Chapman is a wreck right now. He's only retired 3 of the last 14 batters that he's faced (2 H, 8 BB, and a HBP). More consistent work would help, but how can you really trust him in any kind of close game?

Another great start for Homer. He's only walked one batter so far and he's still striking out nearly a batter per inning. He looks very comfortable on the mound.

After the game it was nice to hear Dusty talk about how the game should have never been that close. The Reds have a tendency to score a lot of runs early and then shut it down. They lost a handful of games last year because they didn't play add on. Houston's bullpen is awful and they only managed one run in the final three innings despite having seven base runners. A good win regardless. Hopefully Volquez can keep the starter's 23 IP scoreless streak going and finish off the sweep.

Baker: Minors not option for Chapman
12:27 am, May 11, 2011 by jfay

Aroldis Chapman walked three and hit a batter and left without getting an out Tuesday. Nick Masset came in and bailed him out. But Chapman was charged with three runs.

It was second straight outing that he’s failed to retire a batter in. After 12 scoreless appearances, he’s given up six runs in his last three outings.

“Chapman struggling some to find the plate,” Dusty Baker said. “We’ve got to find a way to get his mechanics back in the sync. He’s throwing the ball great. It’s a matter of throwing strikes.”

Baker said Chapman will not be sent to minors to get straightened out. The Reds will have to make a move with Jose Arredondo shortly. But, again, Baker dismissed the idea of sending Chapman to Louisville.

“We’ll figure it out,” Baker said.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...r-chapman/

The Bailey News
12:21 am, May 11, 2011 by jfay

Homer Bailey went seven shutout innings in the 7-3 win over Houston. He allowed five singles, walked none and struck out five. Only one runner reached second base against him. He threw 95 pitches, 63 strikes.

“He had his breaking ball working and a real good split finger,” Dusty Baker said. “He threw the ball well. He went as far as we thought he should go in his second outing.”

It was Bailey’s second start since returning from the disabled list with shoulder impingement. He’s gone 13 innings and allowed one run on nine hits. Perhaps, most impressive: He’s walked one and struck out 12.

“That’s one thing I’ve really kind of harped on coming back: No walks,” Bailey said. “I’ve been able to do that.

It was Bailey’s first time pitching in his native state of Texas as a professional. Bailey left 40 tickets. He’s from LeGrange, a town about 4,000, 100 miles west of Houston.

“I’ve got all my family and friends waiting for me,” Bailey said. “To be able to pitch in front of them in this stadium is beyond me.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...iley-news/

Rolen, Janish Friday?
6:19 pm, May 10, 2011 by jfay

Don’t be surprised if both Scott Rolen and Paul Janish are back in the lineup when the Reds open the series Friday at home against St. Louis.

Scott Rolen felt no ill effects today from his batting practice session yesterday.

“I feel good,” he said. “I’ve done my cage work. I’ll take BP again.”

If everything goes smooth the next day or two, there’s a good chance Rolen will be ready for the St. Louis series that begin Friday. Rolen has been on the disabled list since April 24 with a strained left shoulder.

The session yesterday was his first real baseball activity since the shoulder acted up.

“He looked pretty good,” Dusty Baker said. “I was equally as concerned about how he looked fielding and throwing, running the bases. You could tell he’s been working at it. He ran all practice. That’s what you worry about as much as anything — not only his stroke — you worry about his legs, his hammies, his quads. He knows how to get game-ready.”

You can take that as Rolen will not go on rehab start.

Janish is also on the brink of returning. Janish went pretty hard on his sprained right ankle Monday.

“I was pretty aggressive,” Janish said. “It’s a little sore from that. I took ground balls and even ran the bases. It’s not 100 percent. But it’s definitely to the point where we can make it work.”

Baker said there’s a chance Janish will start tomorrow’s game.

“He’s come along rather quickly,” Baker said. “It would probably be at third if he plays, even though Edgar (Renteria) has played a lot. If we put (Janish) at third, he won’t need his mobility as much as he would at shortstop.

