Milton still in rotation, for now

[missionhockey21]

Milton still in rotation, for now
Coaches hope mechanical adjustments will turn around struggling LH

By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer

The Reds continue to tinker with Eric Milton's mechanics in hopes that he finds himself.

"Right now, (pitching coach) Don Gullett and (bullpen coach) Tom Hume are working with him," general manager Dan O'Brien said. "They're making mechanical adjustments. They're progressing with that. They're not major adjustments.

"But they should help him with his command and control."

Milton, 3-7 with a 7.46 ERA, is scheduled to start Monday in the opening game of the Reds' interleague series with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

O'Brien said he'll make that start.

"There may come a time when they (Gullett and Hume) want him to take a step back and skip a turn," O'Brien said. "We haven't come to that point yet."

Milton went five innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits, in the Reds' 11-9 victory over Tampa Bay Thursday.

Milton has been dreadful in six of his last seven outings. He is 1-5 with a 9.16 ERA in that span. He has allowed 54 hits and 11 home runs in 361/3 innings.

O'Brien said Milton is healthy.

"His stuff is of the same quality it's been throughout his career," O'Brien said.

But Milton's numbers are way off. He leads the National League in hits allowed, runs allowed and home runs allowed.

The Reds have two pitchers in their bullpen - Matt Belisle and Randy Keisler - who are starters by trade.

Belisle (2-5, 4.76 ERA) and Keisler (2-0, 1.93) both have pitched considerably better than Milton.

But Milton is in the first year of a $25.5 million, three-year contract.

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[General]

Trade him to the Yanks already...sheesh.

[Cincy]

If Dunn or Kearns gets traded, I would demand that Milton would be part of the deal.

[CincyRedsFan30]

"Right now, (pitching coach) Don Gullett and (bullpen coach) Tom Hume are working with him," general manager Dan O'Brien said. "They're making mechanical adjustments. They're progressing with that. They're not major adjustments.
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Progressing? Is him getting hit hard over and over signs of progressing?
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"His stuff is of the same quality it's been throughout his career," O'Brien said.
.................
Now THAT is reassuring.

[Saber]

Maybe the adjustments will make the homeruns go 400 feet instead of 425.

[QuietAcre]

Dan O'Brien is a "tool". He is nothing more than a parrot, and the fact that the Bean Counter of the organization has to show up to right the ship (instead of the GM) says a ton about DanO's character, lack thereof. When he is gone, no Reds fan will miss him. To be honest, I'm already missing Bowden. Look at how the Nationals are doing in their first year, with a caring GM that manages in a caring organization. How can the city of Cincinnati put up with this crap?

[CincyRedsFan30]

At least Bowden can recognize some offensive talent, and he makes moves when things aren't going well to at least TRY to improve things. The Reds dumped a player better than Aurilia and got rid of Graves(don't mind that at all, but our bullpen really isn't much better without him).

[volzok]

Im looking forward to seeing what Milton can do in Boston next week.

[CincyRedsFan30]

It should be comic relief if nothing else. Probably 2 IP, 12 hits, 10 ER and 5 HR given up, to bring his total to 27. He will have an ERA around 9 after that game possibly, lol.