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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > March > 08 > Entry
The kid has it
The scouts seated around a table in the McKechnie Field media dining room late Friday afternoon were chattering like Alvin the Chipmunk.
Earlier in the day they had witnessed the three-inning performance of 22-year-old Cincinnati Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto, scribbling notes about his 97 to 98 miles an hour fastball, his tantalizing changeup and his seldom-used slider.
They were dazzled. And who wouldn’t be?
If they say this kid isn’t ready and don’t have him in the rotation on Opening Day, then they aren’t trying to win the division. Some say he isn’t experienced enough, only 61 innings last year at Class AA Chattanooga (6-3, 3.10) and only 22 innings at Class AAA Louisville (2-1, 2.05).
But for those of you who feel manager Dusty Baker doesn’t look kindly at young talent, well, if he follows his words with action, then minds might be changed.
Baker talked eloquently and positively about Cueto on Saturday morning.
Of the short experience, Baker said, “Everybody doesn’t have to go through the natural progression. Especially pitchers. I’ve seen a lot of pitchers go from Double-A to the majors. Who has looked better than Cueto’s performance yesterday? He has aligned himself with the other starters.
“If he has good stuff and control and guts, then he has a chance,” Baker added.
Isn’t that a perfect description of the 5-10, 183-pound Dominican?
“Yeah, and he doesn’t get rattled,” Baker added. “I saw Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Carlos Zambrano come up with the Cubs. I don’t care who you are, if you have good stuff, you can make ‘em swing and miss or foul it off. If you don’t have good stuff, you better be perfect.”
Of Cueto’s velocity, Baker said, “Ninety-five is 95. If you can locate it at 97, whew, boy.”
It was mentioned that Cueto was throwing 97 Friday, clicking off some at 98.
“I believe that and it was an easy 97-98, easy. And with location,” Baker said. “With a nasty change-up and a slider. His delivery is consistent, which is what permits him to throw strikes and to throw hard with little effort.”
And his small stature doesn’t bother Baker…and it shouldn’t.
“He’s smaller than Pedro (Martinez) when Pedro came up,” said Baker. “As a player, I was wrong about Pedro. I thought they made a mistake when they took him out of long relief and made him a starter because I didn’t think he was big enough to be durable. But there have been a bunch of skinny little guys who were durable.
“If you passed Greg Maddux would you believe what he does? Looks like some school teacher,” Baker added. “‘Damn, dude? You got 300 wins?’ He’s been on the DL one time and that was when he got hit in the toe. And there have been some big ol’ King Kong dudes who can’t stay healthy.”
If all that isn’t a sincerely strong stamp of approval for Johnny Cueto, then there isn’t a Mercedes in the players’ parking lot.
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Comments
By MAC
March 9, 2008 12:46 AM | Link to this
Finally; the Reds have a SP w/ a change up. Absolutely the best pitch @ the ML level; it’s surprising the Reds still don’t seem to emphasis it more w/in the organization
By Ryan
March 8, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
It’s almost funny; Baker said all along that they were looking for a “surprise,” someone to come out of spring who wasn’t expected to do well enough to make the rotation. Looks like Cueto fits that bill quite nicely. Think some heads are starting to turn towards Cincinnati. Ryan
By G-Lee
March 8, 2008 1:51 PM | Link to this
Hal - Can it possibly be that this annual optimist finally has something to be optimistic about?!!? How do you see the final 25, Hal? Care to venture a guess?
By Ted Lawson
March 8, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
I am all for letting these new fellows such as Cuteo,Bailey, Bruce and Votto take their turn at trying to right the Reds Ship. Its been sunk for 7 years at least
By Deaner
March 8, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
Hal, could Cueto be the Fausto Carmona of 2008?