When MLB declared Hunter Greene best pitcher in the game three starts into the season, it didn’t matter for the Cincinnati Reds so much that they were right.
The fact is he might not have been the best pitcher in town this week, with the Pirates and Paul Skenes occupying the other clubhouse at Great American Ball Park over the weekend.
But that fact that he’s in the conversation — that it’s a reasonable debate involving Skenes or Tarik Skubal or Corbin Burnes or anyone else — says all you need to know about the Reds and why they are legitimate division contenders and a threat to steal a postseason series against almost anyone.
Even if last year’s below-average lineup isn’t any better. Even if last year’s below-average team fielding is only marginally better.
As long as Greene stays healthy at the front of the rotation.
That’s because this is what an ace looks like.
Like Greene on Sunday against the Pirates. Like Greene six days earlier in San Francisco. Like Greene five days before that against the Rangers.
The word “ace” has been thrown around Greene loosely since he began throwing 100 mph as a teenager. A “future Reds ace” since he was drafted second overall in 2017, it was no more than a question of potential until he turned a career corner last year during his first All-Star season.
If early indications mean anything, he’s taken a next step by taking opponents by the throat four turns through the rotation.
After giving up a one-out triple in the second Sunday on a ball that might have been a routine single if not for right-fielder Jake Fraley’s ill-advised sliding attempt at a catch, Greene stranded the runner with a strikeout and line-out — then retired 15 more in a row to finish the seventh and hand off a 4-0 lead.
That’s what an ace looks like. And that’s a big deal.
There are 30 Opening Day starters every season.
There might be fewer than half that many bona fide aces in the game at any time.
Pitchers with the stuff, the mind and the competitiveness to beat any lineup on any given day. Stoppers who keep teams out of long losing streaks. Starters who key long winning streaks.
History is filled with examples of how big a difference one of these pitchers can make for an otherwise non-factor of a team (never mind the difference two can make if you’re the Warren Spahn-Johnny Sain Braves, Sandy Koufax-Don Drysdale Dodgers or Randy Johnson-Curt Schilling Diamondbacks).
Consider 30 years ago when Johnson won his first Cy Young for the 79-66 division-champion Seattle Mariners. He led the league in ERA and strikeouts, and the team went 27-3 when he pitched (18-2 personal record).
When he didn’t pitch? The Mariners were among the worst teams in the league (52-63).
Johnson, by the way, did it again for the Mariners two years later with a 20-win season.
Old news?
Consider last year, when Skubal won the pitching triple crown and his first Cy Young for the 86-76 Detroit Tigers, who won the final AL wild-card berth by one game.
The Tigers went 21-10 in Skubal’s starts (18-4 personal mark).
Which means they were a losing team when he didn’t pitch (65-66).
“You mention Randy having 20 wins, and that’s awesome,” Greene said. “Everybody aspires to do that. But at the end of the day I can’t control that. You can go seven, eight, nine innings of no runs and still lose a game.”
In fact, the last time Greene gave up a run he lost 1-0, three starts ago.
Only so much he can control. But that’s his point as he goes forward in his career — and the Reds go forward in lockstep as far as he does.
Control. Yes, as in no walks again Sunday against Pittsburgh.
But mostly controlling what can be controlled. Limiting damage like he did in the season opener without feel for his secondary stuff and helping get a lead to the ninth inning. Preparing between starts and managing himself well enough to have a chance to answer the bell every five days for a full season for the first time.
“I don’t think you try to complicate it too much,” he said. “I’ve obviously set goals for myself this year, but getting too wrapped up in chasing them and getting into that, I think you can self-sabotage in a way.
“Just trying to stay level headed and approach my day-to-day work with the consistency that I can.”
Combined with the stuff he has, that’s what an ace looks like.
Like the pitcher who hasn’t allowed a run in bookend victories during a 5-1 stretch the Reds take into Tuesday’s series opener against the Mariners (after a 3-7 start).
Speaking of Tuesday, that’s when Nick Lodolo (2-1, 0.96) makes his fourth start.
Did somebody say ace?
