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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > March
March 2009
Keppinger traded for minor-leaguer
Jeff Keppinger played in a minor-league game Tuesday, then went back to his condo to pack because he had to be out on March 31.
Little did he know his next stop would be Kissimmee.
The Cincinnati Reds traded the utility infielder to the Houston Astros for a minor-league player to be named - and the naming must be by May 1.
“The Astros pursued this and at first we resisted,” said GM Walt Jocketty. “But now it appears Alex Gonzalez is going to be playing and the ways things are Keppinger would get little chance to play. This is a better deal for him, too.”
Keppinger’s departure leaves the door open for either Adam Rosales or Paul Janish to make the team and Jocketty said, “We feel comfortable and would be happy with either one. They’ve both had good springs and done well.”
Janish, a leather wizard, is not taking anything for granted and said, “I’ll continue to work hard and we’ll see what happens. I know one thing, we play Houston a lot so we’ll be seeing a lot of Kepp.”
Keppinger was humorous about his situation and said of his .140 batting average, “I was about to go in and ask them to release me. I didn’t know and I was just glad they didn’t release me. I was in my condo when I was called and told manager Dusty Baker and Walt wanted to talk to me. I had a few different things running through my head on the drive back.
“It’s good in that maybe I’ll get the opporunity to play,” Keppinger added. “Looking around here, didn’t look as if I was going to play much. It is the way my career has been. I can’t find a team that feels comfortable throwing me out there every day. I’m going to a team that needs somebody, so maybe it’s a good opportunity for me.”
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TweetArroyo: life with carpal tunnel syndrome
Neither Bronson Arroyo nor the Cincinnati Reds appear boot-shaking concerned about the report of Arroyo’s carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist.
And, no, it doesn’t come from his plunking of a guitar to do JTM commercials or any other strumming. “He assures us he is not playing the guitar,” said manager Dusty Baker. “I’m just glad it happened now and our medical staff got right on it. He is doing his bullpen work on schedule tomorrow.”
Arroyo has not been good in his last two starts, that included a beating he took from minor-leaguers two starts ago.
Arroyo himself says it is nothing new, that he had it bad in 2004, “And I didn’t miss a start in 2004 and I’m not going to miss one now.”
Arroyo’s Story:
“I had it all last year, too. Bad. But what are you going to do? It ain’t fun and it makes it harder to pitch, but that’s just the way it is. You find ways to make it work. I could feel it four months last year, yea.
“It happened in the middle of the ‘04 season and I didn’t know what it was. I had pain in my hand when I was writing and I didn’t understand. It feels weak, like it was falling asleep. Then it went away and I forgot about it. Then I pitched Game 3 (for Boston) of the ALDS against Anaheim and that night after we clinched I went home and it was back.
“I thought, ‘Damn it, it’s back.’ I told a friend I was worried about going up against the New York Yankees because it’s a strange feeling, I didn’t know what it was. I only pitched a couple of more times out of the pen that season and we won the Series.
“And there was nothing the next three seasons, never felt it at all, then last year it was back again and now it is with me for the last three weeks. They’ve given me some stuff to knock it out, so we’ll see. It isn’t like I can’t throw, but it’s like being a sprinter with a little swelling in your ankles. If you need something extra out of your body, it can affect you. So we’ll see if it calms down.”
Arroyo said he inquired last year about surgery and was told it isn’t a major deal, but backed off when he heard that in some cases it can leave numbness in the fingers, “So that’s why I’m leery. I can’t afford that. So as athletes we have to find out routines that work for us. I have to find a way to calm it down and then keep it calmed down.”
EDWIN ENCARNACION was back in the lineup at third base today, but shortstop Alex Gonzalez was to play seven innings in a minor league game.
“Edwin went 3 for 6 yesterday (in a minor-league game) and his arm is feeling good,” said Baker. “We’re playing Alex in a minor-league game, just in case he is not ready. If we have to put him on the DL we can only back date to the last Major League game he played. We’re trying to bring him along and it’s the second day in a row he will play the field. He’ll go seven innings today and hopefully he comes out of it and we go from there.
“We want Edwin to get a lot of at-bats so he doesn’t get off to a slow start like he has the last two yeas,” Baker added.
THE REDS HAVE no official comment on the arrest Friday in Sarasota of Class AA Carolina pitching coach Tom Browning. He was picked up on charges of failure to pay child support of $99,008.36.
Said the Reds, “It’s a personal matter and shall remain private.” It is unclear if Browning remains jailed, but he has not been in camp this week. It may be a personal and private matter to the Reds, but it is difficult to coach class AA pitchers from inside bars.
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TweetJacque Jones one of three Reds’ cuts
For those of you who were willing to bet their stashed-away cash that Jacque Jones would start the season with the Cincinnati Reds just because he formerly played for manager Dusty Baker, well, you better concentrate on your NCAA brackets.
You lost this one.
Jones was one of the three cuts made by the Reds today. Jones was re-assigned to minor-league camp, but was told there may not be room for him.
Meanwhile, outfielder Norris Hopper and pitcher Darryl Thompson were optioned to Class AAA Louisville.
It was a tough time for Baker. This is the facet of his job he hates most, calling a player into his office to tell him he isn’t wanted. Baker says he wants them all, but there just isn’t room.
Jones, a great guy who always wears a wide smile, was wearing one when he accepted condolences from his teammates and when he met the media. He knew what was coming. His .089 batting average told him like a legal document.
“No surprise, I didn’t hit,” he said. “I went to Mexico this winter, had a good time, did some hitting, but it didn’t carry over to here. I wanted to do well to justify a slot with the team and I just didn’t do it.
“Dusty was great and gave me opportunities, a lot of at bats (45) and I just didn’t do anything with it,” he said.
And now what does he do? He isn’t sure other than, “I’m going to stick around awhile.” It is probably too late to hook up with another organization and for the Reds it is a matter of if they can squeez him onto the Louisville roster.
“We’re trying to see if there is room or not - hopefully so he can do what Jerry did last year,” said Baker. Jerry is Jerry Hairston Jr., who didn’t make the team out of camp and began the year with Louisville, then was called up and played six positions and hit .326.
“Hopefully, he can work with Smoky Garrett (Louisville batting instructor), who I respect a lot,” Baker added. “We have some good prospects down there, so there may not be room. We’re trying to figure it out.”
Hopper was not offered a contract after last season, becoming a free agent, then quickly re-signed with the Reds at a lesser salary. But he hit only .132 this spring.
There are now 33 players in camp - still six outfielders, Jay Bruce, Chris Dickerson, Willy Taveras, Jonny Gomes, Laynce Nix and Darnell McDonald. Seven if you count infielder/outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr., who could be at shortstop if Alex Gonzalez isn’t ready.
He still isn’t playing with the big team. Nor is Edwin Encarnacion. Both were scheduled to DH in minor-league games today.
“We have to try to get them ready for the season,” said Baker. “It’s that time. Everybody always says you have plenty of time, all of a sudden you’re on a crash course of an accelerated program.”
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TweetThey shoulda called the whole thing off
They delayed the start of today’s game for an hour and I can’t ever remember a spring training game being delayed. Usually they slam shut the gates and say, “Game canceled,” when they feel moisture from a guy spitting in the top row.
But the sun burst through and it was play ball - unfortunately for the Cincinnati Reds, who were sent through a shredder by a weak Tampa Bay Rays irregulars, 11-2.
Manager Dusty Baker really wanted to get this one in to keep his pitching lined up and it was Bronson Arroyo’s turn, facing Scott Kazmir. Arroyo, as they saw when a pitcher is emasculated, “Got his work in,” if that’s what one calls 10 runs an d 14 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
It is amazing how all managers are totally flaunting the commissioner’s rule that a team should have at least four regulars in its lineup for every sprin game. And they all are guilty.
Tampa Bay’s Joe Maddon really pushed it today. The only TB-Ray remotely a regular was pitcher Kazmir and, heck, he only pitches every fourth day.
Seeing Tampa Bay reminded me of way back before Florida ever had a major-league franchise. When the Reds trained in Tampa, a great old guy named Jimmy Selman of the Tampa Tribune covered every Reds spring training game.
He was continually kidded about Florida not having a team and one day he said, “We’ll eventually get a team and we’ll call them the Tampa Yankee Swindlers and we’ll wear pin-stripes with dollar signs on ‘em because we’ll still be taking y’all’s money.”
I think that’s the same day he took me to a golf course and before we left the parking lot he bet me $100 I wouldn’t carry the water on the first tee.
“How far?” I asked.
“To carry? 200 yards,” he said.
“Done,” I said.
