In Defense of Homer Bailey

In January 2014, on a wintry day in Ashland, Ky., a few hundred Reds fans gathered at Fannin Motors to see the Cincinnati Reds Caravan come to town.

Seated on the small stage in front of them was Reds pitcher Homer Bailey, who many in the room half expected to not be there since he was one of the hottest trade rumors in recent weeks. But there he was, seated next to his new manager, Bryan Price, and just a few seats down from Reds owner Bob Castellini.

The Q&A got off to an inauspicious start when a young man in the audience asked Homer how much loyalty was worth to him. Homer handled it in typical Homer fashion by answering, “I’m sorry. What was the question?” But just a few moments later, Bob C. decided he needed to deal with the elephant in the room head on and in answer to another question, took the opportunity to praise Homer for the kind of guy he was on and off the field and said he would do “everything in his power” to keep Homer in a Reds uniform. Everyone—and I mean EVERYONE—in the room cheered.

What a difference a couple of years makes…

Bob C. was true to his word and did do everything to keep Homer, signing him to a $100 million long-term deal. But the deal has not panned out the way either side would have liked, and those cheers that filled that building in 2014 would no doubt be boos today. And even worse, many Reds fans have turned the whole deal into a Homer vs. Johnny Cueto situation, complaining the Reds should have signed Cueto long-term instead of signing Homer. That argument has been buoyed by Cueto’s success in San Francisco this season and his success in Kansas City, leading to a championship.

But that argument is unfair to both Homer and the Reds. Homer’s recent injuries and Cueto’s recent success, and the short-term memory of many Reds fans, has made people forget why the Reds did what they did to start with. So let me take a moment to remind you.

In the winter of 2014, Cueto was coming off two injury-mired seasons and that epic playoff choke in Pittsburgh. There was zero indication that he was going to be a 20-game winner the next year. ZERO. Meanwhile, Homer was coming off two strong seasons and showing every indication he was only going to keep getting better. It just made sense for the Reds to pursue Homer instead of Cueto.

There are no crystal balls in sports, so the Reds had no idea what was going to end up happening. They made the best decision they could at the time and I believe it was the correct one. People have also forgotten that when Homer went down with a flexor mass injury in August 2014, he was one of the hottest pitchers in baseball with an ERA of less than two—an even better ERA than, yes, Johnny Cueto.

To say that the Reds made the wrong decision just because Homer has been injured and Cueto has experienced a great deal of success is unfair. Injuries happen. Even the best pitchers in the business are affected by them (Clayton Kershaw and Matt Harvey are just a few of the big names to go down this year.). Tommy John surgery has almost become a right of passage for major league pitchers. It happens and an injury is no reason to say that a guy is not worth the contract he was given.

There are no guarantees with long-term contracts (Just ask the Arizona Diamondbacks) and they are all risky. Who’s to say that if the Reds had signed Cueto to a long-term deal that he wouldn’t have gone down with an injury—as his track record over the previous two seasons indicated he would?

There is no argument that in doing “everything he could” to keep Homer that Bob C. went too far moneywise. But that’s on the Reds, not Homer Bailey. And it’s unfair for the group I lovingly refer to as the Homer Haters to blame him for things that are completely out of his control.

And to say that he has been sitting around doing nothing but cashing paychecks over the past 15 months? Don’t even get me started on that one.

I was working the Caravan that day in January 2014, so I didn’t cheer…out loud. But today, as Homer Bailey returns to the mound after 15 months, I am proud to cheer out loud in my home and here on the Internet. The Reds signed him to a long-term deal because he proved his critics wrong and finally became the major league pitcher the Reds had always hoped he would be.

I believe he will find a way to do it again, haters be danged.

  

Photo by Angela Henderson-Bentley

Should Reds Fans Throw in the Towel?

It’s the statement I’ve been seeing more and more on my Facebook feed…

I am so done with the Reds.

And it’s an understandable statement considering what’s transpired in recent weeks. The trade of Todd Frazier was a huge blow. Although I’d say he only received the third biggest ovation at Redsfest (behind Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips), Frazier had in a lot of ways become the face of the franchise. His triumphant Home Run Derby moment was the centerpiece of Redsfest. It was all over the posters and all over the Kids Zone, as Frazier had once again been named the captain of the Reds Heads kids club.

