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Post by floydgator on Apr 14, 2016 10:24:10 GMT -5
He's done. The Reds should move on. Any time he gets is time others don't. He's probably the worst "prospect" in our system.
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Post by The Duke on Apr 14, 2016 10:36:13 GMT -5
He's done. The Reds should move on. Any time he gets is time others don't. He's probably the worst "prospect" in our system. If I were the Reds I'd limit him to just fastball/slider and simplify as much as possible. The raw arm talent is still there, he's either just stupid or has lost all confidence.
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Post by redsfanman on Apr 14, 2016 11:14:23 GMT -5
Based on the several mediocre 24 year olds sharing the Daytona bullpen with Nick Howard I don't think "moving on" is a serious plan. Bernadino, Powers, Mitchell, Ismael Guillon... it's not like they're hurting for spots with in a bullpen full of young elite candidates. Time/innings he gets aren't otherwise going to future MLB players.
As Duke said, Howard has plenty of raw talent.
Hoping something works and helps him seems like a better idea than releasing him, in my opinion.
Sometimes I think there's stuff lost in Nick Howard discussions... early on he faced concerns about whether or not he could succeed as a starter, or had the Reds merely over-drafted a potential closer. During 2015 that discussion radically shifted from the original debate to how Nick Howard could suddenly not throw strikes for his life. It's been a remarkable, odd, and unfortunate development, but I think it's worth pointing out the ways he's changed (for the worse, MUCH worse) since draft day... The Reds have seen several draft picks ruined by injuries (Gruler, Howington), but Howard is one of the few to seemingly actively destroy his own career. Not just struggle, but perhaps struggle so badly to push himself out of the organzation. I don't think Howard ever gave the Reds a chance to see if he could start, dooming himself for other reasons. To some extent I feel bad for the Reds personnel who chose to draft Nick Howard - like him or not, I don't think anyone saw THIS coming.
Anyone who claims they foresaw, in 2014, Nick Howard's career collapsing and ending in single A ball due to an inability to throw strikes is lying to you.
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Post by kinsm on Apr 14, 2016 11:19:45 GMT -5
Let's get something straight, there is 0% chance of them dropping him anytime soon. They made a huge investment in him.
They converted him to starter, and in the process those guys have to start throwing changeups.
Duke is correct, he should probably focus only on one pitch right now and his confidence is probably shot too.
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Post by redsfanman on Apr 18, 2016 8:14:19 GMT -5
www.news-journalonline.com/article/20160417/SPORTS/160419511/101001?Title=Howard-hopes-to-rebound-after-disappointing-injury-riddled-2015-seasonHoward hopes to rebound after disappointing, injury-riddled 2015 season By Chris Boyle chris.boyle@news-jrnl.com Published: Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 7:58 p.m. Last Modified: Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 7:58 p.m. DAYTONA BEACH — Nick Howard flashed his potential on Saturday night — the stuff, command and results that led the Cincinnati Reds to draft him in the first round in 2014. Entering a one-run ballgame in the sixth inning, Howard fanned Nick Gordon — the Minnesota Twins' No. 5 prospect and younger brother of All-Star second baseman Dee Gordon — with a power slider. Two batters later, he coaxed an inning-ending double play ball. Unfortunately for Howard, positive results have been few and far between since his arrival last April. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander endured a rough 2015 season, cut short in July by a lingering right shoulder injury. Prior to being shut down, Howard walked 50 batters in 38 innings and posted a 6.63 ERA. "I just had to remember who I was," said Howard, a third-team All-American reliever during his junior year at the University of Virginia. "When I stepped on the mound, I couldn't just calm down. I was thinking too much, probably, about what I needed to do." Howard left Virginia ranked fourth in program history with 20 saves, while also platooning at first base and designated hitter. He posted respectable numbers at Class A Dayton in 2014, going 2-1 with a 3.74 ERA and a 2.09 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 33.2 innings. The Reds envisioned Howard capably shifting from the bullpen into the rotation. He started five games in the opening month of 2015, walking 23 batters and never escaping the fifth inning. He slotted back into a relief role in early May, but his ERA ballooned by nearly two full runs. Howard may have lost command of the strike zone, but Tortugas manager Eli Marrero said he never lost his competitiveness. "When things were going really, really bad for him last year, he never looked in the dugout saying, 'Get me out of this game,' " Marrero said. "He stood up there and was bouncing (his pitches) and throwing them all over the place, and he never ever wanted to come off that mound. "That guy's a warrior in my eyes." Entering this season, MLB.com listed Howard as the No. 22 prospect in the Cincinnati farm system — complimenting his fastball-slider combination. Howard's fastball sat in the low 90s as a starter, with a subtle increase in velocity out of the bullpen. He's battled through ups and downs in the first 10 games of 2016, sandwiching a pair of scoreless outings with a meltdown against Palm Beach. On April 11, all five Cardinals hitters Howard faced reached base (three hits, two walks), leading to four earned runs. Despite the adversity and disappointment of the last 12 months, Howard remains confident he can continue to develop and get back on track. "It's a natural, human response to get frustrated after a little while, but it's my job go out there and get better each day," he said.
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Post by redsfanman on Apr 19, 2016 15:34:39 GMT -5
Nick Howard. I'm not saying the nightmare is over, but recently he's pitched a little better...
After walking 5 in 1 IP spread between his first 2 outings, he pitched again on Saturday and Monday. Combined he pitched 2 innings with 1 H, 0 BB, and 1 K in those two games. TWO WHOLE INNINGS WITHOUT A WALK. Hopefully this is a start of a trend after first-week-jitters...
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Post by vtreds22 on Apr 20, 2016 0:10:35 GMT -5
Is Jonathon Crawford still alive?
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Post by kinsm on Apr 20, 2016 0:15:46 GMT -5
Is Jonathon Crawford still alive? Died in 2010 - was awesome in Night Moves, Gene Hackman wasn't too shabby either.
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Post by redsfanman on Apr 20, 2016 11:35:15 GMT -5
Jonathan Crawford is alive, his shoulder might be another matter...
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Post by redskoolaiddrinker on Apr 20, 2016 14:12:23 GMT -5
He's done. The Reds should move on. Any time he gets is time others don't. He's probably the worst "prospect" in our system. I really hope you jinxed him. If so, nice move.
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Post by floydgator on Apr 20, 2016 15:45:06 GMT -5
He's done. The Reds should move on. Any time he gets is time others don't. He's probably the worst "prospect" in our system. I really hope you jinxed him. If so, nice move. He's gone 2 whole innings without a walk! The renaissance begins!!!
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Post by redskoolaiddrinker on Apr 20, 2016 18:55:00 GMT -5
I really hope you jinxed him. If so, nice move. He's gone 2 whole innings without a walk! The renaissance begins!!! As minuscule as that is, I never expected it.
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Post by kinsm on Apr 21, 2016 21:36:12 GMT -5
twas just a blip
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Post by redsfanman on Apr 22, 2016 9:01:50 GMT -5
Nick Howard pitched again on Thursday, sorta a combo of old and new - he pitched a scoreless inning, with 2 BBs.
On the bright side he hasn't been scored up on in 4 of his 5 outings this year...
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Post by kinsm on Apr 24, 2016 1:12:00 GMT -5
Combining 2015 and 2016, he's walked 60 in 42 innings pitched in Daytona.
He's a mess.
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