When we got to the tee, I knew I’d been had. A howling gale was blowing in my face. Jimmy couldn’t stop laughing as I pumped not one, not two, but three Titleists into what looked to me to be Lake Superior.
JAY BRUCE, still trying to prove he can hit lefthanded pitching, had the bases loaded when he faced Kazmir in the first inning. He struck out. Next time against Kazmir in the fourth, he pumped a two-run homer over the right field wall to give Arroyo a 2-0 lead.
Arroyo immediately immersed himself in deep jungle, giving up a run and had the bases loaded with no outs. Jerry Hairston Jr., playing shortstop, temporarily avoided disaster by making a diving catch of a line drive.
Who needs Alex Gonzalez????
The next batter drilled a base hit to right, scoring the tying run, but Bruce threw out the runner trying to score from second for the second out. That didn’t save our man from the decks of the Nasty Hook. The next five Rays had hits and suddenly it was 8-2.
During the inning, left fielder Chris Dickerson misplayed two fly balls - one that sailed over his head for a two-run double and one that fell in front of him for a single after he initially took a step back.
Arroyo was feeling the way I felt trying to carry 200 yards into a windstorm. Maybe it made him feel better that seven of the eight runs in the fourth inning were unearned, but he still gave up nine hits in the first four innings, even though a couple of the hits should have been caught.
The mess continued into the fifth inning and when Arroyo gave up two more runs, he left with two outs in the fifth, having given up 10 runs and 14 hits.
THEN LEFTHANDER Bill Bray continued to punch his Stay in Sarasota ticket by giving up a run and two hits in one inning, even though the run was unearned when shortstop Hairston kicked away a ground ball for an error. OK, so maybe they do need Alex Gonzalez.
“They beat us up pretty good,” said Baker. “Especially that one inning. Bronson was getting the ball up and over the heart of the plate.”
And tomorrow several players will find themselves either assigned to minor league teams or re-assigned to minor-league camp as Baker and GM Walt Jocketty plans cuts in the morning before the team departs for Bradenton.
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TweetBack on the job again - Part Deux
What is it they say - don’t try to come back too soon. Don’t try to be hero.
I tried to come back too soon last week after being decked by the flu that gave me the shakes and the sweats. I was flat on my back for three days, subsisting on orange juice. Stepped on a set of scales in the condo’s workout room and saw I lost 10 pounds.
Yeah, I need to drop weight, but I wouldn’t go on Oprah and announce the new Hal McCoy Diet - get the shakes and the sweats and watch the weight drain away.
To top it off, just as I was feeling better, my laptop got sick. Probably got it from me. It was sluggish, slow and sometimes downright refused to do anything.
Some I came to the Reds complex Friday morning and spent seven hours here, mostly on the phone back to Dayton getting medical attention for my disabled PowerBook G4.
Thank goodness for Don Balduf, our resident laptop genius, a good guy even if he is a Boston Red Sox fan. I know he wanted to go home a 5, but he was still with me at 7, repairing my ailing machine.
Now it works and now I work. Finally.
SO WHAT happens on my first day back. I am awakned at 6 a.m. by vicious lightning and exploding thunder, along with a downpour.
In his morning meeting, Baker says, “You ever see lightning like that before? Wow. I was going to walk out on my dock and check my shrimp bucket, carrying an umbrella because it was raining. But with that lightning I didn’t think carrying an umbrella was such a good idea. How do I explain it if I get hit by lightning and I’m dead?”
The question of the day: Doesn’t it seems obvious that because Micah Owings is pitching in big-league games and on the same days Homer Bailey is pitching in minor-league games that, well, Owings is the fifth starter?
“Nothing is official, just because of the way they’re lined up,” said Baker. “But Owings has pitched pretty well, he has pitched great.”
Asked what happens to Bailey if Owings is No. 5, does Bailey go to the bullpen or does he go to Louisville and stay in the rotation there, Baker said, “That’s a a little premature to ask that. Whichever it is, Homer is in our plans, big-time. He has shown more progress than at any time in his career. He has shown maturity and he is getting it. He has a better overall demeanor, a better outlook, a better mindset.”
ANOTHER QUESTION that has popped up is the Bill Bray dilemma. Is he ready to go north or does he need to stay back and get ready? Baker said it is a possibility that Bray will stay back and his spot will be taken by lefthander Daniel Ray Herrera, who hasn’t given up a run all spring and only one hit in his 7 1/3 innings.
“Yeah, that’s the question right now,” said Baker. “Bray did a good job for us last year. But to my understanding, being ready when the season starts has been an issue for Bray the last couple of years. He has outstanding stuff.
“But his velocity is down five to six miles and hour and that could be overthrowing, trying too hard,” said Baker. “He has to realize he can’t worry about the other guy and what he is doing, he can only control what he is doing.”
Of Herrera, Baker said, “Early in the year, a breaking ball guy like Herrera is harder to hit. So our choice is to get Bray through this or let him stay back and go get ready and keep Herrera.”
THIRD BASEMAN Edwin Encarnacion (shoulder) and shortstop Alex Gonzalez (strained right hamstring) were supposed to DH in minor-league games today, but minor-league activities were scratched early (9:30) and the players were sent home. To play on the back fields today, players would need life jackets and outfielder would have to row after balls near the fences in life rafts.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m feeling a little faint. Just kidding.
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TweetWhere was I? Having a miserable time
By Hal McCoy
Did you miss me? Believe me, I was among the missing.
Came back to the condo after dinner Wednesday night and plopped on the couch. In mere minutes I was shaking all over the sweating all over.
And it kept up and kept up and kept up. I was so miserable I came within about 15 minutes of calling 911. But I quit shaking and continued to sweat.
The next day I never left the couch. Not once. All day on the couch Thursday, so I missed the Reds-Twins game.
Of course, when it rains it becomes a thunderstorm. I had a story ready for the paper, but my laptop wouldn’t hook up to the wireless in my condo.
So, no story. Hazards of the business. I’m up and around, but feeling weak. Hadn’t eaten in two days when Tim, one of the clubhouse guys who really takes care of me, made me an Italian sandwich, a tuna salad sandwich with toasted bread, a banana and potato chips.
Is that what the Mayo Clinic would feed you? Who cares. After two days of drinking about a gallon-and-a-half of orange juice, it tasted darn good.
I’m back at the complex, working on weekend stuff, but I’m not going over to Tampa for the Reds-Yankees game tonight.
The only regulars crossing the Sunshine Skyway to Tampa are second baseman Brandon Phillips, catcher Ramon Hernandez and pitcher Aaron Harang.
IN LIEU OF all that, here’s something to ponder and discuss. This is how I see the team (as of now).
Jay Bruce is a for-sure and Wily Taveras is a for-sure in the Cincinnati Reds outfield.
Then what?
“Everybody throws around that word every day, but I like the word everywhere,” said manager Dusty Baker.
That’s Baker’s way of saying he is more concerned about players who can play here, there and everywhere as opposed to worrying about playing a player every day in one position.
That’s what makes a guy like Jerry Hairston Jr. invaluable. Not only can he play left field or center field, he can play shortstop, second base or third base.
That’s why you take a pencil and write his name on the 25-man roster as an outfielder/infielder.
What probably is going to happen is that the righthanded Hairston will start in left field against left-handed pitchers and the lefthanded Chris Dickerson will start against righthanded pitchers.
Dickerson has hit over .300 all spring and on this week against Toronto he threw a runner out at home trying to score from second base.
Dickerson took Baker’s preseason words to heart: “If you let somebody take your roster spot I’m going to kick your butt.”
Jonny Gomes can be marked as a for-sure, too — a righthander who could share left field with Dickerson if Hairston is needed at shortstop or some other position. And Gomes has played some first base this spring, the first time in his career.
Shortstop Alex Gonzalez strained his right hamstring in a game Monday to go with his tender left knee, so who knows who might be playing shortstop by Opening Day.
It could be Hairston, with Gomes in left. Gomes leads the Reds this spring in homers (4) and RBIs (12).
“We have some real decisions to be made with our outfielders,” said Baker.
Well, perhaps not really if it’s Bruce, Taveras, Dickerson, Hairston and Gomes.
Jacque Jones frittered his opportunity by hitting .098 this spring, Norris Hopper’s .121 and the arrival of Taveras did him in, while Laynce Nix and Darnell McDonald were long shots when spring began.
Amazingly, the Reds made six roster trims Monday, but not one was an outfielder and nine of the 36 still in camp are outfielders.
Baker indicated early this spring that he prefers 12 pitchers early in the spring, leaving 13 spots.