All of us in the Duke Energy Convention Center on that Friday night watching the team get introduced knew that this was the last time we would see all of these players together as a team. But I’m not sure any of us really believed Frazier would be traded.

I know no one expected Brandon Phillips’ entrance on a hoverboard to be his last entrance as a Red. It wasn’t—at least not yet—but just the thought of BP playing somewhere else was enough to drive away many Reds fans.

And the carnage is not over. Jay Bruce is likely to be gone at any moment. Aroldis Chapman will be gone as soon as MLB makes a decision about his fate. And Phillips could still go if he finds a deal more to his liking.

There’s no doubt that the 2016 season will be a rough one. As will the season after that and the season after that. And probably the season after that. So the question must be asked:

Should Reds fans throw in the towel and find another team to root for?

I actually got into this very debate on Twitter with a local sportswriter. His argument was that the Reds are a sinking ship and it’s time to jump off. That makes sense and is completely understandable. But I cannot agree with his argument.

I believe when you choose a team to root for, you make a commitment to that team. You invest not only your love, but your time, your money and your wall/shelf/closet space. If you’re a true fan, you can’t just root for a team during the good times. You have to be there through the bad times too.

There are those who would argue that the Reds broke their part of the commitment when they started putting fan favorites on the market. But the truth is they’re doing what they need to do to get back to where they need to be. It’s very easy to forget sometimes that baseball is a business. That stinks and it can be very tough, but at the end of the day, it is what it is and there’s not much we can do about it.

So back to the question. Should Reds fans throw in the towel and find another team? My answer is a resounding no. If you love the Reds, you’ll stick by them, no matter how rough it may get. And at some point somewhere, somehow, your loyalty will be rewarded.

I have no intention of turning my back on my team and I encourage all of you to join with me. The Reds will need all the love they can get.

Photo by Angela Henderson-Bentley. 2015 Redsfest Team Introductions.

The Buzz About Bronson

"Did you hear the big news?" my husband asked me shortly after coming in the door.

Today was a crazy day at work, so I hadn't heard much of anything.

"No, what?" I responded.

"Bronson Arroyo is in Cincinnati and he's talking about coming back to the Reds."

I haven't stopped buzzing since.

I've been saying to him for weeks that the Reds need to bring Bronson back. GM Dick Williams says the team is only interested if he's healthy. But I don't care if he ever throws another pitch. The Reds young pitchers need Bronson in that clubhouse to teach them how to be a Major League pitcher. If he can eat some innings until Homer Bailey gets back, that's just a bonus.

Everything is just talk right now, but if this could get done, it would go a long way to boosting Reds fan's spirits. Just the thought of it has already boosted mine.

You can read John Fay's story here.

Will Fans Be Able to Deal With a Trade of Chappy?

Last Friday night, I had the pleasure of attending a dinner where Darryl Strawberry was speaking.

Because of the dinner's topic, the table conversation turned to baseball and the Reds. One of my tablemates asked me who I thought the Reds would trade this winter. I responded with two names: Jay Bruce and Aroldis Chapman, who I referred to as Chappy.

One of the other people at the table--who admittedly knows nothing about baseball--asked me if Chappy was the guy who threw really fast and I told her that it was. Then she asked me a question. Why would the Reds trade him when he is so good? I tried to explain to her that it was about money and that paying a player $7.5 million--or whatever Chappy ends up with after arbitration--was too much to pay someone who hardly played.  I then had to explain to her what a closer is and why he only comes in at the end of a game. It was a pretty entertaining conversation.

But on the way home, I started to contemplate her original question a little more. And I realized that when (not if) Aroldis Chapman is traded, many fans will ask the same question: Why?

It's the same question a lot of fans have been asking about the Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake trades. Not every fan understands the business of baseball. And I'm not saying that I'm an expert in it, but I understand enough to know that Chappy has become a luxury for the Reds. A luxury they can turn into promising younger players they can control at a lower salary for a longer period of time.

But for the less engaged fan, all it means to them is that when the bullpen door opens, Chappy won't come out and throw those three digit fastballs. And that will be hard for those fans to deal with and understand.

It will be interesting to see how the organization sells a trade of Chapman, or Bruce, or any of the other veterans that might be on the block this winter.  The Reds have already introduced a number of great ticket promotions, clearly anticipating that they're going to have to work to keep everyone's support this season.

