Shane Reynolds looks horrible

[BC867]

That's what I said last fall and why I didn't like Sparks or Reynolds. The D-Backs have a lot of young pitching talent. No sense wasting roster spots on total has-beens when the team is cutting salary and going with a youth movement.

I was at Sunday's game at TEP and Steve Sparks was very impressive.

Six innings of 2-hit shutout ball. Three strikeouts and no walks. And that on a day when he said his knuckleball was not working well. And on a windy day.

So he compensated by changing locations and staying in comand.

The disappointment was Matt Mantei. 2/3 of an inning. A hit and two walks, with one strikeout.

 

[Djaughe]

....So he compensated by changing locations and staying in comand....

lol...it cracks me up when the catcher doesn't even know where the knuckler is going!

 

[Espo]

i saw Shane pitch on saturday and it was pathetic to watch. Litterally all you could do is laugh when you see 11 runs come across the plate in a 2 inning span. I think they need to let patterson have the 5th rotation spot because he is out of options and he has the potential.

 

[Djaughe]

i saw Shane pitch on saturday and it was pathetic to watch. Litterally all you could do is laugh when you see 11 runs come across the plate in a 2 inning span. I think they need to let patterson have the 5th rotation spot because he is out of options and he has the potential.

Sparks! Sparks! Sparks!

RHP Steve Sparks' 1.29 ERA is the second best in the Cactus League, trailing only Chicago's Kerry Wood (1.17). - 3/23/04

Notes - Sparks' solid outing on Sunday, in which he tossed six shutout innings, means he more than likely will be a starter. And while Shane Reynolds has struggled, the team has been pleasantly surprised by the success of Casey Daigle. Daigle, whose engagement to Arizona softball pitcher Jenny Finch has teammates ribbing him constantly, has given up just three earned runs in 12 innings and struck out 11. And it is looking more and more likely that bonus baby John Patterson will fail to make the team and could end up being released. Patterson has been awful this spring - he's given up 14 hits and six runs in nine innings - and appears out of options. His fastball is topping out at between 85 and 88 mph with very little movement.

 

[AZZenny]

"Shane Reynolds was watching video of his last outing, trying to discover if he was still tipping his pitches, when something else jumped out at him, after giving up 17 runs on 17 hits in his last 5 innings.

"I realized I can't pitch for **** anymore," said the lanky 36-year-old righty. "My mechanics are off, my speed is down 3-4 mph, and I tip my pitches."

Reynolds had hoped that controlling his compulsive habit of mimicking the catcher's signs before his wind-up might help him get his ERA back under control, but he shook his head in disgust after watching the latest video. "I got nothing to prove," he said, "I know I'm not a Schilling - I'm thinner, and I can't find the strike zone with a GPS. But I'm younger than Johnson - and Spring Training numbers don't count."

"You can't judge guys by their Spring Training numbers," said manager Bob Brenley. "Reynolds' ERA is positively elephantine, but we still have him penciled in as our #4 guy." Brenly paused to sign for a box of rubber gum erasers sent by anxious fans, and winked. "Spring Training numbers don't tell the whole story. He's a worn-out veteran, he's cheap, and our GM has an...uncanny knack for finding those kind of guys to round out the rotation."


On a brighter note, today on KTAR 12:30 baseball show, Schulte and Brennaman commented that "The number 4 and 5 spots are WIDE open, with Patterson, Sparks, Reynolds, and Daigle all in the running.

They also suggested that Chad Tracy may start at Triple-AAA but if Danny B. struggles AT ALL in the early weeks, Tracy will replace him. I mean, Sandler is quick and flashy, but Tracy can hit rings around him. Go with the pups.

 

[IndyDevil]

On a brighter note, today on KTAR 12:30 baseball show, Schulte and Brennaman commented that "The number 4 and 5 spots are WIDE open, with Patterson, Sparks, Reynolds, and Daigle all in the running.

They also suggested that Chad Tracy may start at Triple-AAA but if Danny B. struggles AT ALL in the early weeks, Tracy will replace him. I mean, Sandler is quick and flashy, but Tracy can hit rings around him. Go with the pups.

Infield prospect Chad Tracy, who went 2 for 4 Wednesday against Colorado to raise his spring average to .353, continues to open eyes in camp with his hitting.

Hey, I have a great idea....LEAVE TRACY ON THE ML ROSTER!!! He should have been up here last year, and there is absolutely no reason why he shouldn't be on the club now!!

 

[AZZenny]

Shane Reynolds was saddled with the loss as he yielded eight hits and six runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out five and walking three.

OY.
Can anyone calculate his ERA now? I don't have that many fingers and toes - it must be approaching 20.00.

The part that really bums me out is we KNOW they'll look at the five SO and say 'he pitched better than his numbers look.'

Later - My mistake - today's outing actually LOWERED his ERA from over 16.0 to just over 14.0 Holy Moly. But the rest is as predicted:
"Shane missed his spots a couple of times today and it cost him," D-Backs manager Bob Brenly said. "I thought he had real good stuff today, though. I thought he pitched aggressively."

 

[schillingfan]

Is this where I get to say "I told you so"?

 

[BOB_Man24]

Is this where I get to say "I told you so"?

