Johnny Cueto Goes All the Way (But Doesn't Give Up Anything)

If you were asked to name the top 10 pitchers in baseball, or 20, or 30, you would likely forget to include Johnny Cueto. The Reds' ace has rocked ERAs of 3.64, 2.31, 2.78, 2.82 and 1.25 since 2009, but he's won more than 12 games once and missed a year's worth of starts the last three seasons.

Well, the 28-year-old righty is making amends in 2014. Cueto has started nine games this season and thrown 63 innings. That's eight frames-a-game, including three complete games and two shutouts. Opposing batters have collected just 33 hits against him this season -- fewer than five-a-game, plus 18 walks and 76 strikeouts. Yeesh.

Here are the nine starts in order:
Seven innings, one run on three hits against the Cards
Seven innings, two runs on five hits against the Mets
Seven innings, two runs on five hits against the Rays
Nine innings, no runs on three hits against the Bucs
Nine innings, one run on three hits against the Bucs
Eight innings, no runs on three hits against the Braves
Eight innings, two runs on three hits against the Brewers
Eight innings, two runs on five hits against the Rockies
Nine innings, no runs on three hits against the Padres

It's the first time a pitcher has begun the season with nine straight games of 7+ innings and two or fewer runs in 100 years. 

Not a clunker in the bunch; in fact, there's barely a hint of vulnerability. So what is Cueto, 9-0? 8-1? How many no-decisions can a guy have when he's left to the bullpen nine innings in two months?

The answer is, he's 4-2 with three no decisions. His two losses are 1-0 to St. Louis and 2-1 to Tampa. In his nine starts, his mates have hung more than four runs on the opponent once, fewer than two runs three times. What's a guy got to do?

Cueto earned the "W" in Game One of a twin bill against San Diego today. In Game Two, the Reds showed why Cueto has to work so hard for his victories. After opposing hurler Tyler Ross began the game bouncing one slider after another in the dirt, loading the bases on walks, only two Reds forced him to go even four pitches for the next four innings. Both walked, but no one else made a dent and the Reds went down meekly as Ross built confidence and control.

Good luck, Johnny. You'll no doubt continue to win -- as long as you keep pitching complete game shutouts.