Milton faces knee surgery, but don't expect to see Homer

[CincyRedsFan30]

Milton faces knee surgery, but don't expect to see Homer

By Hal McCoy

Staff Writer

MILWAUKEE | A snippet of the conversation between Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron and general manager Wayne Krivsky about which pitcher should be brought up from the minors to pitch tonight's game in Washington:

Narron: "How about Ho. . .?"

Krivsky? "No."

Said Narron on Sunday morning to the media, "I got 'H-o' out of my mouth and couldn't get the 'mer' out. I got cut off quick."

It is Eric Milton's turn, but he is scheduled for surgery in Cincinnati today to clean up the meniscus in his right knee. A stand-in is needed and the first name to cross Narron's mind is 19-year-old Homer Bailey, pitching at Class A Sarasota.

Krivsky won't permit that so that go-to guy is right-hander Elizardo Ramirez, only because he is properly rested after pitching Wednesday for Class AAA Louisville, "But (manager) Rick Sweet told me Elizardo pitched an outstanding game Wednesday."

Narron, though, is sincere in his affection for the ability of Bailey, 8-4 with a 4.43 ERA in 28 games at Class A Dayton last season.

"I don't even know his record (at Sarasota) and I don't care and I'll probably get in trouble from Wayne for talking about this," Narron said. "I wouldn't be afraid to pitch Homer Bailey in a big-league game right now. With his stuff, hey, he has the kind of stuff we don't have here."

Narron knows, though, it is too early for Bailey.

"When his clock starts ticking it is only a matter of time, a matter of when," Narron said. "As much as I'd like to have him, it is not the right time and it is not going to be April 24."

Sizzle fizzles

In his first two starts, and all during spring training, Milton's fastball had a fried bacon sizzle to it, crossing home plate at 92 and 93 miles an hour.

In his last start, Tuesday in Great American Ball Park, his fastball was in the 86 and 87 miles an hour range and the Florida Marlins whacked away at him — nine runs, eight hits, three homers in 4 1/3 innings.

Narron noticed something was amiss.

"I did not think he looked right, not at all," said Narron. "He did not complain about his knee after the game and said he didn't feel anything until he threw on the side Friday. It was pretty obvious he didn't have the same stuff during his last start that he had his first two outings."

After his surgery today he is certain to miss two to three weeks, if not more.

"There is some concern about how much he is going to be able to throw a week after the surgery," Narron said.

Ramirez returns

Ramirez, the emergency starter in the opener of a three-game series tonight in Washington, is 0-1 with a 3.94 ERA at Class AAA Louisville and on Wednesday held Syracuse to no runs and three hits with seven strikeouts over six innings, but the Bats and relief pitcher Ryan Wagner lost the game.

Ramirez was 0-3 with an 8.46 ERA with the Reds last season and the team lost five of the six games in which he appeared. He hasn't walked a batter in 16 innings at Louisville this year.

Over the winter, Ramirez was 0-5 with a 6.51 ERA for Gigantes in the Dominican Winter League, but the Reds don't face any Dominican Winter League teams in the near future.

"We hope he pitches well enough so that we can keep him in the rotation for the time being," Narron said.

Freel's day off

Ryan Freel was not in Sunday's lineup, replaced in center field and in the leadoff spot by Quinton McCracken.

Freel is 1 for 18 (.056) for his career against Milwaukee left-hander Doug Davis, but Narron said, "He needs a day off."

Freel was 4 for his last 18, but had been on base eight times.

He tried to steal third in the first inning with one out Saturday and was caught and Narron said it was not a wise decision because, "That's one time he has to make it for sure if he runs."

McCracken said the leadoff spot is not virgin territory to him.

"I've done it enough that I'm fairly familiar with it," he said. "I did it some in Colorado and some in Florida. I've done it enough that it is not foreign to me. I know my first time up I need to see a lot of pitches to see what he is featuring and what he is getting across the plate."

On his first at-bat Sunday, McCracken made Doug Davis throw seven pitches, but he was called out on strikes. He struck out swinging his second time.

[redsfan28]

I don't care about rest, I want Germano. Ramirez was a hack for us last year.

[volzok]

So how would you move the rotation then? Have 4 straight starters go on 3 days rest? I dont think I would want Williams on 3 days.

[redsfan28]

When was the last time Germano pitched? I would rather see Germano on short rest than Ramirez fully rested. Ramirez sucks.

[volzok]

He pitched Saturday night.

[redsfan28]

Did the Reds know before or after Germano pitched that Milton was hurt?

