GOODYEAR, Ariz. — There’s no Magic 8 Ball a team can consult when it comes to when is the right time to call up a pitcher.
Last year Cody Reed marked off all the boxes — a dominant spring? Check. A good start in Triple-A? Check. Glowing scouting reports? Check.
The result? A 0-7 record and 7.36 ERA in 10 big-league starts.
That’s not to say the Reds have soured on Reed’s future, it’s just that there is no way to know the exact right time to call a player up to the big leagues.
Sal Romano is the 2017 spring training version o Reed.