After starting off cold in the first week, the cold returned for another week. As for the pitching, it is doing their job and keeping the Cincinnati Reds in games, the offense was not producing, which led to 2 wins out of 6 game in Week 2.

Week 2 included Series 3 and 4, which occurred at St. Louis and in the friendly confines of Great American Ballpark during the weekend facing the Tampa Bay Rays.

STARTING PITCHING

SERIES 3 NUMBERS–ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

17 IP/16 H/7 R/7 BB/13 SO/HR

BAA .239/ERA 3.71/WHIP 1.35

BATTERS FACED: 70

GRADE: 81.26%=1-(ERA+WHIP)/27

RATES: 22.86% H/10.00% R/10.00% BB/18.57% SO/1.43% HR

PER 9: 8.47 H/3.71 R/3.71 BB/6.88 SO/0.53 HR

SERIES 4 NUMBERS–TAMPA BAY RAYS

21.1 IP/15 H/5 R/8 BB/16 SO/3 HR

BAA .190/ERA 2.11/WHIP 1.08

BATTERS FACED: 86

GRADE: 88.19% (B)

RATES: 17.44% H/5.81% R/9.30% BB/18.60% SO/3.49% HR

PER 9: 6.33 H/2.11 R/3.38 BB/6.75 SO/1.27 HR

BULLPEN

SERIES 3 NUMBERS- ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

8 IP/10 H/5 R/4 BB/8 SO

BAA .294/ERA 5.63/WHIP 1.75

BATTERS FACED: 39

GRADE: 72.69% (C)

RATES: 25.64% H/12.82% R/10.26% BB/20.51% SO

PER 9: 11.25 H/5.63 R/4.50 BB/9.00 SO

SERIES 4 NUMBERS – TAMPA BAY RAYS

5.2 IP/3 H/2 R/5 BB/6 SO/HR

BAA .150/ERA 3.18/WHIP 1.41

BATTERS FACED: 20

GRADE: 83.01% (B)

RATES: 15.00% H/10.00% R/25.00% BB/30.00% SO/5.00% HR

PER 9: 4.76 H/3.18 R/7.94 BB/9.53 SO/1.59 HR

Starting Pitcher Breakdowns for Week 2

Tony Cingrani had the most work for the Starting 5 this week as the calendar falls with a Monday and weekend start. Cingrani suffered setbacks in 2nd matchup against the Cardinals, but bounced back in the weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

ST. LOUIS GAME

4 IP/3 H/3 R/4 BB/5 SO

BAA .200/ERA 6.75/WHIP 1.75

BATTERS FACED: 19

GRADE: 68.52% (D)

RATES: 15.79% H/15.79% R/21.05% BB/26.32% SO

PER 9: 6.75 H/6.75 R/9.00 BB/11.25 SO

TAMPA BAY GAME

6.1 IP/5 H/2 R/3 BB/6 SO/HR

BAA .208/ERA 2.84/WHIP 1.26

BATTERS FACED: 26

GRADE: 84.80% (B)

RATES: 19.23% H/7.69% R/11.54% BB/23.08% SO/3.85% HR

PER 9: 7.11 H/2.84 R/4.26 BB/8.53 SO/1.42 HR

Looking at noticeable differences, all defensive factors increased while opposition was kept to a minimum when trying to get on base and score.

Homer Bailey is still trying to find his rhythm, but knows what he is capable of doing as a starting pitcher. Bailey managed to keep a short lead against St. Louis on Tuesday and left the game with a lead. Unfortunately for bullpen woes, he did not get the decision and Lance Lynn of the St. Louis Cardinals managed to get the Win while Logan Ondrusek ended up with the loss. Bailey is set up to be Week 3’s most used starting pitcher with the calendar filling his spot for Monday and Sunday, facing the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs.

ST. LOUIS GAME

5 IP/9 H/4 R/2 BB/5 SO/HR

BAA .375/ERA 7.20/WHIP 2.20

BATTERS FACED: 25

GRADE: 65.19% (D)

RATES: 36.00% H/16.00% R/8.00% BB/20.00% SO/4.00% HR

PER 9: 16.20 H/7.20 R/3.60 BB/9.00 SO/1.80 HR

The most impressive performance of the week from the starting rotation goes to Mike Leake. Leake’s performance was overshadowed by Billy Hamilton’s baserunning and hitting that day, but Leake shut out the Cardinals bats that are suppose to be Number 1 in offense this 2014 season.

ST. LOUIS GAME

8 IP/4 H/BB/3 SO

BAA .143/WHIP 0.63

BATTERS FACED: 26

GRADE: 97.69% (A)

RATES: 15.38% H/3.85% BB/11.54% SO

PER 9: 4.50 H/1.13 BB/3.38 SO

The most anticipated match up was Johnny Cueto and David Price. The match up delivered for it being a pitching dual, but Tampa Bay managed to score 2 runs off Cueto to seal the victory. I was on hand for that game and it was worth my money.

