Reds DFA David Hernandez, call up Sal Romano

The Reds haven’t said it yet, but the beat writers have it:

 

Update: The Reds make it official:

Can’t say this is a surprise.

It’s a cautionary tale about relief pitchers. Here’s what I wrote a few weeks ago:

“David Hernandez didn’t become a great reliever earlier this year. Journeymen relievers at age 34 don’t do that. Instead, his excellent month of June should be seen as a normal aspect of what the vast majority of relief pitchers go through. They can put together good stretches. In fact, if relievers don’t have those, they don’t last long enough to become veterans.

But relievers inevitably suffer bad periods as well. If relief pitchers are anything, they are inconsistent during the season and usually between seasons. If relievers had the stuff to get batters out on a consistent basis, they’d be starters.

Hernandez didn’t become great out of the blue and he isn’t terrible now.

He’s just David Hernandez, a journeyman relief pitcher and this is what they do.

You might have been misled by Hernandez’s ERA last year (2.53). But if you’d paid attention to better stats (his 4.12 xFIP, for example), you’d have known what would happen. If you’re analyzing relief pitchers based on ERA, you’re doing it wrong. That is unless you’re living the 1990s or before. We can do a lot better now.”

Steve Mancuso

Steve Mancuso is a lifelong Reds fan who grew up during the Big Red Machine era. He’s been writing about the Reds for more than ten years. Steve’s fondest memories about the Reds include attending a couple 1975 World Series games, being at Homer Bailey’s second no-hitter and going nuts for Jay Bruce at Clinchmas. Steve was also at all three games of the 2012 NLDS, but it’s too soon to talk about that.