As of now, other than the outfield, the position roster appears like this: Infielders Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Alex Gonzalez, Edwin Encarnacion and two more among Jeff Keppinger, Adam Rosales and Paul Janish.
The catchers are Ramon Hernandez and Ryan Haniga.
All that is contingent upon everybody staying healthy and general manager Walt Jocketty not pulling the pin on a hand grenade trade.
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TweetCueto puts the zeros to the Red Sox
A great spring training story:
The Colorado Rockies, managed by Clint Hurdle, were tied with Texas, 4-4, in the ninth inning the other day. The Rangers put two on with two outs and a regular player was at-bat.
Hurdle walked over to his bench coach, former Pittsburgh/LA manager Jim Tracy, and said, “We better be careful with this hitter. I see they have a No. 83 on deck.”
So they walked the regular hitter, filling the bases. No. 83 hit a grand slam home run. And who was No. 83? It was Chad Tracy, the son of Jim Tracy, who didn’t tell Hurdle that No. 83 on the other team is his son.
JOHNNY CUETO was Mr. Unhittable today against the Boston Red Sox, giving up no runs, two hits, no walks and striking out five in six innings. He faced the minimum of 18 batters because both guys who singled were wiped out on double plays.
The Reds took a 1-0 lead into the ninth and had 29 straight scoreless innings after a 6-0 win Sunday agaisnt the Pirates and a 2-0 win over the Blue Jays on Monday. But lefthander Bill Bray gave up two runs in the ninth and the Reds lost, 2-1.
Bray was dealing four pitches for strikes - fastball, change-up slider sinker. The best thing was that he needed only 69 pitches to cover the six innings - pitching efficiency he seldom displays. And it came against the Red Sox lineup that was of Opening Day quality.
Catcher Ramon Hernandez talked as if Cueto could do better.
“He was pretty good,” said Hernandez. Pretty good? “He was having good control so he was ahead of the hitter almost every time. When he is ahead of the hitter he can make him chase more pitches. The key for him is pitching ahead.
“He was throwing and locating all his pitches on any count,” Hernandez added. “Today was one of those great days where everything he was going to throw was going to be a strike. Hopefully he can keep that consistency (69 pitches, 48 strikes).”
BILL BRAY probably had his last hurrah. Sent into the game in the ninth to protect Cueto’s 1-0 lead, he walked the first hitter and gave up a two-run double for the 2-1 loss. In his 4 2/3 innings of this injury-plagued spring, Bray has given up eight runs (three earned), eight hits and five walks.
Meanwhile his spot as a lefthanded long man could go to a short man 5-foot-5 Daniel Ray Herrera who has appeared six times and given up no runs and one hit. (See the Dayton Daily News web site later tonight or tomorrow for a full story on the diminutive Herrera.
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TweetOf sickness, injury and Marge the Gator
Ask Bronson Arroyo a question and you get a brutally honest answer, even if it is self-deprecation.
Before he pitched in a minor-league game on an off day Tuesday, he said, “I hate it. It’s like pitching in a cornfield in Iowa.”
And what he feared is what happened - he got his head handed to him, “Six or seven runs in five inning. I got killed.” It was six runs (five earned) and 11 hits and Arroyo said with a grin, “They were mostly Triple-A guys and they were really swinging the bats.”
Obviously.
Arroyo also said he would be throwing to a catcher who had never caught him and sure enough, his catcher was Eddie Rodriguez (Class AA last year).
“I told him, ‘No signs,’ ” said Arroyo. “Just set up inside or outside.’ No use trying to tell him in five minutes all the different pitches I throw and how I throw them. I ended up throwing 70 fastballs out of 90 pitches, which is OK. My fastball is what goes first if I don’t keep after it.
“So it didn’t take them long to realize I was throwing almost nothing but fastballs,” Arroyo added. “And there was a wind cruising out at hurricane force. The first hitter, a right-hander, fisted one out toward right field that almost went over the fence.”
FOUR REGULARS were missing from today’s lineup against the Boston Red Sox - SS Alex Gonzalez, 3B Edwin Encarnacion, 2B Brandon Phillips and OF/INF Jerry Hairston.
Gonzalez suffered a mild right hamstring strain and used Tuesday’s off day to go home to Miami and visit his personal therapist. He remains day-to-day.
“More than anything, it scared me,” said manager Dusty Baker. “I thought it was his knee (the left one that kept him out all of last season). I said, ‘Oh, no, he hurt it again.’ I’m glad he stopped running right after it happened. That’s the hardest he has had to run all spring (trying to beat out an infield hit).
“We think it’s OK - the trainer (Mark Mann) said there is no defect in the muscle, but we’ll be cautious with him,” said Baker.
ENCARNACION has a sore shoulder, but Baker said it is much better today and he’ll probably return to the lineup Friday.
PHILLIPS is still recovering from the flu, but will probably return to the lineup tomorrow. “Man, I was sick,” he said. “I’m glad you didn’t come around me the last few days. I probably would have got it on your paper.”
HAIRSTON was diagnosed with influenza at the World Baseball Classic and said he spent nearly a week in bed in Arizona and lost 12 pounds - from 193 to 181. He has put about three pounds back on and was to DH in a minor-league game today, batting leadoff in every inning. He’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow.
Arroyo’s outing reminded me of the time Tom Browning was coming back from serious arm surgery and he pitched in a minor-league game in Plant City. In one inning he gave up something like 10 runs, 11 hits and four home runs. Most of the home runs went into a retention pond behind the left field fence where an 11-foot alligator resided.
“Hope that ol’ alligator liked the taste of baseballs,” said Browning.
The alligator lived quietly in the pond for quite some time, bothering nobody. Through no fault of its own, though, it became a pair of alligator shoes and a few purses.
Owner Marge Schott, an animal lover, saw the alligator sunning itself on the far banks of the retaining pond and decided to pay it a visit. She was walking up behind it, about 10 feet away, when somebody stopped her, although a couple of players who shall remain unnamed were saying, “Turn around, Mr. Alligator, turn around.”
If she had approached the alligator from the front, well, Mrs. Schott might have given up the franchise a lot sooner than she was forced to do. Instead, alligator experts were called and the gator was trucked away.
Actually, the gator’s name was ‘Marge,’ so dubbed by the clubhouse attendants. Bernie Stowe, the equipment manager, told Mrs. Schott later, “Don’t you know an alligator can jump 30 feet in the air?”
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TweetGonzalez strains hamstring, Ward released
A bulletin and a Red alert:
This time it isn’t the left knee, it is the right hamstring that knocked shortstop Alex Gonzalez out of today’s lineup.
Gonzalez left today’s game after the second inning and it wasw thought hemay have tweaked that problem left knee.
Gonzalez hit a ball to deep short and narrowly beat the throw to first for an infield hit. But after he crossed the bag and turned to walk back to first, he stopped to flex his right leg, indicating something was amiss.
Manager Dusty Baker immediately took him out of the lineup. This was to be the first time Gonzalez played nine innnings after the playing seven innings three times.
“He just tweaked his hamstring, it wasn’t his knee, which is what I was afraid of,” said Baker. “From my own experience, I had a serious knee operation and then ended up pulling my hamstring in the other leg.
“He didn’t pull it bad, just tweaked it, they said,” said Baker. “We’ll see Wednesday, although I doubt he’ll be able to play Wednesday. We’ll try to nurse him through.”
Gonzalez is unconcerned and said, “It’s not bad. It’ll be one day, maybe two. When I saw the shortstop dive for the ball, I tried for some more (speed) and that’s when it grabbed me.”
Zack Cozart, a No. 2 draft pick in 2007 and a Class A Dayton Dragon the last two years, replaced Gonzalez at shortstop and had two hits. He’ll play at Class A Sarasota or Class AA Carolina this year.
Gonzalez missed all of last season with a compress fracture in the left knee and had it surgically repaired in early July.
Although Gonzalez was cleared for spring training, said to be 100 percent, he was held back all spring from drills and games.
A full report from the Reds medical staff is expected after the game.
SOME CUTS were made today after the game - six in fact. The biggest surprise is first baseman/outfielder/pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, who probably didn’t help himself by reporting a tad overweight. He hit .250 this spring. Ward was released, as was lefthanded pitcher Aaron Fultz.
Also trimmed were Centerville native and pitcher Jeff Kennard, sent to minor-league camp with LHP Ron Flores. Pitcher Ramon Ramirez and infielder Danny Richar were optioned to Class AAA Louisville.
One surprise survivor is outfielder Jacque Jones, hitting .105 this spring There are 36 left in camp, so 11 more must go.
THE REDS are off tomorrow, but since it is Bronson Arroyo’s turn to pitch, he’ll face a minor-league team on the back lot - and he isn’t looking forward to it.
