How bad are the Reds? Two years ago their ace was a minor leaguer -- in Japan

By Jeff Pearlman

Cincinnati's pitching woes begin with Dessens -- given that he's the No. 1 starter -- but they don't end there.  Chuck Solomon ENEMY LINES An opposing team's scout sizes up the Reds "Most teams, you can tell what they're doing. I don't know about the Reds. I don't think they know. It's a storied franchise, and to see the mess it's in right now is a shame. And they don't exactly have John McGraw managing. ... The pitching is a dartboard. Danny Graves is the key to the staff. Is he the closer or is he in the rotation? ... The Reds should score some runs, though. Their infielders are pretty sound -- if they can stay healthy. Barry Larkin and Aaron Boone have had problems in that area. Can Larkin hold it together for another year? ... Ken Griffey Jr. is still a great player, but with all the criticism he took in spring training from former teammates, you have to wonder how much that's going to wear on him. And with his father not coaching, he doesn't have the built-in support system in the clubhouse. ... Adam Dunn has a chance to have a breakout year. He looked good last year, but this is the big leagues, and people make adjustments. He's a strong guy with big power who's capable of putting up huge numbers and driving in a lot of runs. ... Jason LaRue is a catcher who'll hit. He throws well, but I've seen him botch a lot of balls behind the plate. ... Their middle-relief guys aren't bad -- Scott Sullivan , Gabe White , Hector Mercado and Jim Brower -- but this is a staff of Number 4 and Number 5 starters. Lance Davis is in the rotation throwing 85. Jose Acevedo ? Joey Hamilton? They don't have anybody who can match up with the 1, 2 or 3 starters from another team."

The ace of the Reds is Elmer Dessens.

The ace of the Reds is a 30-year-old righthanded journeyman from Hermosillo, Mexico, whose boyhood hero was Fernando Valenzuela.

The ace of the Reds has a major league record of 23-27 with a 4.78 ERA. He's no Fernando Valenzuela.

The ace of the Reds is the ace of the Reds for three reasons.

1) Because general manager Jim Bowden is forced to maintain a puny payroll. Two seasons ago he shipped Denny Neagle, Cincinnati's No. 1 starter, to the Yankees for a package of minor leaguers. This off-season Pete Harnisch, a gritty righthander, departed as a free agent. The Reds' payroll is now $45 million, too low to be able to afford a true ace.

2) Because were it not for the Devil Rays, Cincinnati would feature baseball's worst rotation. Lefthander Lance Davis showed promise as a rookie last year by going 7-3 with a 3.66 ERA after the All-Star break, but righties Chris Reitsma, Jose Acevedo and Joey Hamilton offer all the hope of an Enron 401(k). Reitsma has twice broken his pitching arm. Acevedo is coming off December hernia surgery. Hamilton was released last August by the Blue Jays after winning 15 games over three seasons. Last year the Reds ranked 14th in the National League with a 4.77 ERA. They haven't improved.

3) Because Mario Soto isn't going to make a comeback.

The ace of the Reds has been around. Since 1993 he has pitched in Mexico and Japan as well as for three minor league teams and, briefly in '97 and '98, the Pirates. "Guys like Elmer can do a lot for you," says Cincinnati pitching coach Don Gullett. "He might not have the most talent, but from bouncing around and struggling, he wants it bad. That makes him our ace."

The ace of the Reds knows frustration, which should serve him well this season. Before the 1999 season he signed with the Yomiuri Giants only to spend most of the year with one of their farm teams. "You don't go to Japan to play in their minors," he says. "It was no good."

On Dec. 13, 1999, Cincinnati signed Dessens as a free agent. "At best we thought he might be the 11th man on staff," says Gullett. "He surprised us. He's a diamond from nowhere."

The ace of the Reds has four pitches, none above average. His favorite is a tricky little cut fastball. His two-seamer, which tops out at 92 mph, is designed to drop. Often it doesn't; last year he allowed a team-high 32 homers in 34 games. His changeup is as good as his English, which he doesn't speak much. Mostly he gets by on grit and know-how.

The ace of the Reds believes Cincinnati can hang with the Astros, Cardinals and Cubs in the Central Division. So does manager Bob Boone. The popular reasoning? "The way I see it," says catcher Kelly Stinnett, "we have five Number 3 starters. If those guys can get us through six innings, the bullpen can take over."

Indeed, the Reds' strength is a tested relief corps that led the National League with 567 2/3 innings pitched and a 3.71 ERA in 2001. The bullpen will benefit from the return of Scott Williamson, perhaps the most gifted man on Gullett's staff. Last year he made the jump from middleman to the rotation, only to have his elbow explode in his second start. He underwent Tommy John surgery a few days later. Were Williamson to move into the rotation this year, he would immediately leapfrog Dessens to the No. 1 spot. Boone, however, will be patient. "Too many guys have rushed back and hurt themselves," he says. "We won't make that mistake with Scott. We'll stick with the starters we have."

The ace of the Reds doesn't consider himself the ace of the Reds. "I don't stand out," Dessens says. "We have a lot of starters like me." The ace of the Reds is correct.

Issue date: March 25, 2002