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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy is in his 36th year of covering the Cincinnati Reds, the longest tenure for any active writer covering one team. Counting spring training and postseason games, McCoy has covered more than 7,000 major-league baseball games, written close to 18,000 baseball stories and eaten enough hot dogs to give Babe Ruth indigestion.Home > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > May > 22 > Entry
Cueto needs tough love
You’ve been worried about the wrong guy all along.
While we all wondered why Matt Belisle kept getting chances despite awful outings, it’s really Johnny Cueto who is the center of concern.
After Belisle pitched a good one Tuesday night in a losing cause, Cueto had his ears removed Wednesday night by the Dodgers.
It was a dreary five innings watching him labor. He needed 114 pitches to get through the fifth, giving up seven hits, four runs (two earned - one of those unearned runs scoring on his pickoff throw that landed in Pismo Beach), three walks, two strikeouts, one wild pitch.
Now he is 2-5 with an earned run average of 5.56 and the look in his eyes of a cornered coyote with the roadrunner sticking his tongue out at him.
Remember the kid who made his debut with a one-hitter and 10 strikeouts against one of the league’s best teams, the Arizona Diamondbacks?
There is not a shred of evidence that guy exists now. The 22-year-old Dominican has lost his way and Mario Soto isn’t around to help him. His body language says, “I’ve lost my way and I can’t find the right way.”
With Soto gone, maybe Dick Pole can get in his face the way he got into Matt Belisle’s face before Tuesday’s start.
Manager Dusty Baker insists that Belisle was not pitching for his rotation life Tuesday, that he already had Belisle listed for his next start.
That’s not how Belisle interpreted it, though, especially before Tuesday’s start when Pole stared him eye-to-eye and told him, “Step it up, pal. Right now.”
Belisle lost, but pitched as if his rotation life did depend on it — three runs seven hits, two walks, seven strikeouts over seven innings.
Pole smiled when asked if he put the fear of Abner Doubleday into Belisle and said, “That’s about right. That sums it up.”
Pole said Belisle thought he was going all-out during his starts, but it didn’t look that way to anybody else.
“I told him to pitch with a little bit of urgency, which he did Tuesday night,” Pole added. “The pitcher he is supposed to be is the pitcher he was Tuesday night. He has the stuff.
“He was aggressive and pounded the strike zone,” he said. “It looked to me in other starts as if he was trying to pace himself. He thought he was really getting after it and I told him to go look at video.”
The camera seldom lies.
“Just watching himself proved it,” Pole said. “Some guys feel like they’re getting after it but when they watch it they can see that they are really not.”
Baker saw it, too.
“A hungry man is a working man,” said Baker. “I’m very proud of him. He wants to keep that job. But I haven’t had him on a start-to-start basis.”
Cueto probably needs some of that tough love, too. If that doesn’t work, a dose of Louisville is probably dead ahead and there are plenty of candidates wearing Bats uniform ready to try their luck.
And for those counting, the Reds have lost nine straight in Dodger Stadium, last winning here in 2005. They’ve lost three straight in each of 2006, 2007 and 2008.
They boarded a pair of buses for the trip down I-5 to San Diego right after the game, with four games against the Padres dead ahead.
I’m taking the train Thursday morning. Can’t wait. Love the train. Don’t know how much fun it will be watching four games in Petco Park with two teams who can’t hit at the moment.
Petco? No dog food jokes, please.