“It’s like pitching in an Iowa cornfield,” said Arroyo. “I’ll probably throw to a catcher who has never caught me. I just hope I get ‘em out. It’s the worst feeling in the world, other than your very first outing.”
SOME OF you were surprised by my choice of Major League as my favorite baseball movie, listing others you thought better. That’s fine. Everyone to their own taste.
But baseball is a serious thing to me day after day after, so I like humor in my baseball movies. I’ve also been a Cleveland Indians fan all my life and Charlie Sheen is from Dayton and a huge Reds fan.
One night in Dodger Stadium I was pounding the keys near deadline when somebody sat down to my left and began yakking about the Reds, asking me questions about Barry Larkin. I grunted an answer or two and pretty much ignored the guy.
Finally, he says, “Would you like me to get you a cup of coffee?”
Just to get rid of him, I said, “Yeah, sure.” After he left, a guy two seats down leaned over and said, “Do you know who you are ignoring and giving the cold shoulder?”
“No,” I said. “I’m on deadline and don’t have time to talk or even look at the guy.”
“That’s Charlie Sheen,” the other guy said.
I was more attentive when he came back.
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TweetMasset trudges back to the bullpen
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker walked into the media workroom this morning to tell the writers: “We just told Nick Masset that he is going back to the bullpen.”
That was no great surprise, but it was typical Baker to keep the media informed. In 37 years of covering the Reds, I’ve never had a manager go out of his way to walk to the media room to give the writers news, until Baker. And that’s the third time he has done it.
And it is much-appreciated.
Masset fell far behind Micah Owings and Homer Bailey in the quest for the No. 5 starting spot, making only one good start, his second of the spring - no runs, one hit, two strikeouts in three innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In his other four appearances over 9 2/3 innings, Masset gave up 11 runs and 19 hits.
IN MY FAVORITE baseball movie, “Major League,” players find out they are being cut by finding a pink card in their lockers.
That’s Hollywood, not reality. In reality, a coach walks up to the players as they stand in front of their lockers and says, “The manager wants to see you in his office.”
And that is what is going to happen to some members of the Cincinnati Reds after today’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Most teams do their cutting in the early morning, before games, but manager Dusty Baker prefers to do it after games, permitting the cut players one more chance to play in a game major-league game.
“I hate it,” he said. “There is no good time to do it. But I’d rather let ‘em play, then tell ‘em. Hey, you never know who’s watching in the stands, what scout is watching who the player might impress and we might be able to make a trade or get that player a job.”
SPEAKING OF “Major League,” the Reds have a minor-league outfielder named Danny Dorn. He was one of The Shock Troopers who made the trip to Bradenton Sunday to play the Pirates.
Dorn? In the movie “Major League,” Roger Dorn is the third baseman for the Cleveland Indians and somebody asked Danny Dorn how often he was asked about his connection with Roger Dorn. “All the time, everywhere I go,” he said. “Even umpires make comments about it.”
BRANDON PHILLIPS showed up at camp this morning, but he was immediately sent home because he is still battling flu-like symptoms. But Norris Hopper, also sent home last week, is back in camp.
Edwin Encarnacion has a minor shoulder problem, so he wasn’t in the lineup. Neither was leadoff man Wily Taveras.
“He took a ball off the leg playing catch with Johnny Cueto,” said Baker. “I guess Cueto is not only hard to hit, he is hard to catch.”
GOOD COMMENT from the guy who saw my photo in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune throwing a pitch. He said it looked as if I was throwing a two-seam fastball, but that my physique looked like Rich Reuschel. It was more like I was throwing the world’s slowest change-up and, well, I thought I looked like Harrison Ford.
THE LAST of the World Baseball Classic participants are back in camp - Jerry Hairston Jr. from the Mexican team, plus catcher Ramon Hernandez and pitcher Ramon Ramirez from Venezuela.
Baker plans to begin working Hairston and Hernandez into the lineup Wednesday after the Reds get their third and final day off tomorrow. Of Ramirez, he said, “He only pitched four of five innings in the World Baseball Classic and he needs stretched out.”
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TweetHarang: Six innings and no hits
For those of you concerned about Aaron Harang - and, OK, I’ll confess, I wondered about it myself - well, what he did to the Pittsburgh Pirates Sunday was as heartening as a Slurpee on a 95-degree day.
At the same time, let’s temper this just a tad - it WAS the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have had more losing seasons in a row (16) than even the Cincinnati Reds (eight).
The last time we saw the ‘Ranger he was giving up six runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings to the World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.
On this day, he gave up no runs and no hits over six innings, walking two and striking out three during a 90-pitch day.
And get this. He hardly used his fastball. He was working on his off-speed pitches and fed the Pirates a heavy diet of them, even on 3-and-2 counts.
Asked facetiously why he would come out of a no-hitter, he said, “Pitch-count, man. If it had been during the season somebody would have had to fight me to get me out.”
Of his day, he said, “I was working on throwing my off-speed pitches, sliders and changeups, for strikes. I was able to keep the ball down in the zone and kept the hitters off balance.”
Said manager Dusty Baker, “He was sharp and had a great breaking ball. That’s as good as I’ve seen him in a long time. He should be very proud of himself.”
Harang made sure the Reds broke a seven-game losing streak during which they couldn’t score runs - and this was done by The Shock Troops, The Road Warriors, players who don’t figure to be starters this year. All the regulars stayed back in Sarasota and The Shock Troops came to Bradenton for shock and awe.
They scored five runs in the second off Ian Snell on a two-run double by Paul Janish and a two-run double by Darnell McDonald. Jonny Gomes homered in the fifth, his fourth this spring.
A MAN WEARING a Baltimore Orioles uniform approached me on the back fields of the City of Sarasota Sports Complex, stopped in front of me, and said, “I can’t believe you’re still above the ground.”
So whatever happened to, “Hi, how ya doing?”
Upon further review, I discovered the man was former Pittsburgh Pirate Richie Hebner - and that explained it all. To say Hebner is different is to say grass in green and the sky is blue.
When Hebner played, he was an undertaker/gravedigger in New England, so his sense of humor borders on the macabre. For example, he once told me, “Man, the winter was tough. The ground was frozen solid. We buried some of those folks so shallow they might have scratched their way out.”
During our conversation yesterday, he said he now drives a hearse in the off-season, and said, “I’m your last ride. I get in the hearse, turn on the radio, turn to the back and ask, ‘Any requests?’ Never had one.”
Hebner is managing the Class A Frederick (Md.) team for the Orioles.
THE SARASOTA HERALD TRIBUNE ran a nice story this morning on Marty Brennaman and me with a photo of me throwing out a first pitch before a Reds game.
“Lefthanded, eh?” said pitching coach Dick Pole. “Looks as if you stayed on top of the pitch pretty good, too.” I remember Barry Larkin caught that pitch and accused me of throwing him a cutter. Not only do I not know how to grip a baseball to throw a cutter, I don’t know which way it is supposed to break.
Anyway, both Marty and I agree - Doug Fernandes did an excellent job trying to make us look good.
COLORADO SCOUT Kasey McKeon, son to former Reds manager Jack McKeon, was trying to find Pirate City and plugged it into his Blackberry. When he arrived, he was at the entrance to a miniature golf course. He didn’t say what he scored or if he put the ball; in the clown’s mouth.
RAN INTO one of my all-time favorite ex-Reds player today on the field in Bradenton. Former Reds infielder Jeff Branson, who still lives in Cincinnati, is Pittsburgh’s Class AAA hitting coach in Nashville.
There was one year when the Reds were boarding the bus for the trip to the airport and the flight from spring to Cincinnati. Branson already was on the bus, believing he made the team, when then general manager Jim Bowden did a not-so-fast routine. He heartlessly pulled Branson off the bus to tell his destination was not Cincinnati but Triple-A.
FOMRER PIRATES closer Kent Tekulve, who also spent a year with the Reds, works for the Pirates now and was standing in left field as the Pirates took batting practice.
David Weathers saw him and asked, “How’d you do against Tekulve?
Said Baker, “I did all right against him. Went the other way with him. Now if that was Rollie Fingers standing there I’d be hiding around a corner.”
The talk was about pitchers and Weathers said, “Don Sutton was always my favorite player when I was growing up. That’s why in my 13 or 14 years I’ve never changed the style glove I use. It’s the style Sutton used.”
MANAGER DUSTY BAKER is happy with the report he received on the one inning closer Coco Cordero threw in a minor-league game Saturday - no runs, one hit, two strikeouts,
“They told me he threw the ball good, but they want him to throw more fastballs,” said Baker. “He mixed ‘em up. He’ll keep pitching on the back fields (with the minors leaguers) because we want him to go every other day for a while. The more he throws the better he gets.”
