With Jeremy Affeldt gone, the first free agent in the majors to sign with another team this year (two years, $8 million from the Giants), and with the imminent retirement of Kent Mercker, the Reds are nearly stripped of left-handers in the bullpen.
That means it is time for 25-year-old Bill Bray to step to the front. Scouts and front office types throughout baseball agree that Bray has the stuff and talent to succeed. His problem so far has been injuries.
Bray, a first-round pick of the Expos in 2004, came to the Reds on July 13, 2006, as part of a nine-player trade with the Nationals and appeared in 29 games the rest of the season.
Then the problems began. Bray was on the disabled list from Opening Day in 2007 until July 19 with a hairline fracture on the tip of his left index finger and tendinitis in his left shoulder. He appeared in only 19 games and was 3-3 with a 6.28 ERA.
He didn't make the team coming out of spring training this season, but he was quickly called up on April 28 and his career really began.
Bray appeared in 63 games and was 2-2 with a 2.87 ERA over 47 innings, giving up 50 hits while striking out 54 and walking 24.
