Cincinnati Reds’ Tim Adleman – a bad team’s best friend

The Cincinnati Reds will tell the world they are ready to compete when Tim Adleman is no longer on their roster.

The two ways that the Cincinnati Reds will tell the public where they stand in the rebuild is the status of Tim Adleman and manager Bryan Price.  As soon as the Reds believe they have any chance to make the World Series, Price will be replaced likely by bench coach Jim Riggleman.  Adleman, meanwhile, doesn’t fit on the roster of a playoff contender.

Adleman is a pitcher just above replacement level.  A replacement level pitcher is one that pitches five innings giving up three runs.  Adleman is just a touch better than both of those this year.

Adleman has an ERA of 5.35 and averages 5 2/3 innings per start.  That is just a bit better than a 5.40 ERA and the five innings of average.  Of course, this comes in the midst of Adleman’s roughest stretch of his MLB career.

In six starts for the month of July Adleman only had one quality start.  His lone start in August only lasted 4 2/3 innings, while allowing only a pair of runs.  Of course, Adleman went a disappointing 0-5 in July.

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Adleman may be running out of gas or he may have hit his level.  In any case, he is a just better than replacement pitcher.  The Reds can rely on him while they are rebuilding, but not beyond that.

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The Cincinnati Reds need to have a plan in place to move on from Tim Adleman when the time is right.

The Reds are likely a year or two away from getting rid of Adleman.  He is a fine number five starter for a non-contending team and might even be an OK long reliever for a contender.  The Reds, though, don’t have the arms to move on from the reliable Adleman, yet.

The number five starter for the Washington Nationals is Edwin Jackson.

He has a 4.34 ERA this year and a career record of 95-116.  The Baltimore Orioles waived him earlier this season.

By contrast, the number five starter for the Chicago Cubs is former Chicago White Sox ace Jose Quintana.  Quintana has a 3.53 lifetime ERA and a record of 52-55 to go with it.  He also has 140 strikeouts in 128 1/3 innings so far this year.

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That is the sort of pitcher that the Reds need to find either in their minor league system or acquire from outside.  Right now, their Opening Day starter Scott Feldman is closer to a number five starter of a contender than Adleman is.  Adleman, though, has been a great asset during the past two seasons.