Other more prominent and acclaimed players would come more readily to mind.

And yet, there's no denying his importance. In many ways, he might hold the key to Cincinnati's prospects.

It's virtually impossible to envision the Reds being anything but pretenders unless he really asserts himself. You could make a strong case that he might be the X factor on the club.

If  he doesn't come up big, Cincy would seem to have little chance to compete or contend.

And that's why his season in general and his most recent outings in particular have been so disappointing. Just when the Reds could've used a much needed boost, he let them down. He flamed out.

Claussen's last two starts have been particularly damaging. On both occasions, the Reds were riding modest two-game win streaks and seemed poised to go on a bit of a run. They were positioned to make a push and put some pressure on front-runner St. Louis.

All they needed was for Claussen to keep things close and hold the opposition in relative check. Hardly a lot to ask of arguably one of your better pitchers.

But alas, Claussen wasn't up to the task. Detroit cuffed him around for 11 hits and the Brewers reached him for five runs in but six innings.

These were clearly statement games but in them Claussen went mute. Instead of stepping up, he stepped out.

Isn't it about time the lefty Claussen came to grips with his value and started acting the part of a major contributor?  Shouldn't he welcome the chance to stand up and be counted?

Claussen's dull efforts of late only to serve to underscore why the Reds desperately need him to be a consistent and rock solid pitcher. If he's not, prolonged winning streaks will be darn near impossible.  As a result, the Reds will be stuck in neutral or even worse.

And instead of being a force for the good, the four-year vet could prove to be a drag on the aspirations of his club.

Sure, that's a lot of pressure to bear but the 6-1, 200-pounder should be able to withstand it. He's old enough (27) and experienced enough that being dependable should be almost second-nature. Quality starts should be the least that's expected of him.

But all that still doesn't explain how a pitcher with just 16 career wins could come to be considered so instrumental and vital to the Reds' cause.

Read on to discover the intriguing answer.

Thought to be Cincinnati's third-best starter, Claussen must be a reliable bridge between standouts Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang and the lower end of the rotation. 

There's no denying that Arroyo and Harang set the tone for the staff  but it falls on Claussen to keep things going in a positive direction. He's the one who must build on the momentum the top two starters generate. In many ways, the success of the rotation hinges on him.

If he's on, the Reds can go on a roll and are capable of putting together a nice string of wins. If he's off, that could spell trouble because Eric Milton and young Elizardo Ramirez are still unknowns at this stage.

You simply don't know what to expect from those two. With Milton just back from injury and Ramirez a veritable babe-in-the-woods, too much uncertainty surrounds them.

That makes Claussen's role all the more pivotal. He can't be up and down . Being good periodically just isn't acceptable. He must deliver with regularity. He must instill in his teammates the belief that he's a gamer who gives them a bona fide chance to win every time out.

And he's certainly capable of doing just that. Armed with a sneaky fastball in the low 90's and a nifty slider, the southpaw has the goods to get it done.

After winning 10 games last year and showing demonstrable improvement as the season evolved, number 34 seemed primed to take it to the next level. The once-highly touted Yankee prospect looked ready to finally live up to his promise.

Instead, he's leveled off and has the Reds' wondering what's the deal?

Claussen's numbers to date are not appealing. In 10 outings, he has recorded only three quality starts, a poor ratio to say the least.

Moreover, his won-loss record of 3 and 5 and bloated 5.25 ERA have people in the front office scratching their heads. They must be asking what's happened to someone thought to be a trustworthy member of the pitching staff.

The Reds can only hope that Claussen is merely riding out a touch stretch and will soon find a groove. It's not hyperbole to state that many of their expectations are predicated on what comes out of his left arm.

The team has no choice but to stay strong in its belief that Claussen will soon return to form and start eating up innings and posting W's.

If he doesn't, the alternative is almost too discouraging to even consider. In truth, there really is no other alternative.

Either Claussen gets it together and buoys the Reds with his efforts or he continues to sputter and greatly undermines their chances to thrive and be something special.