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Nuxhall: Bailey good fit for Reds' rotation
Ol' left-hander says he could see the Reds' biggest pitching prospect making starting five.
Friday, January 05, 2007
HAMILTON — Despite what Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron or most baseball experts say, Joe Nuxhall predicted Thursday night the Reds' starting rotation could well include Homer Bailey at the start of the 2007 season.
Nuxhall was master of ceremonies at the 28th annual Knights of Columbus Sports Stag, held at the Father Butler Council in Hamilton.
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"I'm saying right now, I think he's going to be in the starting rotation," Nuxhall said of the 20-year-old Bailey, the Reds' most promising prospect who was almost untouchable at Class AA Chattanooga last season.
Narron has said Bailey most likely will start the season at Class AAA Louisville in the Reds' minor league system.
"The big thing that has to happen, he has to show consistency with his breaking ball and off-speed pitches," said the 78-year-old Nuxhall, former Reds pitcher and radio broadcaster, probably the most beloved sports celebrity in Southwest Ohio.
"If he shows that consistency during spring training," Nuxhall added, "I'm predicting he'll be there."
Nuxhall, who said he plans to continue broadcasting games on a limited basis as a semi-retired announcer, worked 12 games last year.
"Hopefully this year we can double that, or more," he said.
Other guest speakers at Thursday's event were Ken Zampese, Cincinnati Bengals quarterbacks coach; Mike Schmaltz, communications associate at Kentucky Speedway; Jim Place, Hamilton High football coach; and Dave Wirth, Badin High football coach.
Zampese said Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer probably won't be considered an elite NFL quarterback until he wins a Super Bowl or at least guides the team deep into the playoffs.
But Zampese also made it clear he's thrilled to have Palmer, who made a successful recovery from last year's serious knee injury.
"He went from (the 2005) season to a rehab season to (the 2006) season," Zampese said of Palmer. "If he wasn't so mentally tough, he would've collapsed in the middle of the season and said, 'Woe is me.' He won't say during the week how his knee is. I've got to pry it out of him ... I think we've got a great one."
When asked about the status of suspended linebacker Odell Thurman, Zampese was blunt. "He won't be with us," he said.
Tom Fritsch, a 1958 graduate of Hamilton Catholic who initiated a cancer assistance fund which has raised more than $250,000, was honored by the Knights of Columbus as the Citizen of the Year.
Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.
