Ramon Ramirez was called up to fill the void for injured Nick Masset in the Reds' bullpen

There are a lot of things in life that I don’t understand.  For example, I am confused as to why clothing companies make sizes extra large and extra small, yet there is no extra medium.  I also don’t fully understand where babies come from.  And now, with the Reds’ recent call-up of Ramon Ramirez I can add one more item to my ever growing list of life’s mysteries.  I am having a hard time coming up with reasons as to why Dusty and Co. would call-up Ramirez when there are several other much better options available.

Mark Sheldon, of Reds.com, is reporting that the reason for Ramirez getting the nod was due to his major league experience and versatility.  I guess they weren’t phased by his 0-3 record in seven starts and 5.08 ERA over that time span.  Duct tape is an extremely versatile product, you can use it for almost anything, but I would never put a roll of duct tape on the mound expecting it to pitch six scoreless frames.  My point being, and I realize that analogy was a stretch, is that Ramirez may be versatile, but versatility only takes you so far when you can’t pitch strikes or get batters out. 

Initially I assumed Ramirez was brought up to fill Nick Masset’s spot because he served more of a relief role.  However, in seven appearances with the Louisville Bats this year, Ramirez has started all seven games and has produced very mediocre results.  Matt Maloney, on the other hand, has pitched very well and posted a 2.64 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in seven starts. 

Let’s take a closer look at these two in a side-by-side comparison.  Ramirez has given up 27 runs this year, 22 of which were earned.  Maloney has given up 14 runs in total, 13 of which were earned.  Ramirez has walked 17 batters compared to Maloney’s impressive six.  Maloney has also posted 38 strikeouts in 44 innings while Ramirez has fanned only 28 in 39 innings of work.  And as mentioned earlier, one of the most telling stats a pitcher can record, even more so than their ERA, is the WHIP.  The WHIP is a much more valuable stat because it gives a more accurate picture of how a pitcher performs in game situations.  For example, a pitcher who strikes out the side and a pitcher who gives up three hits, but is the beneficiary of an inning-ending double play, will both have a 0.00 ERA for the inning.  However, the pitcher who gave up the three hits will have a WHIP of 3.00, even though both pitchers had a scoreless frame, it is obvious the pitcher who struck out the side was much more effective.  Maloney’s WHIP of 1.13 is very solid, while Ramirez’s 1.38 isn’t horrible, but anything around 1.40 or above is average.  Combine that with a 5.08 ERA and a higher walk total and it becomes obvious that Ramirez has struggled with control and is not fooling too many batters in AAA.  So what leads Dust Mop to believe that he will produce better results in the majors?  Oh, right, because he’s “versatile.”

The bottom line is that baseball is a game of strategy based around statistical analysis and percentages.  Numbers don’t lie.  So why take a chance with a less successful Ramirez when Maloney, who has also had major league exposure, is fully capable of filling Masset’s role with presumably better results.  I am a die-hard Reds fan, but I completely disagree with this move by the Reds.  Honestly, I hope Ramirez comes in and pitches lights out and leaves me eating my own words, but until that happens I will keep this decision on my list of “things I don’t understand.”