JERRY HAIRSTON Jr. still isn’t back with the team after playing for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. He was sick when he came back and Baker said, “He’s lost 10 or 12 pounds. Looks like a little bird. I’ll ease him back in early this week. I have to work him out both in the outfield and infield - mainly short in case something happens to Alex Gonzalez.”
So far, so good with Gonzalez. While the regulars have played nine innings in recent games, Baker holds Gonzalez to six or seven, “But he wanted to go nine Saturday, but I said, ‘No, not yet,’ But the fact he wants to go nine tells me how he feels. He’s smooth in the field, whew. And he is running good. His baseball instincts are good and the way he is running tells you how he feels. If you don’t feel good, you can’t run.”
AFTER A SLUGGISH, bulkish start, Jay Bruce has begun to hit the last three games.
“When he starts hitting the ball up the middle and to left field, then you know his stroke is coming,” said Baker after Bruce had three hits Friday and two Saturday, including a couple of home run and his spring average is up from the low 200s to .289.
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TweetBailey says bullpen woulde be ‘OK’
The only breeze in hot Ed Smith Stadium Saturday came from the way Homer Bailey was breezing through the Pittsburgh Pirates - for three innings, anway.
In the first three innings, he gave up no runs and one hit. Trouble, though, surfaced in the fourth when the first four Pirates reached base. He walked Freddy Sanchez and dNate McLouid homerede. Ryan Doumdit singled and Adam LaRoche walked, but Bailey got a double play out of Eric Hinski and struck out Ramon Vasquez.
He didn’t make it through five innings. Jack Wilson, 0 for 23, doubled hard into the left field corner, pitcher Paul Maholm bunted him to third and Nyjer Morgan flied to center, scoring Wilson and ended Bailey’s day.
During his problem fourth inning, Bailey threw a boatload of pitches, with a bushelful left over, in going 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs, four hits, two walks and striking out four.
The suddenly run-starved Reds put two on with no outs in the second on back-to-back singles by Edwin Encarnacion and Jay Bruce, but Maholm then struck out the side - Jeff Keppinger, Chris Dickerson and Ryan Hanigan.
Maholm held the Reds to no runs and three hits over six innings and is unscored upon in 15 2/3 innings. He’ll pitch Opening Days for the Pirates.
Once the Pirates took out their regulars, the Reds scored two in the seventh and three in the eighth but fell short, 6-5, their seventh straight loss
The Reds loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth and Joey Votto was called out on strikes on a 3-and-2 count, a call that didn’t fit manager Dusty Baker’s view of the pitch.
“Was that even close? I didn’t think so. That’s awful, man,” he said. It appeared maybe umpire Wally Bell didn’t want extra innings.
Bailey and Micah Owings remain locked in mortal battle for the fifth starting spot and when asked if woiuld be amenable to bullpen duty, Bailey said, “Anyway I can help. It doesn’t matter to me. Being that I’ve never done it, it would take a while for me to learn, but with the guys we have in the bullpen with a lot of experience, they would help me out a lot. It’s like anything. You just have to learn how to do it.”
Of his start Saturday, Bailey smiled and said I avoided a ball to the teeth, that was pretty big.” That came when he covered first base on a 3-6-1 double play, “Joey was about to w2hip the ball to second base and I hit the deck,” said Bailey. Then he got up and covered first to complete the double play - and a good one it was.
Bailey said he began to rush, speed things up, when trouble surfaced in the fourth.
“My stuff was average, not stuck out in my head that was exceptional,” he said. “Then I started rushing instead of thinking to just step back. When you are out there, it is not something to want to think about. You want to focus on getting outs, hitting the glove. As soon as I noticed, I thought, ‘Now I know what I need to work on tomorrow.’”
Baker was non-commital, other than to say, “Yeah, he possibly could pitch in the bullpen. If he did, it would be in long relief so that wouldn’t be such a big adjustment. He’s throwing the ball good. He wasn’t quite as sharp tonight and was throwing the ball high. But he has come a long way.”
BRANDON PHILLIPS was in Saturday’s lineup, but when he showed up in the clubhouse looking like an emergency room candidate, he was sent home with flu-like symptons.
MUCH-TROUBLED closer Francisco Cordero was banished to the back field with the minor-leaguers to work on what ails him and pitched one inning against a Class A Baltimore team, giving up one hit and striking out two in one innings that consisted of 16 pitches, 12 strikes.
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TweetLeft is right with Reds beat writers
Dusty Baker paused in the middle of his early morning briefing with the beat writers in his office and said, “Damn, do you have to be lefthanded to be a writer?”
You do to cover the Cincinnati Reds. The three beat writers all are lefthanded - John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com and me. Sheldon leaves camp today to be with his wife, Sheryl, who is expecting a baby March 28. Sheldon’s replacement, Jonathan Mayo, also is lefthanded.
And the previous two beat writers for the now defunct Cincinnati Post were lefthanded - C. Trent Rosecrans and Mark Lancaster.
What does it mean? It means left is right, as far as beat writers are concerned.
AS THE REDS begin play today at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates, they have lost six straight games - scoring 1, 4, 1, 3,1 and 2 runs. And their last win was 1-0.
“Been a little rough,” said Baker. “We’re not getting any breaks. It seems like we’re not hitting because we’re not getting hits. By that, I mean were hitting the ball hard but not getting hits.”
The regular lineup was to play against the Pirates today, all but shortstop Alex Gonzalez (seven innings) and catcher Ryan Hanigan (seven innings) scheduled to go nine. Then the regular won’t make Sunday’s trip to Bradenton to play the Pirates again.
MEANWHILE, the much-struggling Coco Cordero is going to try to get some of his stuff together by pitching in some minor-league games on the back field, beginning today at 1 o’clock.
THE REDS have their third off day of the spring Tuesday and when asked what he planned for the team that day, Baker said, “Rest.” It will be Bronson Arroyo’s day to pitch and he will join Cordero on the back fields to pitch against the minor-leaguers.
ILLNESS CONTINUES to make its way through the clubhouse. Norris Hopper is absent, sent home with bronchitis. Darnell McDonald and Daryle Ward have missed time with sickness and Baker said, “If they show up sick, we just send them home. No use spreading that stuff around if we can stop it.”
CHRIS DICKERSON sat down at a table in the middle of the clubhouse and the other occupants of the table were: Jim Maloney, Cesar Geronimo, Mario Soto and Eric Davis.
“I hope you realize you are sitting at a table full of history and legends,” somebody said.
“I do,” he said. “Indeed I do. I’m hoping a lot of it rubs off.”
JAY BRUCE still doesn’t have his car. It was kidnapped by Jonny Gomes, who wanted Bruce to drive an old SUV painted red with white baseball stitches all over it and used by the Sarasota Reds.
When Bruce refused, Gomes said, “If he keeps this up, he is going to be riding a Huffy with squirrel tales and a jacked-up seat.”
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TweetCordero ripped by linemen, wide receiver
How many of you turned the channel early Thursday night while the Class AAA Pawtucket PawSox/Class AA Portland Sea Dogs, disguised in Boston Red Sox uniforms, tore apart the Cincinnati Reds Regulars, 9-1.
Egads!
By the time Coco Cordero came into the game in the eighth inning, he was facing offensive linemen and wide receivers wearing uniforms numbered in the 70s and 80s and once again he couldn’t retire my aunt Opal, and she’s in a wheel chair.
This time it was four runs, five hits and a walk in one innings. For the spring it is 12 runs and 17 hits in six innings for an 18.00 ERA.
Double egads!
I can’t take it. I didn’t make the two-hour trip (one way) from Sarasota to Kissimmee to watch the Class AAA Louisville Bats/Class AA Carolina Mudcats play the Houston Astros, who are 1-16 this spring.
Actually, the minor-leagues Reds have to do better than what the varsity has done this week.
With two weeks to go, well, I don’t know, Redleg fans. Be sure to check the Dayton Daily News web-site late tonight or tomorrow for my story on What’s Right and What’s Wrong with the Reds right now.
JARED BURTON was seated at a mid-clubhouse table behind a box of Honey-Nut Cheerios, filling in a crossword puzzle, when he looked up and asked nobody in particular, “How do you spell Ottawa?”
Nobody answered.
“Where’s Joey Votto?” Burton said, implying that maybe you have to be from Canada to know how to spell Ottawa. Hell, I can spell Saskatchewan.
MARK THIS ONE DOWN: I was told by somebody in the know that Jonny Gomes has made the team, “And tell them a little bird (this, though, was a big bird) told you.”
