Bailey trumpets entire rotation's achievements
On Saturday, Mike Leake became the fifth Reds pitcher to make his 30th start, something achieved by only seven pitching staffs in Major League history, the last being the 2006 White Sox.
Bronson Arroyo, at 197 innings, will be the fourth Reds starter this season to reach 200 innings if he can work three innings on Monday against the Cardinals. The last team to have four starters pitch 200 innings was also the '06 White Sox. If Arroyo can beat the Cardinals, it will make four Reds starters to have at least 13 wins, something the team's staff hasn't done since 1970.
"You don't hear about it on ESPN. You don't hear about it much," Bailey said on Saturday. "We keep listening about the 1970-whatever Reds. But no one is taking about this team and this rotation and the things that we've done and the number of quality starts, the amount of innings -- the four guys over 200 and five guys making 30 starts.
"We come here [Friday] night and there's [34,796] people. We go back home and there's only 20 [thousand] for a first-place team with a bunch of very exciting things going on, whether it's Todd Frazier going for Rookie of the Year, Joey Votto going for a batting title or Johnny Cueto up for Cy Young. We have a rotation full of guys, day in and day out, that take the ball. We don't necessarily try to get the attention, but I think what everybody is witnessing with this team is something special. It shouldn't go overlooked."