The Reds Have a Raisel Iglesias Decision

[HammerTime]

The Reds Have a Raisel Iglesias Decision | FanGraphs Baseball

 

Just six months ago, Raisel Iglesias was everyone’s favorite starting pitcher breakout candidate for 2016. The 26-year-old Cuban, signed for seven years and $27 million by the Cincinnati Reds in 2014, was coming off an impressive rookie campaign in which he struck out more than a quarter of all batters faced as a starter while exhibiting above-average command and a knack for getting ground balls, and he only got better as the year went on. Iglesias, alongside Anthony DeSclafani and John Lamb, was perhaps the most enticing pick of a trio of young Reds starters who have all provided us a painful reminder of the fickle and painful nature of choosing pitching as a profession.

 

DeSclafani spent the first two months of the season on the disabled list with a strained oblique. Lamb’s experienced decline across the board. And Iglesias hasn’t made a start since April, and last week earned his first career save.

 

Iglesias’ status update informs us of two important developments. The first being: everyone’s favorite starting pitcher breakout candidate for 2016 has been a reliever for the last two months. That’s disappointing, because fans want their exciting young starting pitchers to be start. The bullpen is rightly viewed as a downgrade. The fact that Iglesias earned a save, though, at least suggests that he’s been effective out of the bullpen, and effective might be an understatement. In 28 relief innings this season, Iglesias has allowed just two earned runs — good for a Britton-like 0.64 ERA — while striking out nearly 30% of the batters he’s faced.

[UKMustangFan]

Bullpen. Same goes for Lorenzen and Finnegan IMO.

[plantmanky]

Um werent the Reds up front about Iglesias from the get go? Once he got off the DL, he would go to the bullpen this year, and to not put strain on him, and he would start in 2017.

[HammerTime]

I'd like to see him in some kind of a hybrid closer role where he could go 2-3 innings a few times a week. There is real value in that as opposed to sticking him in the 9th inning each time.

[ColonelCrazy]

I'd like to see him in some kind of a hybrid closer role where he could go 2-3 innings a few times a week. There is real value in that as opposed to sticking him in the 9th inning each time.

 

Makes me think of Sam Lecure's role from a few years ago.

[ColonelCrazy]

Bullpen. Same goes for Lorenzen and Finnegan IMO.

 

You've been steadfast in your belief that Finnegan is a reliever, but I really think he could be a capable starter. He has been a starter throughout most of his career, and I think he has proven he deserves a chance at the rotation again next year.

[UKMustangFan]

You've been steadfast in your belief that Finnegan is a reliever, but I really think he could be a capable starter. He has been a starter throughout most of his career, and I think he has proven he deserves a chance at the rotation again next year.

 

From yesterday on mlbtraderumors.com...

The Reds have yet to firmly decide whether Brandon Finnegan’s long-term future is in the rotation or in the bullpen, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Manager Bryan Price told Buchanan over the weekend that the final seven or eight weeks of the season will be used to continue the club’s evaluation of Finnegan, who currently has a 4.45 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 and a 38.3 percent ground-ball rate in 129 1/3 innings. ERA estimators such as FIP, xFIP and SIERA all cast a less-favorable picture, pegging Finnegan well north of the 5.00 mark. “Based on what we have in our system, what we begin the year with next year, will we win more games with him as a starter or a reliever?” Price asked rhetorically. “I can say from my perspective that hasn’t been answered.” Buchanan points out that Anthony DeSclafani and Homer Bailey are guaranteed rotation spots in 2017, and right-hander Dan Straily has likely earned a place in the starting five as well. The Reds will also have a plethora of young arms to consider, including Robert Stephenson, Amir Garrett, Rookie Davis, John Lamb and Cody Reed. Right-handers Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen, too, could re-enter that mix, though each is pitching well out of the ’pen right now and may remain there long-term.

[ColonelCrazy]

From yesterday on mlbtraderumors.com...

