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Saturday, February 16, 2013

McCoy: What is Mike Leake’s future?

Or the Carlton and the Ryan and Greg Maddux
Never return, no, never return, to burn with this Leake factory

“I talked to Leake over the winter,” said manager Dusty Baker. “I told him that in the big leagues the toughest times are the third, fourth and fifth years. That’s when everybody knows you. They know when you aren’t getting your breaking ball over, they know you follow a changeup with a fastball. Now it is up to you to re-adjust.

“Plus there is no room for a marginal or a bad year, because then people want to take you off to the side and forget about you,” Baker said. “Every pitcher I know has had a bad year. Steve Carlton (Hall of Famer) lost 20 one year, Nolan Ryan and Greg Maddux had bad years.

“Leake is a Maddux-type pitcher,” said Baker. “I made a call to Maddux and Maddux talked to him about some things. I told him over the winter he need to work on some things,” Baker added.

“He’s still in my plans,” Baker said. “Right now we have six starters, but I won’t use six at once and risk messing up guys like Cueto and Bronson Arroyo.”

Repoz Posted: February 16, 2013 at 09:01 AM | 11 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: reds

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1. PASTE Thinks This Trout Kid Might Be OK (Zeth) Posted: February 16, 2013 at 11:03 AM (#4370636)

Sure Greg Maddux had bad years. His first and second year in the majors and the years after he turned 40 were nothing special at all.

2. PASTE Thinks This Trout Kid Might Be OK (Zeth) Posted: February 16, 2013 at 12:15 PM (#4370663)

Sorry for the double post, but the edit function isn't working.

Mike Leake is a fifth starter/long man/waiver wire guy and the Reds happen to have five pitchers they like better right now. Presumably they're going to keep him around and put him back in the rotation as soon as one of those five gets hurt (which likely as not will happen during spring training). I'm not sure what the story is here.

3. TDF, situational idiot Posted: February 16, 2013 at 04:03 PM (#4370761)

Mike Leake is a fifth starter/long man/waiver wire guy

Mike Leake's a heck of a lot better than that. His career OPS+ is 97 (average for NL starters last year), and he never misses a start. Most teams would love to have him.

the Reds happen to have five pitchers they like better right now

This is true, but being #5 or #6 on that staff is nothing to be ashamed of. I'd also say that if it wasn't for Arroyo's contract, he'd be more likely to be the odd man out, not Leake.

4. Rickey Fredonia Fudge Duckery Precious Twiddle Posted: February 16, 2013 at 04:16 PM (#4370768)

Mike Leake's future is to be eaten alive by Zombie Dusty Baker. I've seen it in the cards.

5. What did Billy Ripken have against Elroy Face? Posted: February 16, 2013 at 04:21 PM (#4370769)

“Right now we have six starters, but I won’t use six at once and risk messing up guys like Cueto and Bronson Arroyo.”

Because in Dusty world, it's using pitchers *less* that messes them up.

6. Brian

Posted: February 17, 2013 at 09:42 PM (#4371154)

I won’t use six at once and risk messing up guys like Cueto and Bronson Arroyo.

As if Cueto and Arroyo have a lot in common. They are both pitchers who throw righty, play for the Reds, their last names end in O .... why, they're interchangeable!

7. booond Posted: February 18, 2013 at 12:22 AM (#4371203)

Most teams would love to have him.

I agree with this but there isn't a spot for him on the Reds if everyone'e healthy coming out of ST. Not sure what his option situation is but he could end up in AAA to begin the season.

8. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: February 18, 2013 at 12:38 AM (#4371210)

Because in Dusty world, it's using pitchers *less* that messes them up.

Yes, it's hard to believe that in this day and age there are managers who are still wedded to archaic ideas like a five-starter rotation.

9. TDF, situational idiot Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:10 AM (#4371255)

I won’t use six at once and risk messing up guys like Cueto and Bronson Arroyo.

As if Cueto and Arroyo have a lot in common. They are both pitchers who throw righty, play for the Reds, their last names end in O .... why, they're interchangeable!

My first thought was that it was because they both pitch better without the extra rest; I specifically remember Arroyo volunteering to pitch on short rest before.

However, their splits don't bear that out - it doesn't make any difference for Cueto at all, while the difference for Arroyo is that he pitches better on 3 days rest (only 8 starts, but a 3.19 ERA (a full run lower than his career 4.23)) but there's no difference in 4 or 5 days rest.

10. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Griffin (Vlad) Posted: February 18, 2013 at 10:56 AM (#4371272)

What is Mike Leake’s future?

He will meet a tall, dark stranger.

11. Davo Mastroianni Posted: February 18, 2013 at 12:06 PM (#4371317)

By BBREF:

Mike Leake pitching WAR: 1.7
Mike Leake batting WAR: 2.5 (.274/308/348).

He can go the Micah Owings route!

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Saturday, February 16, 2013

McCoy: What is Mike Leake’s future?

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