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Comments
By C N Red
May 28, 2008 3:02 AM | Link to this
The Reds hitting numbers rank way better than their pitching numbers in the NL. Their ERA is 4.54 and teams are hitting .270 against Reds pitching…both 13th out of the 16 NL teams. I would have to say the Reds pitching is as much…if not more of a problem than their hitting.By C N Red
May 28, 2008 3:01 AM | Link to this
The Reds hitting numbers rank way better than their pitching numbers in the NL. Their ERA is 4.54 and teams are hitting .270 against Reds pitching…both 13th out of the 16 NL teams. I would have to say the Reds pitching is as much…if not more of a problem than their hitting.By Chris @ Charleston WV
May 27, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this
I agree with one other comment, 2 earned runs is pretty good for a 22 year old. Run support is the biggest problem, live by the homerun, die by the homerun. Votto needs to work on the toss to the pitch to firstbase. I’m so sick of hearing people complain about Griffey, there are 29 other teams that wouldn’t mind having him in their arsenal. I have been to 3 games this year and never in my life have I heard and seen so many fair weather fans, stay home I don’t want to see or hear it.By Greg Spence
May 24, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
Bailey can’t hit the broad side of a barn right now. Belisle’s middle name in inconsistent so send him outta town. How about bring up a lefty for a different look and bring up Maloney. Good stuff, young arm…why not give him a shot??By dave smith
May 23, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
reds need runsBy Coach
May 22, 2008 5:43 PM | Link to this
Richard: Amen to your comment!Nuff said.By jarrod
May 22, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
i have to agree that its not the pitching although its not fantastic. i can live with cueto because once he gets out of the middle of the strike zone he will be dominant again. it is the offencive offense thats the problem. no power from number 3 and what more needs to be said about corey dustyson.By Y-City Jim
May 22, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
Once again it is the hitting not the pitching that is the problem. Maybe if Jocketty would go slap Baker in the head and tell him to get some on-base guys at the top of the order.By Jack
May 22, 2008 11:10 AM | Link to this
It is very hard to watch this team when the organization is not putting the best team on the field. Its getting very tiring, but Belisle does not have a future with this team. Get rid of him. I dont care about Baily’s attitude, if he is better then Belisle, bring him up, if not, bring up someone else. Patterson has no future with the Reds either. In fact our entire current starting outfield has a chance to be gone next year. I would like to keep Dunn. Play Dunn, Bruce, and until Stubbs is ready, I can live with Hopper and Freel.By realist
May 22, 2008 10:48 AM | Link to this
Same old same old. Slow, tedious, wild swinging, out of shape, no plate discipline, no ability to hunker down to get the bat on the ball. Harang, Volquez, in 2 years Cueto, the END of all talent on pitching staff. Prospects are weak; Reds’ controllers are delusional-and the city of Cincinnati deserves every bit of it-just ask any African American who lives there.By Jeff
May 22, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
I can’t believe that this is even a question? It’s absurd to think that he should be pulled from the rotation! Besides, who you gonna put in there Homer? Please! He shouldn’t even see an MLB mound until he learns a little humility! I would love to see the Reds to package he and Dunn in a deal and get a LF that can hit for average and lead off.By Richard
May 22, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
Wind give Reds rough night. Did the wind quit blowing when the Dodgers where playing defense? Oh, yea I forgot,first you have to hit the ball in the air and in the outfield for the wind to affect it.By Jimmy1Time
May 22, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
Looks like me the next time we go to L.A. we need to keep Charlie Sheen and the hookers awawy from the team. And Jr. away from the steakhouses. IN fact maybe even put him ona diet? Like when the Cubs radio guy flat out said Danny Graves needs to stay way from Krispy Cream! You know maybe we do need Sheen on this team. What could it hurt? I bet he throws harder than David Weathers! And gets nice looking ladies of the night. Let Johnny room with Charlie for awhile!!! Loyal Reds fan from Paris, Kentucky!!!By Jimmy1Time
May 22, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
Looks like me the next time we go to L.A. we need to keep Charlie Sheen and the hookers awawy from the team. And Jr. away from the steakhouses. IN fact maybe even put him ona diet? Like when the Cubs radio guy flat out said Danny Graves needs to stay way from Krispy Cream! You know maybe we do need Sheen on this team. What could it hurt? I bet he throws harder than David Weathers! And gets nice looking ladies of the night. Let Johnny room with Charlie for awhile!!! Loyal Reds fan from Paris, Kentucky!!!By Richard
May 22, 2008 10:29 AM | Link to this
How can you blame Cueto,Belisle, Harang or Arroyo for the way they pitched, when they feel they have to throw a shutout everytime they pitch to get a win? Put some damn runs on the board so they can pitched a relaxed game. One or two players hitting isn’t going to work. They all need to be producing. Solo home runs, as a rule, don’t win games. Little ball wins games. Lord knows, they should know by now, every team out there is beating them by playing little ball.By Cait
