Homer Bailey

Homer Bailey just threw the first no-hitter of the 2013 MLB season, sailing through the San Francisco Giants lineup as his Cincinnati Reds won the game, 3-0.

This was Bailey's second no-hitter, with the last one coming on September 28, 2012 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Homer Bailey tossed a no-hitter against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night, becoming the first MLB pitcher to accomplish the feat since...Homer Bailey.

ESPN's Buster Olney captured the moment:

Apparently, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey has taken a monopoly over Major League Baseball's supply of no-hitters.

The Reds right-hander recorded the second no-no of his career on Tuesday night, blanking the San Francisco Giants in a 3-0 win for Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark. 

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Homer Bailey threw the second no-hitter of his career in a 3-0 win against the San Francisco Giants before 27,509 fans on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Yes, you read that headline right.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Mike Leake was arrested Monday by Cincinnati police after he walked out of a Macy's store with six shirts worth an outstanding sum of $59.88.

Let that sink in.

A professional athlete who is making four hundred twenty five thousand dollars this year shoplifted sixty bucks worth of clothes.

Cause that makes sense.

With opening day only three days away, the Cincinnati Reds roster is looking more like the Walking Wounded than a defending champion.

A pitching rotation of Edinson Volquez, Bronson Arroyo, Travis Wood, Mike Leake and probably Sam LeCure will not strike fear into the hearts of the collective sluggers of the Milwaukee Brewers. Their combined ERA is 6.45.

There hasn't been this much anticipation for a Reds season in years, but for anyone who has been paying attention to spring training, the news hasn't been very good and it continues to get worse as starting pitcher Homer Bailey was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a shoulder impingement.

For Bailey, who has shown flashes but is still seeking consistency over the course of an entire season, it's another setback.

Most pitching coaches and baseball aficionados would agree that it takes a few years for a starting pitcher to learn what it takes to be a successful big league pitcher. As Tom Glavine explained to John Feinstein in Living on the Black, “Young pitchers know how to throw hard, but very few know how to pitch”.

When looking for a young pitcher to target late in fantasy drafts, owners should identify players who have yet to produce top level fantasy stats despite having gifted arms and a collection of filthy pitches. 

Although the Reds didn't have a "true" ace this season, which cost them in the postseason, they had a ton of quality depth that helped them navigate through the 162-game meat grinder.

Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Travis Wood, Aroldis Chapman and Homer Bailey are the seven names for the five available spots in the rotation. 

Without further ado, here's a look at the individuals, and their potential for making the five-man rotation in 2011.

Congratulations to the Cincinnati Reds for winning the National League Central and advancing to the postseason for the first time since 1995.

The Reds are one of baseball’s young, up-and-coming teams with tons of future superstars in Joey Votto and Aroldis Chapman.

They have excellent veteran leaders in Scott Rolen, Orlando Cabrera, and Brandon Phillips.  Cincinnati's manager is also one of the game’s best in Dusty Baker.