Johnny Cueto
It’s good to see that even when Cueto doesn’t have his best stuff, as on Saturday, he can still help his team win. Cueto allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits over seven innings, walking two and 26 1/3 innings. He’s also allowed just 16 hits. Cueto allowed five runs in his last start so his ERA still sits at “just” 3.42, but in three of his four starts, he’s surrendered two or fewer runs. The bias against short pitchers (Cueto is listed at 5’10”) will probably always be there, but guys like Cueto and Scott Kazmir are doing their best to dispel that fiction. This may be a bit of hyperbole, but once Josh “Dragon Slayer” Fogg is pushed out of the rotation (happening Monday apparently) and Homer Bailey joins the rotation (though it will be Matt Belisle for now), the Reds may have the deepest rotation in baseball. GM Wayne Krivsky has made his share of mistakes (the Lopez/Kearns deal for one), but picking up Josh Hamilton in the Rule 5 draft and dealing him for Edinson Volquez is looking like a stroke of genius.
Corey Patterson
Patterson looked like a nice sleeper coming into the season. He had a solid spring, had stolen 81 bases over the last two seasons despite mediocre on-base numbers, and had always been a favorite of manager Dusty Baker. Patterson started the year on a good note, going 10-for-31 with four doubles and four home runs through April 9. Since then however, the law of averages kicked into gear with Patterson going 1-for-25. For a guy who once fanned 168 times in a season, however, Patterson’s 3:4 K:BB in 56 at-bats is surprising, though probably not sustainable. At least Dusty Baker has to like that Patterson isn’t clogging the bases with his .246 OBP, but how much longer can the Reds carry him as an everyday player, much less a leadoff man? Jay Bruce is hitting .316 with three homers in Triple-A and would seem to be an upgrade now, but I’d like to see that 13:2 K:BB show some improvement.
Chad Billingsley
Billingsley dropped to 0-3 on Saturday after allowing four runs over five innings against the Braves on Saturday. Billingsley didn’t have his command with him again, walking five (but striking out nine) and leaving with a 6.14 ERA on the year. I was pretty encouraged after Billingsley’s last start (5-4-1-1-2-8), so this was a big disappointment. He did strike out nine, leaving him with 20 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings, so at least he’s missing bats. With 11 walks however, he’s also missing the strike zone far too often, a probable that also plagued him last year at times (3.9 BB/9). Billingsley has the stuff of an ace starter, but not surprisingly at age 23, he’s just not quite there yet.
Matt Kemp
I’m not quite 100% ready to say that Juan Pierre has officially been relegated to fourth outfielder status, but it’s certainly looking that way. Matt Kemp got his fifth consecutive start on Saturday, going 1-for-4 against the Braves. An awful 13:1 K:BB leaves Kemp with a .300 OBP (.286/.300/.449), and Kemp has yet to find his power stroke (one homer in 49 at-bats), but at least it seems Joe Torre has realized that the club is far better off with Kemp in there instead of Pierre. Pierre brings speed to the table, but little else these days (.303 OBP), so Kemp should be safe. It would just help to see a monster game now and then however, just to solidify his status.
Hunter Pence
Everyone is asking “what’s wrong with Hunter Pence?” right about now. That’s what happens when a guy goes from one of baseball’s better young players in 2007 to .206/.227/.302 in 63 at-bats the following year. It’s not surprising that Pence has taken a dip, as last year’s .322 AVG was propelled in large part by a .378 BABIP (a number that has dipped to .273 in 2008). In addition, Pence’s EYE was an ugly 0.27 last season and so far in 2008, he’s sporting a 16:2 K:BB. We’re glad he’s not running into shower doors these days, but taking a few more pitches and driving the ones he does like (zero homers in 60 at-bats) is something we’re all waiting for. The Astros had Pence hitting between Geoff Blum and J.R. Towles on Saturday – not exactly an ideal spot. Like the Dodgers did with Matt Kemp to get him going, it would be nice to see Houston try Pence in the two-hole. Putting him in front of Tejada/Berkman/Lee would serve to allow him to see more fastballs and perhaps break out of this funk. He’s too talented to keep up this level of performance too much longer.
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