Tuesday, April 30, 2002
No stopping Reds' starters?
Surprising unit sees more success ahead
By John Erardi, jerardi@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
If the big sticks and bullpen stay healthy, it all comes down to starting pitching. The Reds seek to avoid the May collapse that befell them after last year's 15-10 start.
Entering tonight's opening of the six-day road trip — three at Los Angeles, three at San Francisco — the Reds are 15-9 and leading the National League Central Division.
A horrendous road trip wouldn't be enough to deflate the Reds' confidence in themselves — although walk-up ticket sales like the whopping 6,800 the Reds experienced Friday would dry up.
“Coming out of spring training, we knew what we were capable of doing,” said Reds slugger Adam Dunn. “It's not surprising to us. We're not even swinging the bats real well, but we're still scratching out victories. Once we start hitting, this is going to be a fun team to watch.”
The theme of it all coming down to starting pitching has received more air play than Britney Spears.
“We're sick of listening to it, sick of hearing it,” said Chris Reitsma, tonight's starter. “People are always saying that's our weakest link, but we're showing we can go out and match (opposing starters) pitch for pitch. We're egging each other on, feeding off each other.”
Despite the downright comical talk on TV and radio the past two days — many callers saying Ken Griffey Jr. should be kept out of the lineup even when he's healthy — only a productive Griffey can give the Reds what they have lacked so far: A hitter who can help carry the Reds to first place beyond April.
The starting pitching has taken them there so far, because everybody knew the bullpen would be good. In the seven-game winning streak, the starters allowed only seven earned runs (1.60 ERA).
Even when the streak was snapped Sunday in a 5-4 loss to the Giants, starter Jimmy Haynes gave up only three earned runs in 6 1/3 innings, a quality start that will more often than not produce a Reds' winner, especially if Griffey returns and gets into his groove.
A recent addition to the rotation, Jose Rijo (2-0 during the winning streak) has seen more pennant races than Reitsma and notes that it is a long season.
“You said it: Seven games,” Rijo said. “There are 162 games for the season. I guess you could say everybody is living up to their potential. But this isn't about one week. It's about 26 weeks. If we keep working this hard, day in and day out, keep grinding, this staff could be even better than it's been so far.”
Rijo said he can keep the Reds in ballgames, and that from what he has seen, the other starters have a propensity for doing the same. As the hitting comes to life — as Griffey returns — there won't be as fine a line with ERAs.
Under the rotation's current makeup, it would be hard to say there is a clear-cut No. 1, although Elmer Dessens comes closest. All have pitched well at times; certainly, all pitched well in the winning streak.
Although a team in the Reds' $45 million payroll range would typically want a younger staff to build for the future, the veterans have consistency on their side. In that regard, Joey Hamilton may be the critical piece of this staff. If he does well, maybe the rest of the staff holds together. Rijo would be in that class if you could be sure his next pitch won't be his last.
“Starting pitching is like anything else,” Hamilton said. “It's contagious. It's competitive. Reitsma goes out before I do, and he throws a great game — I'm going to want to do better than he does the next day. You get some good outings in a row, and the next thing you know, it keeps going and going. That's what we've been able to do.”
The baseball bromide is: You don't need to wait for the end of this year to know what you're going to get out of a guy. Just look at the year-by-year lines on the back of his bubble-gum card; that's a better predictor than anything.
That has some merit with Dessens and Jimmy Haynes, but Hamilton (health), Reitsma (youth — 24) and Rijo (is he the right-handed Frank Tanana?) might have bigger than expected upsides. The miracle would be if all three deliver them.
Pitching coach Don Gullett has heard the comments in the media that the Reds starters are “pitching over their heads.”
“But I actually think they can be even better,” Gullett said.
Jose Acevedo is a phone call away. He has had one good start and one bad one in the minors, Gullett said.
“He's got all the stuff that anybody would ever hope for to pitch at the major-league level,” Gullett said. “It's a matter of being consistent, keeping the ball down, putting the ball where he's supposed to. It's something he's got to get on his own.”
Hamilton, who by no means has been bad, has — through a combination of grit and good fortune — escaped more jams than Houdini at a locksmiths' convention.
“I've been throwing a lot of balls and walking a lot of people, but have been able to get out of it,” he said. “Once I'm able to cut down on my walks — and that's going to come — it can only get better. It can't get worse.”
The Reds need their starters to gradually get a little deeper into games. The bullpen is deep, but Scott Sullivan and Gabe White are on pace for Mike Marshall's kinesiology class — as exhibits. Marshall pitched in a record 106 games for the Dodgers in 1974, and Sullivan and White are each on pace for 101.
But the Reds relievers aren't complaining.
Sullivan is eager to pitch again.
“Dunn's second homer (Sunday) would have tied the game if I hadn't given up that run that made it 5-3,” he said. “I'm kind of bummed out about that, but hopefully I can make up for it on this road trip.”
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No stopping Reds' starters?
