The Cincinnati Reds threw fans for a loop there for a while. A 2-7 road skid dropped the team to third in the NL Central, and put them behind the eight ball, just before the All-Star Break.
But before we get to the break, the Reds got a couple home series before Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto head to New York to represent the Reds in the All-Star game.
In those two series (a near sweep versus the San Francisco Giants and another versus the Seattle Mariners) the Reds have been performing exceptionally well, in most parts of the mechanics. One player I’ve been impressed with: Manny Parra.
In his past 10 games, Parra has allowed three hits and zero runs. In a month’s time, Parr has brought his ERA down from an outstanding 6.43 to a slightly above average of 4.15.
This season, Parra has allowed only four home runs as a reliever, something the Reds have been searching deep into their pockets for, with the injury of Sean Marshall. Tony Cingrani has made up for some lost ground in the relieving area, but Parra has been the unnoticed warrior out of the bullpen, in my eyes.
But one thing that has struck me most about Parra, is something you can’t find on the stats sheets or up on the scoreboard after games. It’s his mechanics. The way he approaches every pitch. Does he strike out five batters in two innings? No. But he gets the job done.
Something Parra has up on Aroldis Chapman is his keen eye for the catcher. If my memory serves me correctly, Devin Mesoraco has caught Parra more than any other catcher on the team. The way the two communicate is something I think the pitching rotation could adhere to.
Is Parra the absolute and definite answer to the Reds road woes? Probably not. But he didn’t see as much action as I would have like him to on the road at Arizona, Oakland and Texas.
Hopefully, after seeing some not-too-shabby performances from Great American Ballpark, team managers will start to realize that maybe, just maybe, this guy is the Man(ny).
The post Cincinnati Reds: Is Parra the Man(ny) for the job? appeared first on isportsweb.
