2008 Americana Festival
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Wire walker at Kings Island
Bailey battling for rotation spot
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
SARASOTA, Fla. — He walks into the clubhouse every day wearing Wrangler jeans, a camouflage cap, silver-buckled belt, cowboy boots and an eight-inch hunting knife strapped into a sheathe.
Meet Homer Bailey, a Cincinnati Reds pitcher disguised as Jim Bowie or Walker, Texas Ranger.
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To say Bailey is a bit different is to say a banana is different from an onion.
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker understands and stole a line from Kermit the Frog, who sang, "It ain't easy being green," to describe Bailey.
Said Baker, "It isn't easy being Homer Bailey. It really isn't."
Bailey, trying to wiggle into the Reds rotation this year, pitched Monday against the New York Yankees and reached his pitch limit after only 2 1/3 innings, using up 59 pitches to give up two runs, six hits and three walks.
"I've seen it a thousand times and it is not easy being the Mr. Everything-Can't Miss guy," said Baker. "I learned a long time ago the most dangerous word for a young kid is 'potential.' If they don't do great, no matter what they do, they don't reach their potential. Some guys take longer to get it than other guys.
"What is Homer, 21 years old? This Dude is barely drinking age, you know what I'm saying, man?" Baker said. "There are kids in college who haven't even signed a pro contract yet and Homer already has this experience. That's what you can't forget. This Dude is three years ahead of whoever is going to be in this June's draft."
Hopalong Homer, at 21, finds himself not just trying to live up to his No. 1 draft pick hype, but to make the team, to grab one of the three spots that is being competed for by Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Josh Fogg, Jeremy Affeldt and Matt Belisle.
Of his struggle with command Monday, Baker said, "He was doing it until Monday. I've only seen Homer pitch three times in my life. I can only go on what I've seen and Monday was the first time he wasn't pitch-efficient.
"He may not be where we want him to be right now or he wants to be," said Baker, "but he is still ahead of most guys his age. I'm big on what a guy does against his graduating class. Right now Homer is a freshman playing against seniors."
If Bailey wanted a graduate course in pitching, all he needed to do was watch Aaron Harang scythe down the Houston Astros Tuesday in the first two innings, retiring the first six with a minimum of pitches.
Harang, though, gave up two homers in the fourth and the Reds went eight innings without a run on three hits, stretching their scoreless streak to 24 straight innings.
But a gaggle of minor-leaguers scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth, the game ending on catcher Alvin Colina's three-run triple for a 5-4 win.
"That was sweet right there," said Baker, acting as if the Reds won the first game of the 2008 World Series. "It matters to me when we win, but when we lose it's just spring training."