TAMPA BAY GAME

7 IP/5 H/2 R/4 BB/6 SO/HR

BAA .192/ERA 2.57/WHIP 1.29

BATTERS FACED: 30

GRADE: 85.71% (B)

RATES: 16.67% H/6.67% R/13.33% BB/20.00% SO/3.33% H

PER 9: 6.43 H/2.57 R/5.14 BB/7.71 SO/1.29

The most impressive by my standard has to go to Alfredo Simon. Simon was a starting pitcher in Baltimore before coming to Cincinnati in 2012. Simon has delivered 1 run ball outing in his 2 starts for Cincinnati. Simon is spot starting for Mat Latos, who has elbow issues.

TAMPA BAY GAME

8 IP/5 H/R/BB/4 SO/HR

BAA .172/ERA 1.13/WHIP 0.75

BATTERS FACED: 30

GRADE: 93.06% (A)

RATES: 16.67% H/3.33% R/3.33% BB/13.33% SO/3.33% HR

PER 9: 5.63 H/1.13 R/1.13 BB/4.50 SO/1.13 HR

WEEK 2 PITCHING RECAPS

STARTERS

38.1 IP/31 H/12 R/15 BB/29 SO/4 HR

BAA .212/ERA 2.82/WHIP 1.20

BATTERS FACED: 156

GRADE: 85.12% (B)

RATES: 19.87% H/7.69% R/9.62% BB/18.59% SO/2.56% HR

PER 9: 7.28 H/2.82 R/3.52 BB/6.81 SO/0.94 HR

BULLPEN

13.2 IP/13 H/7 R/9 BB/14 SO/HR

BAA .241/ERA 4.61/WHIP 1.61

BATTERS FACED: 59

GRADE: 76.96% (C)

RATES: 22.03% H/11.86% R/15.25% BB/23.73% SO/1.69% HR

PER 9: 8.56 H/4.61 R/5.93 BB/9.22 SO/0.66 HR

April pitching as of 4/13/2014

STARTERS

77.1 IP/57 H/24 R/28 BB/67 SO/9 HR

BAA .197/ERA 2.79/WHIP 1.10

BATTERS FACED: 310

GRADE: 85.58% (B)

RATES: 18.39% H/7.74% R/9.03% BB/21.61% SO/2.90% HR

PER 9: 6.63 H/2.53 R/2.95 BB/7.05 SO/0.95 HR

BULLPEN

26.2 IP/22 H/14 R/16 BB/24 SO/2 HR

BAA .216/ERA 4.73/WHIP 1.43

BATTERS FACED: 115

GRADE: 77.22% (C)

RATES: 19.13% H/12.17% R/13.91% BB/20.87% SO/1.74% HR

PER 9: 7.43 H/4.73 R/5.40 BB/8.10 SO/0.68 HR

SEE YA LATER.

The Reds closed a quick series in the books with the Tampa Bay Rays.

Starting Pitching (out of all teams faced in 2014; 3)

BAA: .190 (2)/.184 (NEW YORK METS)

ERA: 2.11 (1)

WHIP: 1.08 (2)/1.02 (NEW YORK METS)

H RATE: 17.44 (2)/16.87 (NEW YORK METS)

R RATE: 5.81 (1)

BB RATE: 9.30 (3)/8.43 (NEW YORK METS)

SO RATE: 18.60 (3)/23.40 (ST .LOUIS CARDINALS)

HR RATE: 3.49 (2)/2.13 (ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

Bullpen Pitching (out of all teams faced in 2014; 3)

BAA: .150 (2)/.133 (NEW YORK METS)

ERA: 3.18 (1)

WHIP: 1.41 (2)/0.92 (NEW YORK METS)

H RATE: 15.00 (2)/11.11 (NEW YORK METS)

R RATE: 10.00 (1)

BB RATE: 25.00 (3)/11.11 (NEW YORK METS)

SO RATE: 30.00 (1)

HR RATE: 5.00 (2)/0.00 (ST. LOUIS CARDINALS)

What’s on the plate next week? The Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs. Pirates are coming into Cincinnati for a 3 game series and Cincinnati will be traveling to Chicago to face the Cubs for 3.

Pitching Probables:

MONDAY (710 PM): WANDY RODRIGUEZ VS HOMER BAILEY

TUESDAY (710 PM): GERRIT COLE VS MIKE LEAKE

WEDNESDAY (1235 PM): FRANCISCO LIRIANO VS JOHNNY CUETO

FRIDAY (220 PM): ALFREDO SIMON VS JEFF SAMARDZIJA

SATURDAY (135 PM): TONY CINGRANI VS CARLOS VILLANUEVA

SUNDAY (220 PM): HOMER BAILEY VS EDWIN JACKSON

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