A Cincinnati Red with the same surname, who answers to Eric, has seemingly also lost something. Namely, his ability to win ballgames.

And given the results that Milton has produced ever since he arrived in the Queen City as a high-priced free-agent, the left-hander may have misplaced something else as well. That being his overall effectiveness.

The question Cincinnati's brain trust must now ask is will Milton ever come close to recapturing the form that made him a 15-game winner in Minnesota and a 14-game victor in Philadelphia? And can the Reds afford to keep trotting him out there when the odds indicate that whenever Milton takes the mound, Cincy will more than likely suffer a defeat? Right now, whenever the Reds use Milton, they seem a surefire bet to lose.

Reasonably, how much longer can the club stay with what appears to be a bad hand?

There's a simple and painful fact that must be addressed. In a Reds' uniform, aside from a mild resurgence in his last three starts, Milton has basically been beaten black and blue. Too often, he's been hammered, strafed and ripped. His overall record is an abysmal 16 and 27. His stratospheric ERA's of 6.47 and 5.19 over the previous two years are downright embarrassing. Milton is one Red who should be red-faced about how woeful his cumulative efforts have been.

For the money that the club is doling out for his services, Milton is giving Cincy very little in return for its' investment. Not even Milton himself would dare contend that he's been worth the cost.

To be fair, Milton has incurred some injuries that have undermined him and made it more difficult for him to sustain a rhythm. In addition, Eric has periodically been victimized by poor run support. And pitching in Cincy's Great American Ball Park has also been detrimental. A fly ball pitcher susceptible to giving up the big bomb, Milton is probably ill-suited to pitch in such a hitter's haven. But the 6-3 southpaw is a nine-year vet and by this time he should have learned to adjust and adapt.

So while there may be some explanations why Milton has struggled, there are no real excuses. On balance, the 31-year old just hasn't done the job.

So where do the Reds go from here as it relates to their suspect starter? Call it the Milton dilemma.

Because of the money he's making, Cincy is almost compelled to ride things out a little longer, desperately hoping that Milton will soon find himself. Now in a contract drive because his pact with the Reds is expiring, Milton knows he must start pitching demonstrably better or else the interest in him will be minimal. Milton is literally pitching for his career and sometimes that incentive will push someone to greater heights.

And yet, the leash on Milton can't be that long. He's been given more than ample time to strut his stuff and to date, he's been a borderline bust. If he continues to falter, the team's best interests must begin to take precedence. And if that means a demotion to the bullpen or a flat out release, then so be it. Truth be told, Cincy isn't getting much out of Milton as the situation currently stands despite his slight improvement as of late.

Another point to consider is that the Reds now have viable starting options in the minors should Milton's meltdown persist. Phenom Homer Bailey ( 2-1, 1.98 ERA) has been splendid in Louisville as has lefty Bobby Livingston ( 2.93 ERA), who was an absolute revelation in spring training. And Phil Dumatrait certainly merits a look given his dominant performance ( 4-0, 0.63 ERA) thus far at the Triple-A level.

There is little reason to keep all three of these budding prospects down on the farm if Milton can't shake himself from the doldrums but quick.

What makes the whole Milton dilemma even more disheartening is that by all accounts, Eric is considered a first-rate teammate. The owner of a great work ethic, it's not for lack of effort that Milton finds himself in such a sorry state.

But baseball, just like any other pro sport, is about results and in that regard, Milton has been sorely lacking. Unfortunately, being a decent guy who sets a good example isn't enough to keep you around if ultimately, you can't pull your own weight.

The aforementioned poet Milton, also wrote a piece entitled "Paradise Regained."