Alfredo Simon (31) Days Until Cincinnati Reds Report to Spring Training

Jul 9, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Alfredo Simon throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

It’s January 18, and just one month separates from us and the glorious day when Cincinnati Reds’ pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training.  So why, then, are we talking about a guy who’s not even with the team?  Well, because the story of Alfredo Simon, Number 31 on our countdown team, represents the potential for found gold in every Major League season and the hope for Red’ success in 2015 and beyond.  

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A year ago at this time, Simon was a good, even approaching great, middle reliever.  Thanks to injuries and inconsistency toward the back of the Reds’ rotation, though, Simon was thrust into a starting roll and flourished — for a half.  After a going 12-3 with a 2.70 ERA before the All-Star break, Simon fell to 3-7, 4.52 in the second half and was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the off-season.

Now Simon, approaching 34, will likely end up in Detroit’s bullpen and has likely missed his best chance at a huge payday as a starter when he becomes a free agent after the 2015 season.

The Reds, meanwhile, will hope that the players coming back from Detroit, pitcher Jonathon Crawford and infielder Eugenio Suarez,  will turn into Major League contributors at some point.  More importantly for 2015, they need to find more of the Simon lightning in a bottle that might help them win in the short-term.