Another Business Decision Sends Mike Leake to the Minors

Mike Leake skipped the minor leagues to make the Reds starting rotation.

Jose Arredondo was a rising star with the Angels in relief when his right elbow blew out.  Arredondo made 52 appearances in Anaheim and won 10 games all in relief.  He lost only twice and had a 1.62 ERA.

The 27-year old started having problems late in the 2009 season and was shipped to Salt Lake City.  In a business decision, the Angels exposed Arredondo to free agency and the Reds signed him in January 2010.  The Reds knew he would not be available for 2010 but had an eye on him for this season.

He displayed a live arm but had trouble regaining his command.  The Reds thought they had a surplus of starting pitching until Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto developed ailments and Leake was pressed into the starting rotation.

Cincinnati experimented with Leake in long relief but roster numbers, rather than failed outings, caused the Reds to send Leake to Louisville to make his minor league debut.

"It was a hard thing for me to do," Dusty Baker said.  "Leaky did nothing to get sent down.  It was a business decision.  Sometimes you make baseball decisions.  Sometimes you make business decisions."

Baker comes from a time where pitchers weren't as specialized.  He was in the Dodgers organization in which several starters cut their teeth in long relief.  That philosophy is contrary to the popular theory of today's game.

"I plan to use Arredondo in middle relier," said Baker, of Arredondo who was pitching more than one inning per outing in his 2008 season.  "Most teams try to get to that middle relief.  That's where teams try to save money on payroll in middle relief."

Sam LeCure remains with the team.

"Sam is more acclimated to coming into a game with runners on," Baker said.  "Leake has things to work on down there (Louisville)."