May 22, 2008 10:23 AM | Link to this
Cueto might improve with some time in Louisville, but I’m for keeping him in the rotation. I recall many years ago when an awful Braves team put hapless young pitchers into the rotation and they got pummeled. But they learned. They were named Glavine, Smoltz and Avery.By Reds Fan
May 22, 2008 9:02 AM | Link to this
I’m not being a pessimist but I didn’t expect the Reds to win last night. The Dodgers have too MANY young quality hitters for Cueto to have a good game or to win the game he’d needed 6-7 runs and on the road that’s not happening. Our team is just not built to play in stadiums like LA and SD. Griffey probably has 2 HR’s this week at GABP. The Dodgers have a great foundation. Hope the Reds can follow the plan. I’m not being mean spirited but we gotta hope for a Corey Patterson injury. He is awful and what makes me mad is all along everyone is saying his .OBP. It’s rotten why is swinging with a count in his favor to fly out to CF. Hal was right let Cueto take his lumps but bring up Bruce too. This is getting ridiculous. I still think this team can get something out of ‘08 but the ‘09 team isn’t going to be a version of this one. Griffey gone, Hatte too, Valentin and Ross probably. Patterson thank you for only a 1 yr deal, hope they trade AGon, Dunn is a question mark? Any thoughts??By Pete
May 22, 2008 8:51 AM | Link to this
Sounds like Oskar is gonna starting printing his playoff tix for next year. Hmmmm….might wanna hold off w/ that for a few more seasons, pal.By Paul
May 22, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
I have folloed the Reds closely since returning from Korea in 1953. I do nor recall such players as we now have. I recall Nuxall striking out 4 yes 4 batters in one inning.Where are the players now? They should be required to earn there pay, penalized for errors of judgment or throwing, dropping balls etc. hit their pockets and see what happens then.By Oskar
May 22, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
Listen up folks. The Reds are not going to compete this year but appear to have the foundation to challenge in the next several years. Griffey will be long gone and the #3 hole will stop being just that. The kids at the corners of the infield will be developing their obvious skills and there is, of course, the undeniable talent of Jay Bruce. And there is pitching in the system which gives everyone some hope. So let young Mr. Cueto pitch and even if he takes his lumps for a while, he’ll be learning against the quality of hitters that he will be up against in his major league career. To send the young man down to Louisville makes no sense at a time when this team is learning about themselves and their future.By MAC
May 22, 2008 8:12 AM | Link to this
While Cueto did throw too many pitches and a costly overthrow on a pick off play, he only gave up 2 earned runs; that’s not exactly a bad pitching performance in my book. All and all, he’s doing quite well for a 22 year-old.By DALE 78
May 22, 2008 8:09 AM | Link to this
If you pull Cueto who do you replace him with ? . Homer Bailey is not exactly lighting it up in triple A. Really the Reds options are limited they are not really deep in pitching .By Mike
May 22, 2008 7:55 AM | Link to this
Overall the Reds are not very good. Other teams have more talent. Cueto is a 22 year old rookie who is probably in over his head. He will get better with experience. How much better is the 64 dollar question? If he has the “stuff” everyone seems to think he has he will improve as long as his attitude stays positive and he can develop “repeatable” mechanics. In the meantime the journey to success will be marked with many lousy pitching nights.By michael
May 22, 2008 7:52 AM | Link to this
Let him pitch. An ERA of above 5 is acceptable in Cincy, right? They have stayed with Belisle too long, why not Cueto? If he is learning, Like Dusty says, let him pitch and learn. Hopefully, he won’t burn out like some of Dusty’s past top prospectsBy pd
May 22, 2008 7:00 AM | Link to this
Love the local colour in your reports, makes me want to be out there right now (clue to my real location in the spelling). However, if the pickoff throw was to first then it’s going in the opposite direction to Pismo beach! It’s more like towards Dusty’s Riverside :)By HuberTucky
May 22, 2008 2:36 AM | Link to this
Watched all three Reds games against LA. Is this even the same team I watched play with intesity just last week and win all six games against two 1st place teams? Is this the Cincinnati Reds or the Schizophrenic Reds? They seem to have a dual diagnosis, play scared in LA, and their heads aren’t in the game. As though they’ve psyched themselves out before they get there. Their West Coast performance so far a P — pathetic!By MAC
May 22, 2008 2:33 AM | Link to this
Last night it was beat up on MB and tonight it’s Cueto’s turn. We can’t send them all to AAA can we? And if we do, we read articles that suggest they’re not learning or working on anything new when they get there (see Homer Bailey) so what’s the point? This is especially true if our Catcher or 1st baseman continue to not catch catchable balls, our SS can’t throw it on target, our hitters continue to have lousy ABs w/ long all or nothing swings and what few base runners we do have continue to make boneheaded mistakes that run us out of run scoring chances. Got to share the love; maybe they need a little more of it in the front office?