Marquis to the bullpen

[JohnU]

The good news is ......

The bad news is .......

Reds SP Jason Marquis out of rotation, reassigned to bullpen
by Michael Hurcomb | CBSSports.com
Reds starting pitcher Jason Marquis is being reassigned to the bullpen, manager Bryan Price said Friday.

The veteran right-hander won a spot in the rotation this spring, but he has struggled through the first two months. Marquis is winless in his last four starts, and he is 3-4 with a 6.46 ERA in nine starts this season.

 

[WvuDieHard]

I good start this year and then got shelled. Marquis, Badenhop, and Gregg. 3 acquisitions that make you wonder about the number of brain cells in the front office.

 

[Redsfan1507]

When 60% of the rotation will be at an all time high innings in July, it's a sign they need a few others to fill innings. Not saying Marquis can do that giving up 5 runs in 3 innings, but I think the (long shot) hope was he could reverse that to 5 IP and 3R regularly. The tough thing is, unless they've been in the bullpen or on the DL, not many MLB ready minor leaguers haven't pitched a full load by then either.

It's a problem, and one that can't be solved by trading for other teams farmhands that have also pitched all season. 6 man rotations don't work with 4-1/2 members, so it may be a better plan to run guys in & out of the pen, if you believe they can do that without blowing arms or having 15 man pitching staff. IMO, it may be a greater chance of the Reds trading lower level prospects to teams in mid / late season, that will shut them down, for journeyman pitcher or lame duck rental to finish the season.

One would think they had some plan in mind when they traded Latos & Simon, knowing Cueto and Leake were lame ducks that might have to be traded too, but I don't get it yet.

 

[JohnU]

This move reminds me of what I see along the road in places -- a rusty old Ford Granada surrounded by weeds out by the barn. The car didn't run and the people who owned it put the car out there in hopes of someday having enough money to get it going again. As time went on, the car became less important to the point that, 30-some years later, it's still sitting there in the weeds.
Marquis isn't going to get better by being in the bullpen. He's just taking up space out by the barn while the weeds grow up around him.
Cut the guy from the roster and get somebody whose numbers aren't good at Lousyville, bring him up and let him improve his game with the big club.
We ain't gonna win anything anyhow.
What continues to piss me off is how Walt clogs up the roster with guys who can't compete and the farm system rots away.
Does anybody think Marquis is going to get BETTER in the bullpen? When does he pitch? On Thursday?
I think the 6-man rotation is the only way to go now, but I'd rather have 4 guys like Lorenzen than one guy like Marquis.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I don't think they expect Marquis to get better. I think he was just the "best" MLB pitcher for the money they paid him, to show up and fill innings to deflect so many innings on the young arms. He may wind up with the highest ERA for the amount of innings pitched in MLB this year( most IP with an ERA of ....6.50 or whatever it winds up being).

The Reds have had some dubious honors like that. I remember in Jay Bruce's rookie year, Cory Patterson had the most AB ( over 300) with a BA under .200, that year.

 

[JohnU]

SAY GOODBYE, JASON.

 

[Redsfan1507]

The guy is just massively hittable. He might be ok as a middle reliever or long man, to pitch in blowouts, the problem might be, how few teams are willing to pay a MLB veteran salary for that...He may just retire. He's made lots of money. He could coach somewhere if he wants, I'm sure.