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Reds blank Pirates; team looks to future

Brandon Phillips celebrates with manager Dusty Baker after the Reds beat the Pirates 6-0 on Sunday, Oct. 4. Associated Press photo by David Kohl

David Kohl/FRE Brandon Phillips celebrates with manager Dusty Baker after the Reds beat the Pirates 6-0 on Sunday, Oct. 4. Associated Press photo by David Kohl

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 11:18 PM Sunday, October 4, 2009

CINCINNATI — Packed cardboard boxes cluttered the clubhouse floor space, a clear sign that the baseball season for the Cincinnati Reds is over — cut short of the playoffs for the ninth straight season.

In his spacious office, walls covered by photographs, manager Dusty Baker’s biggest smile and loudest laughter came after he heard the words: “Extreme Fatigue Rule.”

When it was explained to him, Baker said, “Lord have mercy, that’s wonderful.”

Baker and the Reds do not want 23-year-old pitcher Johnny Cueto to risk arm abuse by pitching this winter in the Dominican Republic.

Cueto, though, told writers Saturday that he probably would pitch in the Dominican this winter, “Starting in December.” When told that Sunday, Baker said, “Oh, no. Does (general manager) Walt Jocketty know that?”

Not long after that, assistant general manager Bob Miller explained the Extreme Fatigue Rule to writers, with a gleam in his eye.

“If a major-league pitcher has 170 or more innings, his team can invoke the Extreme Fatigue Rule and prevent him from pitching winter ball,” said Miller.

And how many innings did Cueto pitch this year? “How about 171 1/3 innings?” Miller said. “Imagine that.”

With that out of the way, Baker was in a better mood to talk about some of the good things he saw from his fourth-place 78-84 Reds, who then went out and clobbered the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-0, with Homer Bailey holding them to seven hits over six innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.

Some of the things he saw this year he believes have put the Reds a step closer to accomplish the long-missing appearance in the playoffs, beginning with the mid-season acquisition of third baseman Scott Rolen, who’ll be with the Reds all of next season.

“I liked the way Jonny Gomes, Laynce Nix and Daniel Ray Herrera came out of nowhere to help us,” he said.

“But the biggest, big-time, was Nick Masset,” Baker added. “He has elevated himself from one role to a more important role (middle relief to set-up after the Reds traded David Weathers in mid-season) through performance.”

Baker also mentioned Sunday’s starter, Bailey, and used his favorite “big-time” term, then added, “What he has done is huge after his previous records here (0-6 in 2008). And Johnny Cueto going from 9-14 last year to 11-11 this year.

“That’s progress and that’s what you like, especially from young players,” said Baker.

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