Homer Bailey went five innings yesterday in a minor league intrasquad game. He allowed three runs on four hits, walked one and struck out six. “He had pretty good control,” Dusty Baker said. “He got better. He’s learning to control himself.”
If Bailey doesn’t win the No. 5 starter spot, could he make the team as the long man?
“Possibly,” Baker said. “It’s something we’ve discussed. We want to do what’s better for him.”
Baker said options enter into the equation. Bailey has options; Nick Masset doesn’t.
Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but my initial reaction is that this confirms what we’ve been saying all along: Homer Bailey will not make the Reds Opening Day roster unless he wins the 5th slot in the rotation. Whether he would be better than Nick Masset out of the bullpen is irrelevant. Masset has no options.
I understand the business angle on all that, and I couldn’t even really complain too much if Bailey were sent to AAA. It just frustrates me that the best 25 guys aren’t always on the roster.