Matt Belisle Sent Down to the Minors

In order to bring up Everyday Eddie Guardado, the Reds option Matt Belisle to Triple A Louisville. GM Wayne Krivsky has taken some heat over the past few days from fans not pleased his decisions. However, I think bringing up Bray and sending down Belisle are exactly what needed to happen.

Reds optioned RHP Matt Belisle to Triple-A Louisville.

Belisle belongs in the bullpen, not the minors, and he'll probably rejoin the Reds as a reliever in two or three weeks. He was 6-8 with a 5.40 ERA in 23 starts for the Reds, but he did have a solid 91/32 K/BB ratio in 135 innings. With Homer Bailey not yet ready, reliever Mike Gosling or minor leaguer Elizardo Ramirez could take Belisle's spot in the rotaiton. Victor Santos is a less likely possibility.

Belisle has good stuff, but has yet to find his niche. However, we can certainly cross "starting pitcher" off the list. The bullpen may be his best option, as he has the stuff to be an effective setup man. At this point, it is good to see the Reds recognize that he isn't an asset in the rotation. Pulling him from the rotation also enables us to see what else we have in the system.

We need to see if Phil Dumatrait, Bobby Livingston, and Elizardo Ramirez have anything to offer for 2008. Once again, the Reds seem to understand the need to use the rest of 2007 to evaluate what we have for 2008. That's a good sign.