NL Central Notes: Fernandez, Reds, Bruce, Pirates

Marlins star Jose Fernandez, who shut out the Reds on Thursday, could have been pitching for the other side if things went differently in 2011, John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes.  Fernandez was initially ruled ineligible by the Florida High School Association four years ago for issues stemming from his defection from Cuba.  The Reds had a $1.3MM deal ready for Fernandez if he lost his appeal, but the hurler ultimately got the decision overturned.

“I talked to them,” Fernandez said. “But I ended up playing my senior year. I don’t know what would have happened. Life is crazy. You never know.”

Here’s more from the NL Central..

• One person familiar with the Reds thinking tells Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he believes there’s at least a 50/50 chance Jay Bruce is traded in July.  Recently, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports heard that Bruce is as “as good a bet as anyone” on the team to be dealt.  Bruce, 28, is controllable for three more years and offers an established power bat.
• Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette turned in his mid-season report card for the Pirates.  Brink gave the Bucs’ front office an A grade for the offseason it had, including the signing for Jung-ho Kang, which was viewed as a risk by some at the time.  Kang has given the Bucs a .267/.343/.385 slash line with four homers while playing solid defense at third base.
• Reading between the lines, Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel suspects that a transition to a new Brewers GM is underway.  Haudricourt reasons that if Melvin was going to remain the team’s GM in 2016, the club would have announced it by now.  Sometime before the end of the season, the scribe believes the Brewers will announce that Melvin is out as GM, giving them time to search for a successor and have someone in place for important offseason decisions.  Earlier this month it was reported that Melvin is considering a new role within the club.