Loading ...Reds.com has this look at Kyle Lohse’s first spring training with the Reds organization. Most of the article is about all the promise Lohse has displayed, and how he has never quite reached the heights expected of him. Lohse says this year is the year:
Lohse is older; Lohse is smarter — smart enough to know what might await him at the end of this year’s baseball rainbow.
“Next year, I’ll be a free agent,” he said. “So in that aspect, it will be big — having a good year or not. We’ll see what happens after that.”
What he’s counting on to happen is that, finally, the pieces of what has been his personal puzzle will all fit into place. They’ll fit into place with the Reds and not with the Twins, the team and the teammates there that weaned him into the bigs.
Whatever motivates him, I hope he does finally experience some consistent success. He certainly has the stuff.
I hope the infamous contract year works out for him because this will be the only full season we get out of him. Here’s to free agency.
Look for big seasons from Dunn and Lohse with mega-contracts on the horizon.
I agree this is a make or break year for Lohse. That’s not only for his future with the Reds but as a major leaguer. If he doesn’t perform, no big contract next year. Also with some of the competition K’s bringing in, maybe no roster spot with the Reds.
Here are three pitching lines:
31 starts, 13-8, 4.23 ERA, 180.7 IP 124/70 k/bb
33 starts, 14-11, 4.61 ERA, 201.0 IP, 130/45 k/bb
30 starts, 9-13, 4.18 ERA, 178.7 IP, 86/44 k/bb
Frankly, I’d be happy with any those lines from Lohse this season. He’d be the #3 starter on the Reds ‘06 team (and, of the last several months, he was..), the #3 in ‘05, and the #2 for the ‘04 team. Not an ace, but valuable.
Those are very achievable goals for the guy, as they are his lines from 2002, 2003, and 2005 in Minnesota.
If he does even better than that, I’d be ecstatic. -j