Brett Tomko and Scott Williamson were two of my favorite Reds pitchers. Really! Both immensely talented, both monumental headcases. It was never difficult for me to pinpoint the moment when either would implode.
Johnny Cueto is just like them.
I would like to say my ability to identify Cueto's meltdowns is uncanny, but that can't be the case - it seems too easy. Regardless, I've never been so sure of anything as I was of Carlos Delgado's 4th inning HR (I even said as much after the count went 3-1 - ask my roommate). The sun was in Cueto's eyes, he started complaining, his body language was horrible and...BOOM...2-0 Mets.
Think about it...how many times have you seen Cueto--in the middle of a gem--give up a solo homer, followed by another, then a walk and another homer? Too many, right? Once he gets hit hard--even if it's just once over five or six innings--he becomes a noticeably different pitcher. I'm assuming this is nothing more than Cueto showing his age--he's been much better of late--but you never know if he'll ever figure it out.
My name is Brad Spieser, and flame-throwing Dominicans make me panic.
-Brad Spieser (Brad@TwinKilling.com)
7/17/08
