At the beginning of the season the Reds had so much pitching they didn't know what to do with it all. The competition for the starting rotation was stiff, and a lot of guys who would have been starters on other teams were stashed in AAA.
Now, the Reds have made their fifteenth pitching transaction this week. They've suffered an incredible number of setbacks to their pitching - everything from Edinson Volquez being sent down due to ineffectiveness to Dontrelle Willis going on the DL with a groin strain to Homer Bailey spraining his shoulder to Matt Maloney landing on the 60-day DL after breaking a rib during a violent sneeze.
The Reds are in a major skid right now, but the team is playing fairly well...except for the pitching. According to the MLB.com stats page, the Reds offense is second in the NL over the past 30 days. They are fourth in the NL on defense. And dead last in pitching.
I think the pen is actually fairly decent, but they are being way overworked, because the starters aren’t going deep. It’s the starting pitching that’s killing them.
Paul Janish has been struggling lately, and losing playing time to Edgar Renteria. I'm hoping the Reds realize that the problem is pitching, not hitting, and don't try to sign another Orlando Cabrera type.
In any case, Janish is in the lineup tonight, and the Reds are in the national spotlight, playing on ESPN's Sunday night game.
Labels: Paul Janish