[volzok]

I doubt it, but they probably could have held back Gosling yesterday. But options may be a factor too and maybe Lizard has more to burn.

[Wally Mo Pena]

couple things on this thread. First EZ doesn't suck. You don't compile an ERA below 3 and a 50-26 record across all levels of the minors and suck. he had a bad first taste of the majors at age 22, which is pretty common. I've always thought that he pitches a lot like bronson arroyo actually, who also doesn't suck. I'm not guaranteeing success for him, but watch the movement on his pitches on tv and you'll see why he's a well thought of prospect.

second, "options" are a confusing term for a lot of people so here's a quick breakdown:

A player who is on the 40-man roster but not on the 25-man roster or the disabled list is on an "optional assignment" to the minor leagues. A player has three years after he is added to the 40-man roster in which he can be sent to the minors without being removed from the roster, these are "option years." An option is used every year such a player is sent down unless the player remains in the minors for less than 10 days in each stint. A player "out-of-options" has exhausted his option years.

so EZ's call up doesn't have anything to do with having options to burn. All of the players on the reds 40 man wh oaren't in the big leagues are already using an option year.

[volzok]

Thanks for the clearup Wally.

[Geki Ace]

Uh, Lizard isn't a well thought of prospect by anyone but you, Wally. His fastball has no movement, his change is below average, and his breaking ball is average at best. He's a AAAA player.

[Wally Mo Pena]

he's not a top prospect but he's consistently around the reds top ten, like this for example (and for the record he has lots of movement on his fastball, that's what he has. He doesn't have the a lot of velocity, and he lacked control last year, but he's got great movement):

9. Elizardo Ramirez, 23, SP
Last year's ranking: 11
2005 stats:
Louisville, 131.1 IP, 3.77 ERA, 82/18 K/BB
Cincinnati, 22.1 IP, 8.46 ERA, 9/10 K/BB

Ramirez might be just a little too hittable to ever really succeed at the major league level, but he gets this high of a ranking because he's had some passable success at the AAA level. His solid control disappears at the major league level, suggesting that he really doesn't have the stuff to challenge major league hitters. You have to hope that he'll eventually be able to figure things out and translate his AAA competency into some ML success. I say this all the time, but I'd love to see Ramirez given a shot in the big league bullpen, to get his feet wet. He's got to learn how to pitch to major league hitters (because he can't just come out and overpower them), and he'd do less damage from the bullpen while learning. Wouldn't surprise me at all to see Krivksy move him at some point this season after what's happened the past couple of weeks.

[Geki Ace]

Being 9th in the Reds system is like being 20th in a real farm system.

[Wally Mo Pena]

Being 9th in the Reds system is like being 20th in a real farm system.

probably, but 20th isn't the bottom. maybe i shouldn't have said "well thought of" if you think that's too strong, but he is a prospect still not a AAAA player. he's going to be a big league pitcher for someone.

22yr old starters who have success at AAA aren't that common, it's far from time to start giving him that label.

[redsfan28]

Actually, most of the good pitching prospects usually are in AA rather than AAA. AAA is reserved more for hitters and AAAA players. AAA is usually more of a tuneup for the majors or a final resting place for pitchers who can't cut it in the bigs. The fact that Ramirez is doing well in AAA really doesn't surprise me, because he's probably facing a lot of AAAA talent. The one time he was brought up, he was shelled.

In any case, I'd rather see Germano than Ramirez. Its time to start evaluating the fruits of the Randa trade.

[homerun21]

Actually, most of the good pitching prospects usually are in AA rather than AAA. AAA is reserved more for hitters and AAAA players. AAA is usually more of a tuneup for the majors or a final resting place for pitchers who can't cut it in the bigs. The fact that Ramirez is doing well in AAA really doesn't surprise me, because he's probably facing a lot of AAAA talent. The one time he was brought up, he was shelled.

In any case, I'd rather see Germano than Ramirez. Its time to start evaluating the fruits of the Randa trade.

I definitely don't think Ramirez will amount to anything but your thoughts on AAA are incorrect redsfan28. Especially in Ramirez's case. If Ramirez was 25 or 26 your point would make sense, but he's only 22. Oh and I guess Germano isn't a real good pitching prospect, because he's in AAA. Other good prospects in AAA:

Chad Billingsley
Jon Lester
Scott Olsen
Anthony Reyes
Dustin McGowan
Jason Hirsh
Jeremy Sowers
Edison Volquez
Jered Weaver
Jonathan Broxton
Dustin Nippert
Yusmeiro Petit
Jason Hammel
Hayden Penn
Anthony Lerew
Tom Gorzelanny

All on the top 100 list.