Anyway, Gomes was headed toward the players parking lot, on a mission. He was looking for Jay Bruce’s car and knew where the keys were. Gomes was going to take Bruce’s car for a week and Bruce was going to be forced to drive a hideous old red SUV with white letting all over it that said ‘Cincinnati Reds’ and had baseball-like stitches all over it.
“The best thing,” said Gomes, “Is that a bunch of us are going to Fleming’s Steakhouse tomorrow and he is going to have to valet park that piece of crap.”
ON AN off day, assistant media relations director Jamie Ramsey and a couple of the clubhouse attendants went kayaking near Lido and Oyster Island. “We went through these mangrove tunnels,” said Ramsey. “Fantastic. We saw a manatee and a dolphin and, fortunately, we saw no snakes or alligators.”
They probably only would have seen snakes or alligators had they turned their kayak upside down, but that didn’t happen.
SIGN ON a garage near Ed Smith Stadium: “Goodbye Cincinnati Reds. We’ll miss you. Thanks for stimulus.”
Yeah, well miss Sarasota, too. Looks as if the Baltimore Orioles are close to making a deal to move in.
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TweetArroyo can’t pull the fast one
Bronson Arroyo lived up to the yacht on which he is living, “Nasty Hook,” with some nasty breaking balls tonight against his old Boston Red Sox team.
But the fast ball was a fast trip to oblivion.
Arroyo walked four and gave up two home runs, both home runs after a walk, and left after five innings with a 4-1 deficit.
“My breaking ball was all right, but what killed me was not controlling the fastball and walking those guys and giving up two-run homers,” he said. “I kept missing fastballs and sinkers down and that kept me in trouble. I’ll have to dial those in next time. Getting killed certainly isn’t helping me, but I just wasn’t comfortable with the fastball. That’s what we’re here for - to work out the kinks.”
The kinks for Arroyo so far is: 0-2 record in four starts, 15 innings, 10 runs, 12 hits, five homers and seven walks for a 6.00 ERA.
As somebody once said, “No good, no good, no good.”
EVEN MORE no good - actually, very dreadful - was another pathetic inning by so-called closer Francisco Cordero - one inning, four runs, four hits and two walks - pushing Boston’s lead to 9-1.
For the spring, Cordero is a human battng machine - six games, six innings, 17 hits, 1 runs and a 18.00 earned run average. Yeah, yeah. We’ve heard it over. All together now: “It’s only spring training.”
ONE OF the great things about covering spring training is running into former players and I ran into one today in the Reds clubhouse that was even before MY time - pitcher Jim Maloney.
He pitched for the Reds in the 1960’s and threw three no-hitters, two of them were for 10 innings. He lost a 10-inning no-hitter, 1-0, and he won a 10-inning no-hitter, 1-0.
And what did he talk about?
“I loved the smell of brats cooking in old Crosley Field,” he said. “If the wind was right, you could smell ‘em while you were on the mound and it was hard to keep your mind on pitching.”
He was a guy who could think about hot dogs while turning hitters into hamburgers.
THEN THERE is Cesar Geronimo, center fielder for The Big Red Machine. Loved it when he walked up, stuck out his hand, and said, “Hal, it’s The Chief.” Here’s a guy who wouldn’t say two words if somebody asked him his name when he played.
But, oh, could he play. He might be the best defensive center fielder in my era since 1973 (for the Reds and not far behind anybody else).
The Chief was not known for his hitting prowess, but he hit .307, batting eighth, for the 1976 World Series champions. He had 149 hits and132 were singles, many of them bloops, flares and chip shots.
He was so adept at dropping baseballs where nobody could catch them that Pete Rose nicknamed The Chief’s bat, “The Magic Wand.”
HOW SPRING training works (Version IV):
The Boston Red Sox were the Reds opponent tonight and the only recognizable names were pitcher Jon Lester and outfielder Rocco Baldelli. The rest are sure-fire Pawtucket Paw Sox - or lower.
But the Reds will give fans the same kind of dose Friday in Kissimmee against the Houston Astros. With a day game two hours by bus across the state after a night game, well…
“Two teams the next two days,” manager Dusty Baker said. “This team that plays tonight gets tomorrow off.” It was nearly the entire regular lineup - Willy Taveras, Alex Gonzalez, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Edwin Encarnacion, Chris Dickerson, Craig Tatum (catcher).
Nobody in Kissimmee will see those guys tomorrow. Who can imagine who they’ll see, other than catcher Ryan Hanigan and pitcher Johnny Cueto.
The lineup tonight against the Red Sox will play nine innings, “Except for Gonzalez. He’ll go six,” said Baker. “Then, like the rest of ‘em, he gets Friday off and will be back at it Saturday (at home against the Pirates).
YOUNG LEFTHANDER Pedro Viola continues to make catcher’s mitts pop while making eyeballs pop with a fastball that comes out of a smooth delivery and arrives at home plate doing about 98.
Said David Weathers, “He throws harder in PFP (pitchers fielding practice) than I do in a game.”
MICAH OWINGS did not have a real good outing Wednesday against a bunch of Reds minor-leaguers on a back field - seven runs, nine hits and 71 pitches.
Baker excused the mess and said, “He made a great play and then threw it away. He fielded a bunt and threw it past third and that opened the gates.”
Baker agrees it is tough for veterans to face minor-leaguers in that kind of situation, “Because it is a bigger deal for the kids than for the veterans. A kid does something and then he can’t wait to call home and tell his daddy, ‘I think I’m ready.’”
And I’m ready for the season to begin. How long has spring training been so far, three eons?
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TweetAre the Reds this year’s Rays?
Port Charlotte is about 45 minutes from Sarasota, an easy trip, but 19 games into the exhibition season and today is only the second time the Cincinnati Reds have been here, and the last time was Opening Day.
If you are from Toledo, Port Charlotte is for you. Everything is named after the city or the city’s newspaper, the Toledo Blade. There is Toledo Blade Blvd., Toledo Blade Elementary School and the Toledo Club Estates.
The best thing about Port Charlotte is the trip home, a stop in Venice to visit Luna’s, an Italian restaurant that has so much sports memorabilia that even the ceiling is covered with photos and pennants and jerseys. And the portions of food are as big as Mount Vesuvius.
BECAUSE THEY are playing the American League Tampa Bay Rays, the Reds used a DH and it was the struggling Jacque Jones manning the spot. He didn’t make the trip to Clearwater on Tuesday so he could stay back and DH in a minor-league game — lead off every inning so he could get seven or eight at-bats.
“He hit a home run to left field and that’s his stroke,” said manager Dusty Baker. “He had a couple of other hits, too.” Jones is hitting .077 this season, normally a couple of lucky numbers, but not following a ‘0’ in your average if you want to make the team.
MEXICO IS OUT of the World Baseball Classic, meaning Jerry Hairston Jr. will be returning — but not right away. He has some sort of viral infection and Baker doesn’t want him around yet.
“I told him to stay away,” said Baker. “We don’t want him infecting the club this late in the spring. We don’t want the plague running through the clubhouse. Let him stay away and have his wife get him better. He’ll probably return Friday.”
MEANWHILE, Venezuela remains in the World Baseball Classic and that suits minor-league catcher Craig Tatum just fine. “Good,” said Tatum. “The longer Venezuela stays in the longer I stay up with the team, as long as Ramon Hernandez keeps playing.”
THIS IS THE team’s 10th road game and Centerville’s Jeff Kennard has made all but one. “And I didn’t make that one because I’d pitched the day before,” he said. “I don’t mind. It beats sitting around the hotel all day being bored.”
Kennard is what the coaches call a member of the Shock Troops. They make every trip and sit in the bullpen to pitch late in games, if needed. Kennard has pitched in four road games for five innings.
SOMEBODY MENTIONED to Baker that this year’s Reds are being compared by some to last year’s Rays, losers to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. That’s a stretch. The Rays had a payroll last year of $43 million, second lowest in baseball behind Florida’s $21 million. The Reds had a $74 million payroll and will have about the same this year.
Baker wouldn’t bite on that one.
“Well, it took awhile for Tampa Bay to get there, and a whole bunch of No. 1 draft picks,” he said. “They did, though, give a whole bunch of mid-range teams a lot of hope.”
ARTHUR RHODES is a foreboding fellow, a guy who looks at you and dares you to say something to him. And Baker likes that presence about him.
“He reminds me of Mike Jackson when I with the Giants (Jackson also pitched for the Reds),” said Baker. “He gives our bullpen an attitude. He and David Weathers are veterans who make our other guys pay attention to what’s going on in the games and helps them to learn.