“You’re more worried about him leaping on double plays. I’d rather have him play tomorrow if he cam play.”

That’s because Baker doesn’t want Rolen and Janish returning on the same day.

“I don’t want them both out there for the first time,” Baker said. “You could like with one but not both.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...sh-friday/

(05-10-2011 11:51 PM)ctipton Wrote:  The Bailey News
12:21 am, May 11, 2011 by jfay

Homer Bailey went seven shutout innings in the 7-3 win over Houston. He allowed five singles, walked none and struck out five. Only one runner reached second base against him. He threw 95 pitches, 63 strikes.

“He had his breaking ball working and a real good split finger,” Dusty Baker said. “He threw the ball well. He went as far as we thought he should go in his second outing.”

It was Bailey’s second start since returning from the disabled list with shoulder impingement. He’s gone 13 innings and allowed one run on nine hits. Perhaps, most impressive: He’s walked one and struck out 12.

“That’s one thing I’ve really kind of harped on coming back: No walks,” Bailey said. “I’ve been able to do that.

It was Bailey’s first time pitching in his native state of Texas as a professional. Bailey left 40 tickets. He’s from LeGrange, a town about 4,000, 100 miles west of Houston.

“I’ve got all my family and friends waiting for me,” Bailey said. “To be able to pitch in front of them in this stadium is beyond me.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...iley-news/

More reason I get tired of Dusty. Seriously?

Chapman needs to be in minors working on things. Arredondo needs to be up here for the Cardinals series.

I saw this on Lance's blog:

Slumping
Jonny Gomes hit 2 HR's and drove in 6 runs in June 12 of last season to help the Reds beat the Kansas City Royals. After that game Gomes was hitting .307 with 9 HR and his 47 RBI tied him for the NL lead.

Since that game Gomes:
125 games
495 plate appearances
101 for 436 (.232)
15 HR
46 RBI
45 BB
110 K
.295 OBP, .378 SLG, .673 OPS

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/pages/lancesBlog...z1M3ZQ52O8

Pathetic! The guy has always been an extra OF that you use in a platoon role against LHP. An absolute waste of almost 500 PA.

(05-11-2011 10:20 AM)Bearcat04 Wrote:  I saw this on Lance's blog:

Slumping
Jonny Gomes hit 2 HR's and drove in 6 runs in June 12 of last season to help the Reds beat the Kansas City Royals. After that game Gomes was hitting .307 with 9 HR and his 47 RBI tied him for the NL lead.

Since that game Gomes:
125 games
495 plate appearances
101 for 436 (.232)
15 HR
46 RBI
45 BB
110 K
.295 OBP, .378 SLG, .673 OPS

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/pages/lancesBlog...z1M3ZQ52O8

Pathetic! The guy has always been an extra OF that you use in a platoon role against LHP. An absolute waste of almost 500 PA.

I would love to see the Reds try to get Beltran from the Mets or Kemp from the Dodgers to play LF.

(05-10-2011 10:27 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  

(05-10-2011 03:28 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  A third option, with Bray also pitching so well and assuming we won't go with 13 pitchers, is to go ahead and send Chapman to AAA. If I went that route, I'd also give strong consideration to moving him back as a starting pitcher, ideally permanently.

That option looks better after another horrid outing for Chapman.

yeah, that makes 3 in a row without retiring a batter IIRC. Hopefully Walt overrules Dusty on this as it's his job to put together the roster.

As I think more about this, I think I'd send Chapman AND Leake to AAA as starting pitchers and bring up Arredondo and Willis. Willis gives us a second lefty who can also go a few innings (unlike Bray, or probably more accurately, unlike how we are using Bray). Leake and Chapman need innings at this stage in their careers. Leake can't count on them in long relief and Chapman can get any meaningful innings unless/until we have confidence he can find the strike zone.

(05-11-2011 10:47 AM)Tomcat Wrote:  

(05-11-2011 10:20 AM)Bearcat04 Wrote:  I saw this on Lance's blog:

Slumping
Jonny Gomes hit 2 HR's and drove in 6 runs in June 12 of last season to help the Reds beat the Kansas City Royals. After that game Gomes was hitting .307 with 9 HR and his 47 RBI tied him for the NL lead.

