Homer Bailey Maturing

Homer Bailey was signed with the Reds in 2004, he had just turned 18. As most 18 year-olds often do, Bailey knew everything about the world.

His highly successful high school career left him with the cockiness that screams, "I rule the world."

Bailey suffered through a horrible second half last season. He won a game on April 30th and was pitching well enough to get a recall to Cincinnati but he was 0-6. Between the win on the last day of April until he was the winning pitcher in the International League playoffs, Bailey made 21 starts without a win.

He was not going to allow that to happen again.

"A lot of times the winter before, I'd take half a Friday off," Bailey said after he pitched three scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He struck out four and walked one.

"I remember when it caught up to me last year," Bailey said. "I told myself that no matter what, I was not going to miss a workout. I was more dedicated."

People forget that Bailey is only 22. Many of his peers have just graduated from college and are just starting their pro careers.

"Sometimes I have to sit back and tell myself that I've got a lot of time and that everything is a learning process. I stop. Take a deep breath and remember for next time."

Bailey had gone from cockiness to humble with the bad year.

"When you go through a year like last year, you can't help that a few things knock inside your head," Bailey said. "I guess I was able to look back and really think about it a lot more and realize from the mistakes I made. I understand it more I think. This past offseason it sunk in a little more."

"Instead of being a little bit tentative about throwing this pitch. You know what if I throw this pitch with conviction, it will probably go where I need it to be if my mechanics are right."

"He's throwing the ball great. His breaking ball is better," Baker said. "He's a lot more focused."

Asked if the Reds said anything to him before he left for the winter, Baker responded, "We didn't say a whole lot. We said 'hey man just come in good shape, ready to go.' Sometimes it's a maturity thing. You can tell them all you want to but they have to go out and do it."