| 22 February 2011
I know Bronson Arroyo doesn’t like pitching day games – and has told Reds’ manager Dusty Baker he wants no part of pitching on Opening Day – but I still find it interesting that Edinson Volquez was named Cincinnati’s Opening Day starter on Tuesday.
Volquez clearly has more upside than Arroyo, but it’s the latter who has been the one consistent member of the Reds’ rotation recently. I think Arroyo deserves the Opening Day start. But if he doesn’t want it, it’s no biggie.
I’m also glad the club has such confidence in Volquez, who also received the start in Game 1 in the playoffs against the Phillies last year. However, I would like to see him earn his keep before being rewarded in such fashion.
If the Reds are handing out Opening Day starts based on potential, does that mean we can expect to see Yorman Rodriguez in centerfield over Drew Stubbs on Thursday, March 31? (Yes, Opening Day is on a Thursday – not Monday – this year. It’s a league-wide effort to start the season a few days earlier so the playoffs don’t end so late.) Can we also expect to see Billy Hamilton at shortstop over Paul Janish and Edgar Renteria?
Obviously I’m making extreme examples, but despite what Arroyo wants to do, I think Baker as the manager should say, “I respect where you’re coming from. That said, you’re getting the ball on Opening Day.”
I said the same thing last year when Aaron Harang started over Arroyo on Opening Day. Since when does a manager do everything that his players request? Arroyo will have to pitch several day games during the season, so he needs to get over his dislike of doing so.
Plus, the guy has flat-out been a gamer since joining the Reds and deserves the honor of starting on Opening Day.
Does it really matter in the grand scheme? No. Am I making too big of a deal about it? Absolutely.
Then again, that’s what bloggers do at times.
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