fooling all the MLB hitters with his off speed pitches, getting many swings and misses. He looked like a completely different pitcher. It’s just spring training and just a few innings, but it’s what I noticed.

[KronoRed]

I just want to see him up for some 'Vlad the impaler' jokes.

[JFLegal]

Just because people have a difference of opinion doesn't mean you are "supposed to" adopt theirs

figure of speech. don't take it too literally.

as for vlad's skills, i obviously hope i'm wrong and he becomes an important part of the reds. but pitchers don't usually magically go from getting rocked at AAA to being good MLB pitchers. especially when they are off the juice.

[Mitri]

Are they gonna call Vlad up soon or just wait until the next bullpen implosion?

[MoneyInTheBank]

figure of speech. don't take it too literally.

as for vlad's skills, i obviously hope i'm wrong and he becomes an important part of the reds. but pitchers don't usually magically go from getting rocked at AAA to being good MLB pitchers. especially when they are off the juice.

http://m.milb.com/stats/#/js/stats/?...aaa&t=2&s=whip

I wouldn't say he was rocked relative to his contemporaries, plus he would be coming out of the bullpen and he pitched well in Spring Training. That's enough to give me hope. But don't confuse hope with certainty. My confidence in him being a good bullpen piece is probably a 5 out of 10

[Ron Madden]

Cincinnati Reds placed RF Aristides Aquino on the 60-day injured list.

Reinstated from the Restricted List RHP Vladimir Gutierrez.

Assigned OF Dwight Smith Jr.to Reds Alternate Training Site

[Kc61]

http://m.milb.com/stats/#/js/stats/?...aaa&t=2&s=whip

I wouldn't say he was rocked relative to his contemporaries, plus he would be coming out of the bullpen and he pitched well in Spring Training. That's enough to give me hope. But don't confuse hope with certainty. My confidence in him being a good bullpen piece is probably a 5 out of 10

It’s fair to hope that from among Hendrix, Vlad, and Santillan, Reds get a couple of good bullpen pieces this season.

Even aside from the Lodolo/Greene first rounders who may be more likely to start.

[Ron Madden]

C. Trent Rosecrans
@ctrent
Really what this means is Gutierrez can pitch in games with fans, which he couldn't before. He'll be starting in Louisville so if the team needs a starter

[JaxRed]

Assuming he has to be added... I personally would DFA Diehl, who serves no purpose that I can tell. But since he is on the taxi squad I assume that isn't going to happen,.

If its a pitcher I assume they could DFA Romano. He actually has one of best ERA's on staff.

I wonder if there's any chance they 60 Day DL Aquino? It might actually be a hitter like Schrock or Payton.

Either way, I'm suspecting a hard choice because they don't take the logical choice in Diehl.

OK......I like it when they take my suggestions. 60 Day for Aquino. I wondered about that option because it avoided any hard choices.

[JaxRed]

I am surprised a bit about him being a starter at AAA. Makes me think the Reds are going roll with their current bunch of relievers for a while.

[757690]

I am surprised a bit about him being a starter at AAA. Makes me think the Reds are going roll with their current bunch of relievers for a while.

Might say something about their plans for Antone.

[Ron Madden]

Most MLB teams are preparing to use more starting pitchers this season because of the 60 game schedule last year.

[Kingspoint]

Why is Doolittle on the team?

Strikeouts are higly overrated. Anyone can get them when nobody knows where the ball is going to be pitched, including the Cather and Pitcher. Makes for a lot of mistake pitches that lead to runs scored and no control of high-leverage situations.

[Mitri]

I think it’s a mistake to keep Vlad starting, but also a testament to how thin they are at SP beyond the guys on the active roster.

Vlad should be groomed as a bullpen killer ASAP.