Since that game Gomes:
125 games
495 plate appearances
101 for 436 (.232)
15 HR
46 RBI
45 BB
110 K
.295 OBP, .378 SLG, .673 OPS

Read more: http://www.espn1530.com/pages/lancesBlog...z1M3ZQ52O8

Pathetic! The guy has always been an extra OF that you use in a platoon role against LHP. An absolute waste of almost 500 PA.

I would love to see the Reds try to get Beltran from the Mets or Kemp from the Dodgers to play LF.

Unfortunately I don't see the Reds paying the rental price for either player. They wouldn't be able to sign either one long-term and Phillips IMHO is the far more important guy they need to keep because they have less options at 2B.

It's not ideal, but the Reds are simply going to hope Rolen doesn't play like he's 36 and that one of the many LF options steps up. You'd think out of Gomes, Heisey, Lewis, Hermida, Alonso, and Sappelt they could find a hot bat to put in LF.

Completely agree with those saying Leake should be starting in AAA. It's almost as if he and the team are sacrificing his progression for the novelty of never having pitched in the minors.

Reds finally getting to Wandy in the 7th. Heisey and Stubbs with B2B homers to tie the game.

Price on Chapman
12:53 pm, May 11, 2011 by jfay

Bryan Price thinks Aroldis Chapman recent problems are mechanical.

“His arm slot gets too low,” Price said. “He gets across the ball. He’s pulling a lot of balls inside to right-handed hitters.”

Confidence can also play into it when you struggled list Chapman. He’s walked eight batters ore his last three outing and only gotten two outs.

“You get to those places where you’re not throwing strikes and your only focus is to try to throw the ball over,” Price said. “Maybe you aim it a little bit. I think that’s where he is right now. There’s noticeable difference between how he was throwing the ball in Milwaukee — in what I thought was his most dominant performance — and where he was last night in his arm slot. His fingers aren’t on top the ball. He’s getting a lot of run and pull.

“I think first part is a slight mechanical adjustment. The second part is that when he’s out there he’s pitching with his confidence. When you struggle a while, you start to question yourself a little bit. I don’t know that he’s there, but I know it’s a typical response.”

Physically, Price said, Chapman is fine.

“It’s just a matter of getting back ahead in the count,” Price said, “get those guys to chase the high fastball or the slider down. Right now, he’s in so many 2-0 and 3-1 counts, he doesn’t get a chance to pitch much. He’s just trying to throw the ball over. That’s not an advantageous spot to be in.”

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...chapman-3/

How in the heck did Pence hit that ball?

Why in the world Dusty starts Bruce against Wandy, when Jay is 1 for 20 against him in his career, is beyond me.

Then he pinch hits Heisey and Chris hits a HR off Wandy. Go figure.

Volquez woes continue
6:40 pm, May 11, 2011 by jfay

Edinson Volquez ended the string of good starts with an ugly, ugly one. He went four innings and allowed three runs on three hits. He walked five and struck out three.

“It ain’t reluctance to throw strikes,” Baker said. “He’s aware of it, We’re aware of it. The other team is aware of it. When he’s throwing strikes, they usually don’t hit him.”

Volquez has walked 19 batters in his last 20 1/3 innings.

“I’ve got to find a way to throw strikes,” Volquez said. “My breaking ball and change-up were good. But I didn’t have a lot of fastball command today.”

When Voqluez was good — 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 2008 — he struck out 206 and walked 93 in 196 innings. This year, he’s struck 41 and walked 33 in 42 1/3 innings.

“Sometimes, I feel too strong and can’t control my fastball,” Volquez said. “Sometimes, I feel good and throw strikes.”

Volquez’s troubles stand out because the rest of the rotation has been so good. He’s allowed seven runs over nine innings in his last two starts. The Reds of the rotation has allowed four runs over 39 innings over six starts.

Volquez has options. The Reds sent him to the minors to get straightened out last year.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2011/05...-continue/