“I remember when he and Jeff Nelson were a left-right combination in Seattle, him on one side (left) and Nelson on the other (right). That was abut as nasty as it gets.”
NOT MUCH good comes out of having your players away from camp at the World Baseball Classic, but Baker saw some positives from Edinson Volquez pitching for the Dominican Republic.
“One thing he needed to learn from last year is pitch conservation,” said Baker. “We worked on it with him last year. It’s different, though, when your hero is there and he tells you and works on it with you. Edinson’s hero is Pedro Martinez, who was there. That’s one of the positive things to come out of the WBC for us.”
Volquez must have forgotten Wednesday. While he didn’t give up any runs (only because he teammates turned two double plays), he did give up six hits and a walk and pitched only three innings because he didn’t conserve pitches - 71 in those three innings.
“Too strong, too much power,” said Volquez. “I like to feel a little tired. I was in trouble, but I always got out of trouble and there was a zero up there, so that’s good.”
But the 3-0 lead Volquez turned over to the bullpen evaporated when lefthander Bill Bray gave up six runs and retired only two batters in the fifth. Only one run was earned because shortstop Jeff Keppinger was charged with a tough error that should have been ruled a hit.
Meanwhile, back in camp, Micah Owings pitches in one of those non-intense games on a back field against minor-leaguers and gave up seven runs (six earned), nine hits, hit a batter and struck out five. He threw 71 pitches, 51 for strikes.
Well, at least he was good offensively. He hit a home run in his two at-bats.
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TweetO’Baker to McPhillips: ‘Erin go brough, my brother’
Brandon Phillips walked into the clubhouse Tuesday morning wearing a Kelly green T-shirt on which was inscribed: “Lucky Dog.” Phillips loves putting the word ‘dog’ on the end of his sentences, as in, “I’m straight, dog.”
Manager Dusty Baker spotted him and said, “Erin go brough, my brother.” And what does Erin go brough mean? Ireland, forever. And it seemed strange to hear two African-Americans talking about Erin go brough, but isn’t everybody Irish on St. Patrick’s Day?
The Cincinnati Reds wore green caps today, something nearly all teams do on St. Patty’s Day, but it was the Reds in the late 1970s who started the tradition.
Except, the Reds wore green everywhere on their uniforms, an ensemble that was green where the uniforms normally were red.
Johnny Bench spotted the uniforms hanging in the lockers that day and said, “Have we all been traded to the Oakland A’s?”
WHILE MOST of the Reds took a day off Monday (no game), Homer Bailey pitched five innings against a Reds minor-league team: five innings, three runs, four hits, one walk, six strikeouts, 73 pitches.
Those aren’t exactly glowing numbers, but every major-league pitcher who has pitched on the back fields in a minor-league game has told me that the adrenaline doesn’t flow and that it is tough to pitch in front of a few friends and relatives as opposed to pitching in a major-league exhibition game in front of a big crowd.
“I saw him the last couple of innings and he slowed down (his delivery) a little bit,” said Baker. “He is a little more deliberate and I see he has learned how to control himself (on the mound) a little bit.”
With Micah Owings doing so well in the battle for No. 5 starter, Baker was asked if Bailey could pitch in long relief.
“We have to sit down and talk about all this,” said Baker. “We have to make some decisions pretty soon because there are not going to be enough innings without ‘B’ games or split-squad games.”
And Homer in relief?
“Possibly,” said Baker. “That’s something we’ve discussed, and especially if we think it would be better in the long run for him to be pitching or be the fifth starter.
“Playing for the Dodgers, a lot of the top young guys started in long relief before they became starters — Dave Stewart, Bob Welch, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan,” said Baker. “It depends, a lot of it depends on who has options left, who doesn’t. There is a lot to go into these considerations and it isn’t always as well as how you’re pitching.”
Bailey has options, but Nick Masset doesn’t and it appears he is not longer in consideration for No. 5 and must pitch in the bullpen.
So the Reds either trade him and put Bailey in the bullpen or put Masset in the bullpen and option Bailey.
THE REDS made 12 more cuts today, no surprises: pitchers Sam LeCure, Matt Maloney and Robert Manuel were optioned to Class AAA Louisville. Third baseman Juan Francisco was optioned to Class AA Carolina. Sent to minor-league camp for re-assignment were RHP James Avery, IF/OF Wes Bankston, 1B Kevin Barker, INF Luis Bolivar, LHP Ben Jukich, C Chris Kroski, LHP Adam Pettyjohn and RHP Jordan Smith.
The roster is now at 44, with 19 more cuts to be made by Opening Day. And the cuts get tougher.
When that was mentioned to Baker, he said, “Yeah, thanks. The last five to 10 are the toughest. This is the part I dread, and not just in spring training. I had to cut all year. But you can only have 25.”
THE REDS had what was very close to an Opening Day lineup on the field today against the Phillies.
The lineup: CF Willy Taveras, LF Chris Dickerson, 1B Joey Votto, 2B Brandon Phillips, RF Jay Bruce, 3B Edwin Encarnacion, SS Alex Gonzalez, C Ryan Hanigan, P Aaron Harang.
Still missing are catcher Ramon Hernandez and OF/INF Jerry Hairston Jr. (with Mexico in the WBC).
Did you happen to see Hernandez’s 10-minute home run Monday night for Venezuela that gave his team a 2-0 lead in its 2-0 victory?
The ball bounced back onto the field and umpires ruled it in play as Hernandez stopped at third with a triple. Replay clearly showed it was a home run.
Umpires went to replay — the first time it was used in international play — but it took them 10 minutes to determine it was a home run. I swear the umpires took a hamburger break during the replay.
Of his near-starters, Baker said, “I’m going to get them playing together as much as possible now and next week I might have them going nine innings a couple of times.”
It wasn’t a good combination Tuesday. Opening Day start Aaron Harang gave up six runs and seven hits (five doubles) and walked two in only 3 1/3 innings while the near-Opening Day Lineup scored no runs and had four hits against Philadelphia’s Brett Myers in 5 2/3 innings.
IT HAPPENS every spring, sometimes more than once. On spring training road trips, players are required to pack their own bags. Somebody invariably forgets their jersey and has to wear an extra one that is blank — no name, no number on the back.
On Tuesday, it was Alex Gonzalez. He normally wears No. 2. Before the tape he taped what he thought was a ‘2’ on his back, using white adhesive tape. But it looked more like a ‘Z’ than a ‘2,’ so rather than look like Zorro, he tore of the tape and used the blank look.
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TweetSome ‘off day’ meanderings
Another day off. No game. What to do, what to do?
OK, OK, so I spent another few hours on the white, sugary sands of Siesta Key, reading Stephen King’s “The Waste Lands.” Weird stuff.
So now that I’m a Crispy Critter, fried to medium well, I’m trying to push the keys to give you some off-the-cuff stuff.
How spring training works:
On Sunday in Dunedin, a 27-year-old non-roster pitcher named Dirk Hayhurst pitched an inning for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Cincinnati Reds. After he struck out the side, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty walked into the pressbox and asked the Toronto PR guy if he could look at the Jays media guide.
I couldn’t see what page he was on, but my guess was that he was looking up Dirk Hayhurst.
The right-handed pitcher is from Canton, Ohio, and went to my alma mater, Kent State. And he is writing a book. About what, I can only surmise. He has only appeared in 10 major-league games, all for the San Diego Padres last year.
He was 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA in 10 games, three starts. Not good stats, but he sure mowed down the Reds for one inning.
And who knows, maybe Jocketty was just looking up ticket prices.
I do know that Nick Masset pitched for the Reds on Sunday and not very well, most likely knocking himself out of the hunt for the No. 5 starting spot. That would mean back to the bullpen, but the Reds bullpen is pretty full.
One scout told me that the Reds are shopping Masset. Just a scenario, nothing concrete. But it sure has been quiet.
WHILE IN DUNEDIN, I noticed they were selling Mexican Corona beer at the concession stands. Why would they sell Corona when Dunedin is home to the Canadian Blue Jays and the best beer in the world (in my humble opinion) is LaBatt Blue? In fact, one of the Toronto writers, knowing my love of Blue, had two six packs sitting at my seat in the press box after the game for transport back to my condo refrig in Siesta Key.
WHAT WE sometimes talk about in idle moments: Somebody laughingly pointed out that there is a sign at the door of the Umpires Dressing Room at Great American Ball Park and it reads “Umpires Dressing Room” - in braille.
DUSTY BAKER’S 10-year-old son, Darren, caught a big fish over the weekend and somebody said it was something like a Cohiba, but I know that’s a cigar, not a fish. Whatever it was, they cooked it in the Reds clubhouse Saturday and Dusty and the coaches devoured it.
