Reds Notes: Team skipping Belisle's rotation spot, but not Milton's

[CincyRedsFan30]

Losing recipe all too familiar

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

DENVER | John Allen saw the same things in Coors Field he has seen in Great American Ball Park during his pop-in visit Sunday, the same losing recipe with few spices added.

In losing to the last-place Colorado Rockies, 8-6, the Reds became a last-place team and the way they lost was as familiar as the back of manager Dave Miley's hands.

And what it got them was a full-squad workout during today's off day after a three-hour plane ride Sunday night.

The Reds filled the bases with no outs twice and scored one run each time. In the first, Austin Kearns and Rich Aurilia both struck out with the bases loaded. In the seventh, Kearns hit into a double play and Aurilia struck out again.

And the first three Reds reached base in the eighth ... and they scored once. Ken Griffey Jr. struck out with two on.

Brandon Claussen pitched five sharp innings, giving up two runs in the first and six hits, but his 4-2 lead evaporated in the sixth on a two-run home run by Todd Greene and a run-scoring single by pinch-hitter Eddy Garabito.

"They made six or seven good defensive plays on us," said Miley. "I don't know if the word is phenomenal, but they flashed some leather. We had as good of at-bats with runners on base as we've had for a long time."

Nevertheless, the Reds stranded 10 runners while losing three straight to the last-place Rockies and losing five of six on the trip to Houston and Colorado, both last-place teams.

"We were hoping for better on this trip, that's a given, but it didn't work out," said Miley.

Belisle gets skipped

With today off, the Reds are skipping No. 5 starter Matt Belisle in the rotation. When Lou Piniella, manager of the 1990 Reds World Series championship team, brings his downtrodden Tampa Bay Devil Rays to Great American Ball Park Tuesday, he'll face Ramon Ortiz.

Eric Milton pitches Wednesday and Aaron Harang Thursday, "Then we'll make a determination about our rotation for next weekend against Baltimore," Miley said.

Some team members wonder why Milton (3-7, 7.06) isn't being skipped.

Farm Report

Wily Mo Pena played right field Sunday for Class AAA Louisville and was 1 for 4 with a double and an error in right field, striking out twice. In six rehab games he is 7 for 21 with a home run, three RBIs, one walk and nine strikeouts.

Luke Hudson pitched 6 2/3 innings on rehab Saturday for Class AA Chattanooga and was the loser to Jacksonville, 4-0, when he gave up four runs on six hits while walking one and striking out seven. He gave up two home runs among his 96 pitches.

[QuietAcre]

Is this Hal just rambling, as usual, or are there actually players telling the media that they wonder why Milton isn't being skipped? Hal has got to start citing his sources.

[CincyRedsFan30]

He doesn't have to cite his sources unless the validity of what he says is brought into question by those involved. It hasn't been before.

[missionhockey21]

And wouldnt most players request not to be quoted on something like that as to not cause problems between them and Milton in the clubhouse?

Anyway, Eric Milton is our three year trainwreck. Doesn't look like he will be optioning out of the third year so he can go make more money elsewhere. Why havent the Reds ever harnessed the awesome power of the TEAM option?

[CincyRedsFan30]

Absolutely players would most likely ask to not be quoted or have their name mentioned. If they said to him: "Why is Eric not the one being skipped?" I don't think they'd want that published, because it would cause them major problems.

The Milton situation is a joke though. They can't keep starting him with any possible justification.

[Wally Mo Pena]

they need to fire gullet and get a pitching coach who can salvage something out of him. It's a fact that we wasted money on Milton, but he still has an arm. He threw 94 a couple of times in his last outing, he has a decent curveball and a decent change. He'll never be dominant, but we need to be able to get a 5 era out of him so we have a chance at winning games he pitches, and i think with help he can do that, and maybe more.

[Sea Ray]

they need to fire gullet and get a pitching coach who can salvage something out of him. It's a fact that we wasted money on Milton, but he still has an arm. He threw 94 a couple of times in his last outing, he has a decent curveball and a decent change. He'll never be dominant, but we need to be able to get a 5 era out of him so we have a chance at winning games he pitches, and i think with help he can do that, and maybe more.

Anyone know where Grant Jackson is these days? I thought he was an awfully good AAA pitching coach for us a few years back when he left looking for a major league job. If he's still around I'd like to see them bring him in to replace Gullett