Today, Richard Justice of MLB.com wrote a column speculating on the top five possible trade destinations for the Cuban Missile.

The GM Change: What does it really mean?

I admit when the alert came across my phone today, I got pretty excited. Walt Jocketty was no longer the Reds General Manager. But when I read the team’s announcement and saw that Walt would still oversee the department, I postponed the delivery of the party hats.

Then when I read the story after the Reds press conference regarding the change, I cancelled them entirely.

Yes, Dick Williams is now the Reds GM and Jocketty is now the President of Baseball Operations, but according to the team, Jocketty will still have final say in player decisions this season. When the season ends—the end of his three-year deal with the team—he will turn full control over to Williams. Jocketty is working on a new deal that would make him a consultant to owner Bob Castellini after this season.

So what does all this mean? To me, it means that Jocketty just didn’t have it in him to do the day-to-day grind the Reds need in this offseason. This way, he can have the final say in personnel without doing the legwork.

Some of you may be wondering why the Reds didn’t just fire Jocketty. He certainly had it coming. But Bob C. was never going to do that because they’re too good of friends. This way, there’s some appeasing the fans since he’s not the GM anymore, but he didn’t have to be fired.

Of course, this move opens up a lot of questions. Where is Williams’ head as far as trading players like Jay Bruce and Aroldis Chapman? And if he does want to trade some of these marquee players, will Jocketty actually let him? What happens if the two butt heads? Does Jocketty get his way or does a third party (i.e. Bob C.) have to decide?

Things are starting to get interesting now, kids…

Photo: Dick Williams signs an autograph during the 2013 Reds Caravan stop in Ashland, Ky. Photo by Angela Henderson-Bentley

Is Bronson Arroyo Finished?

The recent profile of former Red Bronson Arroyo in "Deadspin" is fascinating, sad and disturbing all in one as he contemplates getting old and the possible end of his career. The thought of Bronson never pitching again makes me want to cry, so I truly hope he is not done.

You can read the story here.

Why I'm Not Suprised the Reds kept Bryan Price

So let’s jump into this blog with the number one topic in Reds Country right now: yesterday’s announcement that Bryan Price will return in 2016 as the Reds manager.

It’s a decision that shocked many Reds fans, but not me. No, really. I knew it was going to happen.

Please notice that I said I knew it was going to happen. I did not say I agree with the decision because I do not. I believe Price deserved to and should have lost his job. So why was I sure that wasn’t going to happen?

1) Owner Bob Castellini is a loyal guy who thinks with his heart before he thinks with his head.

All you have to do is look at the big contracts the Reds have signed over the past few seasons to know that this is the case. Dusty Baker would probably still be the manager of the Reds if he had agreed with the decision to fire Brook Jacoby as the hitting coach.

2) The heir apparent was not ready.

By all reports, the heir apparent to the manager’s position is Barry Larkin. And he has said he’s not sure he’s ready to become a manager. The one more year on Price’s contract would give Larkin the time he needs to get ready.

3) The young pitching staff needs Price’s help.

Ironically, the person the Reds’ young pitching staff needs more than anyone is Bryan Price—but as their pitching coach, not their manager. However, the thought is probably that Price being around in any capacity is better than no Price at all.

I had high hopes for Price as a manager because of how good of a pitching coach he is. But there was always that nagging concern in the back of my head that he would be another Dick LeBeau. A great coordinator/coach that was just not meant to be the head guy. The Bengals had no choice but to fire LeBeau as their head coach, only for him to go to the Steelers and harass them for years as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator. I have no doubt the same thing will eventually happen with Price.

But by keeping him for next year, the Reds have put themselves in a real pickle with the fans. If Walt Jocketty (who I believe should be gone as well) does not make some major moves in the offseason to help improve the team for the future, the fans’ anger over retaining Price will just keep growing and growing. And the fans will no doubt not be as loyal as Bob C. and will eventually stop buying tickets.

I had sworn that last year was my last Redsfest because it’s usually the same-old, same-old with very few changes. But now it is a must-attend to hear the fan reaction when Price is introduced. Last year, J.J. Hoover and Hitting Coach Don Long were booed. They will not hold back on Price.

Photo: Bob Castellini at 2014 Reds Caravan stop in Ashland, Ky. Credit: Angela Henderson-Bentley