If we can get 1 of the two aquisition oldtimers to workout, we will be in good shape. Sparks is gonna have a good season, fooling the NL hitters all season long. He has already shown it in the spring. I think Reynolds will pull it together and if not, it wont be any different than Helling or Lopez of the past.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Perhaps Reynolds was just "going through the motions" this spring knowing that he had already locked the 4th spot in the rotation and hasn't really pitched at
"full throttle" yet....It's too premature to judge anyone at this time.....

 

[AZZenny]

Oh come on! If any of our young guys pitched like Reynolds has, he'd have been cut and sent down two weeks ago - ask Patterson, Good, etc. - They pitched better than Reynolds has. It is NOT too early to judge - that is exactly what ST is for. He's been consistently lousy, not even flashing promising stuff. By rights, Sparks and Daigle make the rotation and Reynolds does not.

Elmer Dessens has already claimed the Helling-Lopez role. So it'll be like having a rotation of RJ, Webb, Lopez, Helling, and ? You really like that rotation, think it'll be fine? Gives me the willies.

Being 36 is not a "plus," you know - the guy has not pitched well in a few years, and to think the dry desert air will make a big difference is silly. And if he's "just going through the motions," which I doubt is the case, that is not an attitude I'd like to see on the team.

 

[IndyDevil]

There has to be a point in Spring Training that a pitcher actually wants to get batters out, regardless of Reynolds' pronouncements that he has merely been "working on a few things"; we should just cut our losses and be done with Reynolds, because he is wasting a spot in the rotation.

Even Albie wasn't this damn bad!!

 

[schillingfan]

I'd even be able to accept the "trying things out" excuse if Reynolds had been decent in the prior couple of years. But when you're 36 and you royally sucked last year, when you royally suck in spring training it's a pretty good bet that you are going to suck that season.

 

[devilalum]

I'd even be able to accept the "trying things out" excuse if Reynolds had been decent in the prior couple of years. But when you're 36 and you royally sucked last year, when you royally suck in spring training it's a pretty good bet that you are going to suck that season.

Absolutely, after last year he defenitely should have something to prove.

 

[moviegeekjn]

Being 36 is not a "plus," you know - the guy has not pitched well in a few years, and to think the dry desert air will make a big difference is silly. .

Exactly! Reynolds' track record the past few seasons all indicate that this guy isn't even mediocre--he's downright putrid. We can compete with any number of the "kids" better than with this proven loser while continuing to build for the future.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Oh come on! If any of our young guys pitched like Reynolds has, he'd have been cut and sent down two weeks ago - ask Patterson, Good, etc. - They pitched better than Reynolds has. It is NOT too early to judge - that is exactly what ST is for. He's been consistently lousy, not even flashing promising stuff. By rights, Sparks and Daigle make the rotation and Reynolds does not.

Elmer Dessens has already claimed the Helling-Lopez role. So it'll be like having a rotation of RJ, Webb, Lopez, Helling, and ? You really like that rotation, think it'll be fine? Gives me the willies.

Being 36 is not a "plus," you know - the guy has not pitched well in a few years, and to think the dry desert air will make a big difference is silly. And if he's "just going through the motions," which I doubt is the case, that is not an attitude I'd like to see on the team.

Unfortunately, the Dbacks signed Reynolds to a guaranteed $1 mil contract, which essentially means he'll make the rotation regardless.... I'll just reserve my judgment on him until at least his 3rd start and be able to gauge if he's worthwhile or not....His stats were somewhat misleading last year because they were inflated at Turner Field, but he did much better on the road. No, I wouldnt say at a higher calibre level, but something that one would expect from the 4th pitcher in the rotation. If he does continue to struggle (and is being "roughed-up" by his 4th start), then they must either promote Daigle (who will be sent down because Sparks will make the rotation and they'd rather have Daigle start in AAA rather than pitch long relief) or go outside the organization....

 

[schillingfan]

His stats were somewhat misleading last year because they were inflated at Turner Field, but he did much better on the road.

Turner Field is pretty much a neutral, to even slightly pitchers park. Turner certainly didn't inflate his numbers. All parks in the NL east but Montreal favor pitchers. If anything, the three pitchers parks in the NL East, given the unbalanced schedule, probably deceptively deflated his road numbers.

 

[AZZenny]

Well in at least this one thing, some semblance of sanity won out - Daigle is the #4 starter, and Sparks #5, with Reynolds the long-relief guy in the Bullpen. Still a wasted spot. When will that idiot GM stop presenting mediocre or worn-out players with guaranteed contracts?

Speaking of which, Sadler did, indeed, get the last position slot, and Tracy goes back to Tucson.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Turner Field is pretty much a neutral, to even slightly pitchers park. Turner certainly didn't inflate his numbers. All parks in the NL east but Montreal favor pitchers. If anything, the three pitchers parks in the NL East, given the unbalanced schedule, probably deceptively deflated his road numbers.

Well, it's actually all moot now.... Come to think of it, it's ideal that Reynolds is in the "long-relief" role, especially since he'll be able to pitch extended outings whenever Dessens can't last beyond the 5th inning or if they regulate Daigle to a strict pitch-count initially.....I just hope Jenny Finch makes some appearances at the BOB though!

As far as Reynolds...He'll now be on a mission to prove himself which might benefit the Dbacks altogether....