ARROYO ON A ROLL
Stop the presses and hold onto your hat!
Could it be? Is it conceivable? Dare the Reds dream the impossible?
Is something that takes place as often as Haley's Comet or at least as infrequently as President Bush gets compliments from Democrats, taking place right before our eyes?
Yes, it's early in the season. And yes, it's springtime when optimism runs wild and hope too often trumps reality.
But this really could be a case of the world turning upside down. The Reds may actually have found themselves a legitimate number one starter to anchor their rotation.
A hurler who can extend winning streaks but, more importantly, put the skids to any kind of a losing skein. A front-of-the-line, go-to guy the Reds haven't seen since the likes of Jose Rijo and Mario Soto.
Will wonders never cease!
What's even more amazing is that this potential savior wasn't even a Red until March 20th of this year. Now, that's making an impact in one heck of a hurry.
The man in question wears the funky number of 61 but if he maintains his early excellence, he'll soon be numero uno in the heart of manager Jerry Narron, let alone the Cincinnati fandom.
When Bronson Arroyo was brought over from the Red Sox in a deal that sent Wily Mo Pena packing, he was clearly under the gun. It was imperative for him to produce right away.
The Reds starting staff was, at best, a work in progress and a horse was desperately needed to not only give Cincy innings but plenty of quality starts as well.
If Arroyo disappointed and failed to produce, the Reds would once again be nothing more than mediocre. And peddling a player with Pena's upside for a marginal pitcher would have had the fans in the Queen City screaming bloody murder.
But Arroyo has been splendid from the get-go and if he can come close to maintaining his pace, there won't be much more talk of Wily Mo.
Whether the 6-5, 190-pound Arroyo can ever develop into a true ace is debatable but he does have the wherewithal to be the centerpiece of a staff and a stopper when necessary.
Just examine the early returns on the 29-year old's brief stint with the Reds. He's undefeated at 3 and 0 with a more than solid ERA of 3.03. And get a load of that glossy strikeout-to-walks ratio of 22 to 5.
More revealing perhaps, Arroyo took the mound three times after a Reds' loss and twice he came away with victories. He was the stopper personified. A brakeman on the diamond.
In addition, the six-year vet has shown the moxie and grit a big winner must possess. Against the Cubs in cozy Wrigley Field, he impressively pounded the strike zone and pitched eight innings of shutout ball.
Then, in another admirable performance this past Friday against the Brewers, the lanky righty showed his mettle by extricating himself from three late-inning jams. By the time he was done, Arroyo had spun another keeper, fanning eight and yielding but six hits in eight frames of yeoman work.
There's no doubt that Arroyo has the stamina to do the heavylifting required of a topflight arm. Over the last two seasons, he's logged 67 appearances which have included 61 starts.
And his effectiveness in 2005 can't be challenged. Pitching half his games in the bandbox that's Fenway Park, the Florida native notched 14 wins and registered more than 20 quality starts.
That's why the pitching-starved Reds were willing to part with Pena to acquire Arroyo. G.M. Wayne Krivski, who knows the A.L. like the back of his hand, saw in Arroyo an athlete who just might be reaching his peak. A would-be 15 to 20 game-winner poised and ready to blossom.
No one can know for sure. But given his mental makeup, his solid arsenal of pitches and the seamless transition he's made to a new league and team, Arroyo has the look of a rock upon which the Reds can rely.
A more precise reading on Arroyo's immediate future will take place over his next five to 10 starts. If the long-haired hurler can replicate what he's done so far, the sky's the limit for both him and the Reds.
For now, Arroyo's on a roll. The Reds profoundly hope he keeps right on rolling into becoming that ace they have sought for what seems like an eternity.