The Cueto Factor

I don’t like Johnny Cueto for a simple reason. He acted like a wimp during a brawl a few seasons back with the Cardinals and kicked Jason LaRue in the face. The kick gave LaRue a concussion that he couldn’t recover from and ended his career. LaRue wasn’t Buster Posey and the move didn’t hurt the Cards too badly, but it was still a play that turns Cardinal Red nation into a boiling pot of water rather instantly. Every time he takes the mound, Johnny “Kicking Impossible” Cueto makes every Cards fan angry. It doesn’t help that he is dominating right now.

Coming into tonight’s game against the Cardinals, Cueto is 15-6 with a 2.06 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and he has won 8 of his last nine outings. He has been filthy and downright greedy with runs allowed in August and is the front runner for the Cy Young. He is the only reason the Reds are still lurking above water. Cueto’s WAR(wins above replacement) is 5.6, which is very very good for a starting pitcher. In basic terms, he has winning nearly 6 more games than the next possibly replacement. He is everything to the 2014 Reds. He goes down and the brick wall of Cincinnati follows. This follows up on the promise of a 2012 season where Cueto went 19-9 with a 2.78 ERA. Cueto can do no wrong in 2014 so can possibly happen for the Cards tonight?

However, Cueto is human and hasn’t faced an offense as odd and inconsistent as the Cards. This offense is powered by key hit by pitches, warning track power, go ahead doubles and leadoff hitters who challenge a pitcher to throw 6 pitches every time. The Cards may just be the team to bring an end to Cueto’s reign of terror in the second half. The Cards have scored a healthy amount of runs this past week, and have walked off the past two games. They are feeling it and maybe there is some poetic justice for Cueto’s unlawful kick years ago. What if Cueto steps on the mound with the temperature hanging at 99 degrees this evening and simply starts to wilt and diminish.

I don’t wish harm upon many men but a little beating of Cueto’s ERA at the hands of the Birds bats isn’t too much to ask. A few hits here, a walk, wild pitch and awkward grounder up the middle off Cueto’s knee for a big two run single. I want retribution every time Cueto takes the mound, but it is violence of a different kind I am requesting.  I want the Cards bats to unleash a storm on the kid. In the end, Cueto may go on to dominate as usual. Then again, he could tumble down.

All I want tonight is for the Cards to keep the good times rolling. Momentum is a fickle thing in the hot humid summer air of St. Louis. April-July doesn’t matter now. All this team has is a month and a half of action left. Losing to Cueto wouldn’t ruin it all. Beating him would confirm the offense’s revival.

The Cueto Factor is high on any night he pitches. He is the best in baseball right now. His team doesn’t score runs and overall they are a bad team but he is 15-6 and carries 4 complete games on the season.

It won’t be easy for the Cards, but beating Johnny Cueto on August 20th would make a lot of fans feel good.

As always, thanks for reading and check me out on twitter, @buffa82.