SB Nation User Blog: justin007000

Volquez to Throw in January

justin007000 — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:22:18 -0000

Volquez to Throw in January

Edinson Volquez reports that he is fine, he was originally slated to throw in December, but he decided to wait until January.

If it is true that Volquez's decision was a judgment call and not because of a setback (I have no reason to belief he is lying). I think it is wise. Anything Volquez provides in 2010 is gravy. No reason for him to rush back and re injure his elbow. It is nice to see he isn't trying to repeat the mistakes of Jose Rijo (who didn't have surgery until August of 95 and was pitching in spring training games in 1996). I like to see a conservative return.

tHom is Taking George's job.

justin007000 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:42:13 -0000

tHom is Taking George's job.

he is going to move over and broadcast 100 games on TV. The good news is he won't be paired with his father, the bad news is well we have to listen to him 100 times a year on TV.

The Reds are now searching for a radio man to do 40 games a year with sMarty.

From Ceser:Thom is the primary Grande replacement. Jim Kelch joins the team doing mostly radio, but also selected TV games (~~probably the main backup for when Thom does stuff for Fox~~) From Slyde: the Reds hired Paul Keels to fill in for tHom.

Do you Approve of Walt?

justin007000 — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:31:22 -0000

I am a sucker for polls, and poll data. I have done this from time to time in the past. How do you feel about Walt? Look at his entire body of work since he was hired in April of 2008, and do you feel like he is up to snuff? I think this should produce some interesting results. I don't think there is a clear line of thought on this blog about Walt. Like almost all of us hate Dusty, and almost all of us hated Narron, but I don't think the thoughts on Walt are quite as homogeneous.

I disprove of Jocketty. Mostly because of Taveras and Rolen. No reason to reiterate why I feel this way, as I have said it multiple times on this board. I also don't think he is very creative or proactive. There were plenty of times where the Reds were playing a man or two short last year, due to his not wanting to use the D.L. Remember after the Padres extra inning game when he didn't even call up one extra arm to help out a tired staff? There were many other instances when he didn't D.L. injured players who were unavailable for a week or more, but they weren't DL'd. He hamstrung a manager who is already tested by his lack of creativity.

Poll

How satisfied with Walt Jocketty are you?

Kelch and Hoard two of the Reds Final Four Candidates

justin007000 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:05:49 -0000

Kelch and Hoard two of the Reds Final Four Candidates

via the Fay. The Reds now have a pool of four candidates to replace Grande. Kelch and Hoard have made it this far. Fay thinks there is a chance an announcement will be made at Reds fest. I would be okay with either gentlemen, and hopefully they would calm Marty down.

Steve Phillips has a Birthmark on his Crotch

justin007000 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 20:29:32 -0000

Steve Phillips has a Birthmark on his Crotch

This is an appropriate fangasm.

Pete Harnisch Pitches the Reds back into First Place

justin007000 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 06:38:36 -0000

Pete Harnisch Pitches the Reds back into First Place

A nice story about an 8 inning 1 hitter thrown by Pete Harnisch back in August of 1999. It made me smile and think of better days.

A formal Request and a vote (sorry boobs won't be involved)!

justin007000 — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:28:32 -0000

I think it is high time that our very own Madville become an author on this site. I mean we have Slyde and other Justin who provide excellent statistical analyasis, and we have a nice stable of Brendan, BK, Charlie, Grey, NYCreds, and ken who provide excellent links, post game summeries and some of their own original material, and we have JCH who I guess gets off everytime he see's his name at the bottom of the page. We have Andro who can keep us abreast of international happenings.

What we don't have is the crazy old man who is really brilliant but slightly altered by hardcore drugs perspective. I think Mads will provide that. Day after day Mads provides us with new gems, and altered perspectives must of us wouldn't even begin to understand. He gives us great gifs, and sees the world from a different lens than anyone else involved with this site. I would like a weekly Madville column to appear on this site, with his thoughts, perspectives and just who from the previous week can blow him. I think it would give us all an off season lift.

via profile.ak.fbcdn.net

MADS FOR AUTHOR!!!

Vote now the poll closes at 8:34 PM Central time on 7 October!!!

Poll

Should Madville be an author on Redreporter?

Yes

42 votes

No

17 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

Zack Duke has pitched well, but sucks because the Pirates lose when he pitches, but he has had some bad luck, but sucks in close games, and what is this guy saying?

justin007000 — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:15:20 -0000

Zack Duke has pitched well, but sucks because the Pirates lose when he pitches, but he has had some bad luck, but sucks in close games, and what is this guy saying?

What is the thesis of this argument. At first I thought it was an argument that wins are a worthless stat, but no, it is Duke has pitched well but has not helped the PIrates win, because he "hasn't done his best work in close games"....

Who the fuck is this Matthew Pouliot, and has anybody given him an EEG to see if there are any brain functions?

Who does Maloney Compare to?

justin007000 — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:36:35 -0000

Matt Maloney should have been held in higher regard by the Cincinnati Reds. He should have been held in higher regards around baseball. In 672.3 minor league innings he struck out 664 batters, with a K/BB of 3.21 a BB/9 of 2.8 and a HR/9 of .7. Some may say, but Justin perhaps his numbers are inflated by overmatching low minor league hitters, when he was a "polished" college pitcher. To you I say, he had a K/9 of 8.4 in AAA. On Maloney's SB player page it says he is supsebtable to the long ball, but even in AAA he only gave up .9 HR/9.

It should also be noted that over the past few seasons Maloney has improved his control.

Maloney has had better minor league numbers than our own Bronson Arroyo, who had a K/9 of 6.9 a K/BB of 2.94 in the minor leagues.

I've frequantly compared Maloney's minor league numbers to Homer Bailey, but just so you can see them again, in 531 Minor League innings Bailey had a K/9 of 9.1, (only 7.9 in AAA but he was also pitching hurt and that was during his "down period"), a BB/9 of 3.8 and a K/BB of 2.38, and a HR/9 of .6. So while Bailey has had all the glitz, Maloney has been right there with him, just without the 98MPH fastball.

There are going to be some who think, but Justin we've seen this act before, a "polished lefty who knows how to pitch with good minor league numbers but weak stuff". So lets look at Sowers who was twice drafted first overall, and was held in high regard by Cleveland. He like Maloney is stengy with walks with a BB/9 of 2.2, and he allows less HRs at a rate of 0.5/9. But he only strikes out 6.7/9, and that is inflated by his lower minor league numbers, in AAA his K rate is only 5.7. So he was a polished pitcher who got by limited stuff by outsmarting raw hitters. But he doesn't really comp with Maloney.

He actually compares to Aaron Harang's minor leauge numbers. Harang had a K/9 of 8.1, a BB/9 of 2.4, a K/BB of 3.3, and a HR/9 of .6. When we got Harang he wasn't exactly a top prospect. He also gained a little velocity. In 2002 when Harang was 24 his average fastball was 89.3, and in 2004 it jumped to 90.5.

I wrote this because I honestly think if Maloney stays healthy he could be a mid to top of the staff pitcher. Tom Glavine prooved that pitching isn't all about throwing a mid-90s fastball. Most of us are content to think of Maloney as low level pitcher, but I think we have paid more attention to his velocity than his numbers. Can somebody do a comp of Maloney's minor league numbers, I would like to see who he compares with. I'm looking at you other Justin.

But as Andro pointed out below Maloney doesn't compare to Glavine either.

One like Putin would be a great GM!!!

justin007000 — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 22:59:35 -0000

One like Putin would be a great GM!!!