BengalBacker Posted March 15, 2008 Report Share Posted March 15, 2008 [b]Homer gets hammered by Red Sox; minor league in his future[/b] By [email=hmccoy@DaytonDailyNews.com][color="#0d5e96"]Hal McCoy[/color][/email] Staff Writer Saturday, March 15, 2008 FORT MYERS, Fla. — Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey most likely punched his own ticket to Class AAA Louisville on Saturday when the Boston Red Sox used him for a human batting practice machine. Even before Bailey, scheduled for four innings, pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up six runs and seven hits (76 pitches, 46 strikes), a club official told the Dayton Daily News that Bailey is minor-league material. He said Bailey needs to accumulate innings, develop his off-speed pitches, work to become more efficient (fewer balls, more strikes) and work on his attitude. It was assumed before spring began that Bailey, the 21-year-old No. 1 draft pick of 2004, would be in the rotation, but he hasn't performed. In his own defense, Bailey pointed out that he has started against the New York Yankees and against the Red Sox twice, all three games on the road and against the regular lineups. ------------------------------------------------------------ One of the other writers commented in his blog that Homer is a smart ass. (his words) This comment that he needs to work on his attitude is bothersome. Anyone remember Jack 'Tuna Boat' Armstrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BengalBacker Posted March 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Here's sort of a follow up in Hal's blog. [url="http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/"]Hal McCoy's blog[/url] I recommend bookmarking Hal's blog if you're a Red's fan. _______________________________________________ [b][url="http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2008/03/15/bailey_louisvillebound.html"]Bailey to Louisville?[/url][/b] By [url="http://www.daytondailynews.com/o/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2008/03/15/bailey_louisvillebound.html#postcomment"]Hal McCoy [/url]| Saturday, March 15, 2008, 01:16 PM It was probably the biggest start of Homer Bailey’s spring, but there are indications that the decision about his immediate future already has been made. Is is Loo-ee-ville or Lew-vull or Loo-iss-ville? Ever how you pronounce it, Bailey is probably headed there to open the season, especially with the emergence of Johnny Cueto, Edison Volques and with the five scoreless innings Josh Fogg pitched Friday in Bradenton against the Pittsburgh Pirates - although my Aunt Fanny probably could shut down the Pirates. Nevertheless, somebody deeply imbedded in the Reds system told me Bailey’s destination is Louisville, “Where he can get some innings, work on the command of his breaking pitches and adjust his attitude.†Bailey isn’t really a bad guy. Just different. Stubborn? Yes. Before Saturday’s assignment, Bailey was by himself in the clubhouse, dressed in civvies, stretched out on his back on a rubber mat on the floor. His teammates were taking batting practice before facing the Boston Red Sox and Bailey wasn’t required to be out there. I was in there with him, just the two of us, and he was smiling and affable. Asked about why he sometimes is short and terse with the media, he said, “I don’t like questions. It is perception. What a writer or somebody else might perceive, I perceive differently, and somebody else might perceive differently.†Bailey, the 21-year-old No. 1 draft pick in 2004, permanently tattooed with Can’t Miss ink, was ready with an example. “Some people might say Homer Bailey is struggling this spring,†he said. “But I’ve pitched against the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees and now the Red Sox again, all at their places where I face their best players.†Bailey quickly added, “I’m not complaining. That’ll help me if I’m with the team this season because we play both those teams (interleague). If I make mistakes to their big hitters, I’ll know what not to throw them when I face them in the season.†Bailey then went out and gave up a leadoff double in the first to Julio Lugo and walked Kevin Youkilis on a full count. Bailey bowed his back and struck out both David “Big Papi†Ortiz (blew a fastball past him) and Manny Ramirez (called third on a breaking pitch). But with two outs, MIke Lowell blooped a run-scoring single to left and Jason Varitek shot a run-scoring single to right for a 2-0 Red Sox lead. With one out in the second, he gave up a home run to the No. 9 hitter, Brnadon Moss, the not only cleared the center field wall, it cleared the 30-foot black batter’s eye behind the wall. It continued in the third when Bailey gave up another run, ignited by a leadoff double by Ortiz. Two more runs scored in the fourth, with Bailey leaving with one out and two on in the fourth, both runners scoring and charged to Bailey when Tom Shearn gave up a two-run double to Youkilis. For the day, Bailey gave up six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings with twol walks and three strikesout, using 76 pitches to get only 46 strkes. And it’s Bye-Bye Bailey. Bailey needed 30 pitches for the first inning and it looks as if he is Louisville-bound to get command and discover the world of pitch efficiency. Seems to be to be the correct decision, based on what I’ve seen, but only if Jeremy Affeldt and Matt Belisle get it together, plus Cueto and Volques continfue to dazzle and Fogg keeps it going. The option are sinking. Agree? Personal aside: My son, Brent McCoy, visiting me this week with his wife, Tammy, caught a foul ball hit behind first base by Kevin Youkilis and did himself proud by giving the ball to a young fan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
|Tigers Johnson| Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Sounds a lot like Brett Tomko....stubborn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThurmanMunster Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 he will be fine. anyone who watches baseball or follows the reds should have known that bailey wasnt coming up this year. he is 21 freaking years old and needs to develop his 3rd pitch more. they dont NEED him up now and he is well ahead of the game being 21 and having some experience already. his personality will help him in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Tory Go! Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 [quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='643829' date='Mar 16 2008, 02:00 AM']he will be fine. anyone who watches baseball or follows the reds should have known that bailey wasnt coming up this year. he is 21 freaking years old and needs to develop his 3rd pitch more. they dont NEED him up now and he is well ahead of the game being 21 and having some experience already. his personality will help him in the long run.[/quote] The timing of when they brought him up sucks though, if they had waited another week or two, he would have had an extra year until arbitration. I would hope that with Bruce, they'd either commit to blooding him this year for the whole year, or wait until that deadline at least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThurmanMunster Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 [quote name='Go Tory Go!' post='643833' date='Mar 16 2008, 03:08 AM']The timing of when they brought him up sucks though, if they had waited another week or two, he would have had an extra year until arbitration. I would hope that with Bruce, they'd either commit to blooding him this year for the whole year, or wait until that deadline at least.[/quote] agreed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
claptonrocks Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote name='ThurmanMunster' post='643829' date='Mar 16 2008, 02:00 AM']he will be fine. anyone who watches baseball or follows the reds should have known that bailey wasnt coming up this year. he is 21 freaking years old and needs to develop his 3rd pitch more. they dont NEED him up now and he is well ahead of the game being 21 and having some experience already. his personality will help him in the long run.[/quote] His personality??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThurmanMunster Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote name='claptonrocks' post='644050' date='Mar 16 2008, 11:05 PM']His personality??? [/quote] ya. they ripped his personality saying it would be a negative. he wont let shit get to him which he will need cuz he will get hit hard when he is young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bengals1181 Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 [quote name='Tigers Johnson' post='643755' date='Mar 15 2008, 07:34 PM']Sounds a lot like Brett Tomko....stubborn.[/quote] the funny thing is, I remember all the coaches and media praising his stubborness last spring, saying how his stubborness wouldn't allow his bad outings to affect his confidence. Now its a bad thing all of a sudden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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