Wednesday, July 24, 2002
Moehler makes Reds' debut today
No waiting for new pitcher to make first impression
By John Erardi jerardi@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Thirty seconds after the Reds were told Tuesday that Texas left-hander Kenny Rogers didn't want to join them for the pennant race, the Reds acquired somebody who did: Detroit Tigers right-hander Brian Moehler.
“I'm very excited to be getting a fresh start with a (new) team, especially this team,” Moehler said. “As a ballplayer, this is where you want to be, right in the middle of a pennant race.
The question is: Will Moehler (1-1, 2.29 ERA) be enough to help the Reds catch the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals?
He throws with the wrong hand to negate the heavy left-handed hitting Cardinals and, having returned to the Tigers' rotation only two weeks ago after rehabbing from arthroscopic shoulder surgery, his 90-92 mph velocity hasn't yet returned. Moehler's record also doesn't glitter like Rogers' 10-5.
But he has two things Rogers doesn't:
• A 12:35 p.m. start today with the Reds.
• A desire to be with the Reds.
Barry Larkin had the best line of all, and the shortstop said it before radio talk shows could begin to skewer the Reds for not landing a high-profile pitcher.
“Let's give him a chance,” Larkin said. “There are some people who, if you change their surroundings, it makes all the difference in the world.”
The Reds' Russell Branyan, who played 242 games with the American League's Cleveland Indians from 1998 until last month, said Moehler has a warrior's mentality on the mound.
“We faced him a lot in Cleveland, and he took the ball and shoved it up our backsides,” Branyan said. “Every time out, he threw the ball well. That's last year and the year before, when we had those stacked lineups: Juan Gonzalez, Robby Alomar, Jim Thome, Kenny Lofton and a healthy Travis Fryman. That wasn't a lineup you could just breeze right through.”
To diminish the deal because Moehler isn't Rogers would be wrong, said Branyan, adding: “Some people might view this as a little bit of a letdown, but I don't believe it is. ... When both of them are healthy, I think I'd rather be playing behind Moehler.”
Branyan also got off a couple of good lines at Moehler's expense.
“He's got a nice changeup, and he cuts and sinks the fastball,” Branyan said. “Some days, he's got a little bit better (cutter) than other days. It depends on what he's using.”
Branyan broke himself up on that one.
“Who was that they (the Tigers) were playing when he got caught scuffing the ball? Remember that? It was the Yankees or the White Sox. We'd holler at him from the dugout in Cleveland.
“He's got good movement. He can run the ball in on your hands, or throw it at your hip and run it over the plate. Some days, his two-seam fastball is like (Greg) Maddux's He's got good movement. Hopefully, he doesn't leave that in Detroit. If he brings it to Cincinnati with him, we could have some fun.”
Reds manager Bob Boone said “all of our (scouts) reports have been tremendous on him. Yes, his velocity is down slightly, but he can really pitch. Terrific changeup, cutting fastball, sinking fastball, curveball.”
The tougher the jam, the tougher Moehler gets, Boone said.
“But, in saying that, you also have to be able to pitch,” Boone said. “He can pitch.”
Moehler doesn't overpower hitters. He's up and down, in and out, and changes speeds well. When he's locating well, he's hard on hitters. When he isn't locating, he probably will get racked.
“I'm pretty close” to being where he wants to be with his stuff, Moehler said. “I don't have any pain. I'm happy where I am now (after shoulder surgery). ... They say the first year (after surgery) is getting back to it; the second year, you're back where you should be.”
Reds third baseman Aaron Boone said he knows Rogers probably would have provided the Reds an immediate shot in the arm, because he'd been pitching so well all season for the Rangers.
“But we're not a team that concentrates too much on the "what ifs,'” Aaron Boone said. “Hopefully, it winds up working out even better for us in the long run. Brian gets healthy and helps us this year and in the new stadium. That's the silver lining.”'
Long term, the facts say Moehler is a better acquisition than Rogers. He's 30 years old to Rogers' 37; he's signable for 2003 and beyond (he's a free agent after this season, and the Tigers are paying the remainder of his $2.4 million salary this year); and he wants to be here.
But this deal, supposedly, is about this year. Isn't this what the Reds have been telling the fans? Is Moehler enough?
“I don't know,” Boone said. “But I know it's a winnable division. That said, we've got to start stringing some wins together.”
Larkin credited Reds management for bolstering the rotation for the upcoming dog days of the pennant race.
“They've tried, man,” Larkin said. “They had a hand in the Bartolo Colon deal and the (Chuck) Finley deal.... From (Reds general manager) Jim Bowden's perspective, he's trying to get after it. His hands are obviously tied (from a standpoint of not being able to add to the payroll). He's definitely trying to get it done. I respect that.”
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Moehler makes Reds' debut today
