Dusty Being Dusty: Baker Tabs Edinson Volquez for Opening Day Start

The Cincinnati Reds will open the defense of their National League Central Division crown on March 31, and manager Dusty Baker has selected Edinson Volquez as his Opening Day pitcher, the man to get things started out on the right foot. Volquez is undoubtedly a supertalented young man, and has often turned in exciting performances for the Reds since he was acquired in exchange for Josh Hamilton before the 2008 season. Still, it's kind of an odd announcement, especially this early in spring training.

Volquez came back late last year after missing most of the season recovering from Tommy John surgery. He did OK at 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA, but wasn't quite as electric as he had been at his best in `08. He also had the ignominy of drawing the start when the Reds were no-hit(!) by Roy Halladay to open the 2010 playoffs.

Johnny Cueto (12-8, 3.64) and Bronson Arroyo (17-10, 3.88), meanwhile, turned in a full season for Baker last season, contributing significantly to the team's somewhat unexpected success. Baker's purported reasoning for selecting Volquez is that the powerful righty is unflappable, while Cueto is somewhat more mercurial and will be under pressure due to the new contract he signed over the winter. Um, OK, but how about wily veteran Arroyo? I suppose he'll be nervous because he also inked a hefty extension? Oh, that's right! Baker wants to mix things up: "You want to go hard, soft, hard. You want to break up Cueto and Volquez so they don't go out and out radar gun each other." I'm frankly somewhat surprised the Baker didn't announce that Aaron Harang would draw the opener for a sixth consecutive season (yes, my tongue is in my cheek ... lucky I'm typing and not talking).

In reality, the choice of who to trot out to the mound on Opening Day won't make or break the Reds' season, but Dusty is invoking his manage-by-cliché rights even earlier than usual. Can Edgar Renteria as the Redlegs' starting shortstop be far away? Paul Janish had better keep an eye over his shoulder this spring.