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MLB: Early Season Trends We Do and Don’t Want to See Continue

By Jim Turvey

Apr 7, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers right fielder Nomar Mazara (30) gets the powerade bath from shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) and second baseman Rougned Odor (12) following the 10-5 win over the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Texas Rangers right fielder Nomar Mazara (30) gets the powerade bath from shortstop Elvis Andrus (1) and second baseman Rougned Odor (12) following the 10-5 win over the Oakland Athletics at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

Good: Cincinnati Reds’ young pitchers succeeding

The good people of Cincinnati haven’t had much joy in the field of baseball over the past few seasons. After hoisting a contending team to the top of the NL Central in 2012, it’s been a rapid decline, as their win totals dropped from 97 to 90 to 79 to 64 from 2012-2015 before a similarly paltry 68-win campaign in 2016.

The last two seasons have basically consisted of: Joey Votto is fun, but we’re going to sell any player of value that surrounds him on this team.

Well all that selling is starting to pay off at the major league level, and the Reds are 3-2 with an better than average ERA (3.68) in the first week. The most notable performance from the Reds pitching staff has come from Brandon Finnegan, the 23-year-old ace of the staff (sorry Scott Feldman), who went seven innings of one-hit, one-walk, nine-strikeout ball against the Phillies in the second game of the season. Finnegan’s gem was the best pitcher game score of the season so far and a tantalizing look at what the lefty is capable of.

The next best start came from Amir Garrett, a consensus top-80 prospect before the season who was able to make the MLB roster out of spring training, and thanks to an auspicious debut, looks like he’s here to stay for the time being. Garrett went six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out four in the Reds 1-0 win over the Cardinals on Friday.

It isn’t just the two starters, though. Raisel Iglesias has picked up right where he left off, dominating in the bullpen and giving Reds skipper Bryan Price the flexibility to handle late innings however he wants. Iglesias has thrown four shutout innings so far this season, with six strikeouts compared to just one hit. Michael Lorenzen has been another awesome story, as he has become a bit of a reverse-Christian Bethancourt. Lorenzen is a lights-out reliever by day (4 IP, 0 R, 5 K in 2017), but a pinch-hit home run specialist by night. He already went yard once this season, and if it weren’t for Madison Bumgarner, he’d be the pitcher other pitchers fear most. Plus, he’s got an awesome back story.

For a season in which there was supposed to be Votto and a whole lot of nothing in Cincinnati, the first week has been pretty fun.

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