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ace of diamonds: Hunter Greene grows into ace Cincinnati Reds need
When MLB declared Hunter Greene best pitcher in the game three starts into the season, it didn’t matter for the Cincinnati Reds so much that they were right.
The fact is he might not have been the best pitcher in town this week, with the Pirates and Paul Skenes occupying the other clubhouse at Great American Ball Park over the weekend.
But that fact that he’s in the conversation — that it’s a reasonable debate involving Skenes or Tarik Skubal or Corbin Burnes or anyone else — says all you need to know about the Reds and why they are legitimate division contenders and a threat to steal a postseason series against almost anyone.
Even if last year’s below-average lineup isn’t any better. Even if last year’s below-average team fielding is only marginally better.
As long as Greene stays healthy at the front of the rotation.
That’s because this is what an ace looks like.
Like Greene on Sunday against the Pirates. Like Greene six days earlier in San Francisco. Like Greene five days before that against the Rangers.
The word “ace” has been thrown around Greene loosely since he began throwing 100 mph as a teenager. A “future Reds ace” since he was drafted second overall in 2017, it was no more than a question of potential until he turned a career corner last year during his first All-Star season.
If early indications mean anything, he’s taken a next step by taking opponents by the throat four turns through the rotation.
After giving up a one-out triple in the second Sunday on a ball that might have been a routine single if not for right-fielder Jake Fraley’s ill-advised sliding attempt at a catch, Greene stranded the runner with a strikeout and line-out — then retired 15 more in a row to finish the seventh and hand off a 4-0 lead.
That’s what an ace looks like. And that’s a big deal.
There are 30 Opening Day starters every season.
There might be fewer than half that many bona fide aces in the game at any time.
Pitchers with the stuff, the mind and the competitiveness to beat any lineup on any given day. Stoppers who keep teams out of long losing streaks. Starters who key long winning streaks.
History is filled with examples of how big a difference one of these pitchers can make for an otherwise non-factor of a team (never mind the difference two can make if you’re the Warren Spahn-Johnny Sain Braves, Sandy Koufax-Don Drysdale Dodgers or Randy Johnson-Curt Schilling Diamondbacks).
Consider 30 years ago when Johnson won his first Cy Young for the 79-66 division-champion Seattle Mariners. He led the league in ERA and strikeouts, and the team went 27-3 when he pitched (18-2 personal record).
When he didn’t pitch? The Mariners were among the worst teams in the league (52-63).
Johnson, by the way, did it again for the Mariners two years later with a 20-win season.
Old news?
Consider last year, when Skubal won the pitching triple crown and his first Cy Young for the 86-76 Detroit Tigers, who won the final AL wild-card berth by one game.
The Tigers went 21-10 in Skubal’s starts (18-4 personal mark).
Which means they were a losing team when he didn’t pitch (65-66).
“You mention Randy having 20 wins, and that’s awesome,” Greene said. “Everybody aspires to do that. But at the end of the day I can’t control that. You can go seven, eight, nine innings of no runs and still lose a game.”
In fact, the last time Greene gave up a run he lost 1-0, three starts ago.
Only so much he can control. But that’s his point as he goes forward in his career — and the Reds go forward in lockstep as far as he does.
Control. Yes, as in no walks again Sunday against Pittsburgh.
But mostly controlling what can be controlled. Limiting damage like he did in the season opener without feel for his secondary stuff and helping get a lead to the ninth inning. Preparing between starts and managing himself well enough to have a chance to answer the bell every five days for a full season for the first time.
“I don’t think you try to complicate it too much,” he said. “I’ve obviously set goals for myself this year, but getting too wrapped up in chasing them and getting into that, I think you can self-sabotage in a way.
“Just trying to stay level headed and approach my day-to-day work with the consistency that I can.”
Combined with the stuff he has, that’s what an ace looks like.
Like the pitcher who hasn’t allowed a run in bookend victories during a 5-1 stretch the Reds take into Tuesday’s series opener against the Mariners (after a 3-7 start).
Speaking of Tuesday, that’s when Nick Lodolo (2-1, 0.96) makes his fourth start.
Did somebody say ace?
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ace of diamonds: Hunter Greene grows into ace Cincinnati Reds need