The Reds have yet to firmly decide whether Brandon Finnegan’s long-term future is in the rotation or in the bullpen, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Manager Bryan Price told Buchanan over the weekend that the final seven or eight weeks of the season will be used to continue the club’s evaluation of Finnegan, who currently has a 4.45 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 4.5 BB/9 and a 38.3 percent ground-ball rate in 129 1/3 innings. ERA estimators such as FIP, xFIP and SIERA all cast a less-favorable picture, pegging Finnegan well north of the 5.00 mark. “Based on what we have in our system, what we begin the year with next year, will we win more games with him as a starter or a reliever?” Price asked rhetorically. “I can say from my perspective that hasn’t been answered.” Buchanan points out that Anthony DeSclafani and Homer Bailey are guaranteed rotation spots in 2017, and right-hander Dan Straily has likely earned a place in the starting five as well. The Reds will also have a plethora of young arms to consider, including Robert Stephenson, Amir Garrett, Rookie Davis, John Lamb and Cody Reed. Right-handers Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen, too, could re-enter that mix, though each is pitching well out of the ’pen right now and may remain there long-term.

 

I would trade Dan Straily in a heartbeat and let the other 6 guys (Stephenson, Garrett, Finnegan, Rookie Davis, Lamb & Cody Reed) compete for spots 3-5.

 

Iglesias & Lorenzen are both bullpen guys.

[ColonelCrazy]

I would trade Dan Straily in a heartbeat and let the other 6 guys (Stephenson, Garrett, Finnegan, Rookie Davis, Lamb & Cody Reed) compete for spots 3-5.

 

Iglesias & Lorenzen are both bullpen guys.

 

I should add that I would be trading Homer Bailey at the ASB next season, once he gets enough starts under his belt to prove he's healthy.

[UKMustangFan]

I would trade Dan Straily in a heartbeat and let the other 6 guys (Stephenson, Garrett, Finnegan, Rookie Davis, Lamb & Cody Reed) compete for spots 3-5.

 

Iglesias & Lorenzen are both bullpen guys.

 

You'd have to find a taker for Straily....While he's been a pleasant surprise for the Reds this year, I highly doubt he'd bring you anything in return.

[ColonelCrazy]

You'd have to find a taker for Straily....While he's been a pleasant surprise for the Reds this year, I highly doubt he'd bring you anything in return.

 

He's fairly young (27, will be 28 to start next season) and under team control until 2021. His career #'s are not good outside of this year and his rookie year (2013) but I think there is a market for him, especially if he finishes strong this year & has a decent start to 2017. Obviously you're not going to get any centerpieces for him, but it's not like the Reds are going to be starting him in Game 3 of the NLCS either.

[All In]

I should add that I would be trading Homer Bailey at the ASB next season, once he gets enough starts under his belt to prove he's healthy.

 

I think you hope Homer finishes this season strong to prove to the league he's ok and then you hope to deal in the off season,not wait until ASB. Even then Reds will still have to eat a lot of contract and maybe hope for a good A or AA prospect only. Straily,young,cheap and probably in rotation in '17

[nkuclubbaseball19]

He's fairly young (27, will be 28 to start next season) and under team control until 2021. His career #'s are not good outside of this year and his rookie year (2013) but I think there is a market for him, especially if he finishes strong this year & has a decent start to 2017. Obviously you're not going to get any centerpieces for him, but it's not like the Reds are going to be starting him in Game 3 of the NLCS either.

 

Playoffs? You talking about playoffs?

[EZ Living]

I'd like to see him in some kind of a hybrid closer role where he could go 2-3 innings a few times a week. There is real value in that as opposed to sticking him in the 9th inning each time.

 

He has too much good stuff to waste him in a long role. How many of the other young pitchers have the variety of pitches that he has, and he has proven he can start?

[HammerTime]

He has too much good stuff to waste him in a long role. How many of the other young pitchers have the variety of pitches that he has, and he has proven he can start?

I would let him go 7-8-9 or 8-9 in situations like that.

I hardly say he's prove he can start. He's never started more than 16 games in a year.