PITCHER MIKE LINCOLN spotted former Minnesota manager Tom Kelly hitting fungos on a practice field when the Reds were in Fort Myers to play the Twins.
“I pitched when he managed and he didn’t much like me,” said Lincoln. “Man, he was scary. I expect to get chewed out when I pitched bad. But he chewed me out when I pitched good. One time he posted the spring training lineup when I was pitching, then turned to outfielder Jacque Jones and said, ‘Better get your legs loose, Lincoln’s pitching.’ “
Jones laughed and said, “Yeah, T.K. was tough, but we were a young team and that was good for us.”
THERE’S A READER who took me to task the other day for injecting too much personal stuff in this blog, dressing me down for pointing out that Homer Bailey is a changed man and that people don’t care that Eric Davis once sent me a pizza after Marge Schott banned me from the dining room. He said that he doesn’t care that a grown man at work had to be fed by a player.
He said he’ll continue to read the blog by wading through the nonsense and the personal gripes and opinions to follow his favorite team.
I’m certain he’ll hate this post. Not enough numbers and statistics.
A lot of you seem to like this stuff and I’ll continue to do it, even though he said, “It is beneath a Hall of Famer.”
Ouch.
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TweetJohnny Cueto: Less pressure here
DUNEDIN, Fla. — Ryan Hanigan’s eyebrows dance a happy up-and-down duet as he said, “We’ve got some arms on this team, I’m telling you.”
Hanigan caught 23-year-old Johnny Cueto on a hot, humid afternoon in Knology Park, Cueto’s first appearance for the Cincinnati Reds since coming back from the World Baseball Classic.
Cueto wasn’t razor sharp, but then he usually isn’t. He’s usually just wild enough to make standing in the batter’s box to cause hitters think they need a blindfold and a cigarette.
Cueto held the Toronto Blue Jays to one run and four hits over four innings in a 5-4 10-inning Reds’ defeat.
“I was impressed with his ability to throw his fastball under the hands of righthanders when he needed that pitch,” said Hanigan.
One came in a rocky first inning when he faced Scott Rolen with two outs and two on. The battle went nine pitches before he sliped a fastball under Rolen’s arms for strike three on a full count.
“It was like a cool challenge because he is such a veteran hitter, a good hitter,” said Cueto.
Cueto threw 73 pitches, 42 strikes — probably not enough strikes. And he threw first-pitch strikes to 11 of 18 hitters — probably not enough first-pitch strikes.
“He changed speeds well, but I would like to see him get ahead of hitters a little more,” said Hanigan. “What was positive was when he did get in trouble a couple of times he really settled in and didn’t panic and made pitches.”
Of the at-bat against Rolen, Hanigan said, “Rolen is a great hitter, has a good swing, sees the ball and is a tough guy to strike out. Johnny worked him up and in, threw him off-speed, trying to get him to fish, then at the end threw a fastball out of the zone and won that one that time.
“He buckled down with men on base and didn’t make mistakes,” Hanigan added.
Cueto said his return to camp was as if somebody lifted a delivery van off his chest.
“This is fun, this feels better,” he said. “There was a lot of pressure (at the World Baseball Classic), especially on the pitchers. For the Dominicans there was a lot of pressure to win.”
Cueto did his part, pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings against Panama, the one game the Dominicans won.
And there was another positive pitching appearance — one scoreless inning by relief pitcher Bill Bray, who started camp with a sore shoulder and then lost more time with a sore hamstring.
“A good day, especially a good finish (a strikeout),” said Bray. “The hamstring is great, the shoulder is great, everything is good.
“The shoulder was good 2 ½ weeks ago and then, of course, I decide to go running in the outfield one day and, ‘Pop.’ It was kind of, ‘What next?’”
Bray turned toward his locker, knocked on the wooden frame and said, “I’m looking forward to pitching the rest of the spring and getting the season started.”
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TweetBaker leaning toward 12 pitchers
A great save for me by Cincinnati Enquirer beat writer John Fay Friday night. We were in Fort Myers for a night game and there was fireworks after the game. All of us were hustling to get finished in the pressbox and beat the traffic out of the stadium.
I raked all my stuff into my shoulder bag and bolted. On Saturday morning in the pressroom at Ed Smith Stadium I was rummaging for my stuff and my spiral notebook was missing. Just as I began taking the Lord’s name in vain, Fay walked in and handed me my notebook.
As I said, great save. I have about four stories worth of notes in that notebook.
MADE A GRAND entrance into the pressbox Saturday afternoon. Some photographer foof left his bag squatting in the aisle and I, of course, tripped over it and took a header, ripping a nice gash in my shin.
Tampa Tribune’s Marc Lancaster, a beat writer with the Tampa Bay Rays and a fromer beat writer with the Reds for the now-defunct Cincinnati Post, barely looked up from his typing and said, “Still making big entrances, I see.”
MANAGER DUSTY BAKER tipped his hand a bit Sunday by saying, “We still have to get (closer) Francisco Cordero together a little bit and find out who our long man is, but we’re leaning toward keeping 12 pitchers early in the season.”
BAKER ON Jared Burton: “Before he went out with that lat injury (mid-July), he was one of the best relief pitchers in the league and some people were talking about him as a possible All-Star.”
Burton had a 2.23 ERA in 43 games before the injury, missed 39 games, then had a 7.89 ERA after coming off the DL. Burton started fast this spring, three straight perfect innings, then had two bad ones (three runs four hits in one inning and two runs and two hits in one inning. Then he pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout against Tampa Bay Saturday.
“Burton is very athletic and a big man (6-5, 228),” said Baker. “When that ball comes out from behind his glove, it looks like Rodan is pitching.”
Rodan?
“I guess some people are too young to know Rodan,” said Baker. Rodan is a fictional Japanese movie monster from Toho Studios, the same folks who gave us Godzilla.
FORMER DAYTON Dragon Paul Janish is an outside choice to make the team, but Baker notices him.
“We asked him to work on his hand strength,” said Baker. “He looks stronger to me. Every time I go into the weight room to work out he’s in there. The more hand strength you have the better you can control the bat and the more bat speed you’ll have.”
Everybody knows Janish has golden hands with the glove, but he has lead hands (so far) with the bat - a career .188 major-league average and a cdareer .261 minor-league average.
“He can pick it and I don’t care where you play him,” said Baker. Janish, a shortstop by vocation, played second base Sunday in Dunedin against the Blue Jays.
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TweetAs promised: two hits for Keppinger
Jeff Keppinger was hitting .120 before Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay at Ed Smith Stadium. During batting practice, I walked up to him, tapped him twice on the shoulder, and said, “Two hits today.”
He looked at me as if I had three eyes, three ears and two noses, then said, “I hope you’re right.”
I told Keppinger that one spring Aaron Boone was scuffling and I did that to him and he got two hits. He came looking for me every day after that.
Well, Keppinger singled his firsst two times Saturday and I fear he is going to be looking for me. Think I might hide Sunday. It was one lucky guess and I don’t want to be put to the test again.
Keppinger needs all the hits he can get. His utility infielder’s job could be in jeopardy to Adam Rosales, who hustles so hard on every play some people call him Pete Rosales. But he is hitting only .235 and he needs to do better to beat out a veteran like Keppinger.
Keppinger’s two hits Saturday came off Tampa Bay lefthander Scott Kazmir, who gave up one run and five hits over four innings. And they didn’t help the Reds much in a 3-1 defeat in full (6,949) in tired, old Ed Smith Stadium, mostly Rays fans.
BRONSON ARROYO cruised in off his sports yacht (Nasty Hook), on which he is staying, to give up three runs and four hits over 4 2/3 innings Saturday. And for some photos of a party on Nasty Hook, check out the web-site Busted Coverage.
Arroyo gave up two runs in the first and a home run in the fourth - 4 2/3 innings, three runs, four hits, one walk, one hit batsman, four strikeouts.
Arroyo welcomed the long first inning and the 77-pitch day. The long first inning grabbed his attention.
“A rough start that made me stop, step back, tell myself, ‘Focus,’” he said. “Usually you can fix some of these things because it’s between your ears.”
He is one of the few pitchers who welcomes the extra 10 days of spring training this year because he is a notorious slow starter.
“Maybe this year in my last two spring starts I can touch 100 pitches and be ready for the season,” he said. “Usually, when the season starts, I haven’t hit 100 pitches.”
Manager Dusty Baker says, “Bronson is a Florida boy (Key West) and it usually doesn’t warm up in Cincinnati until May, does it?”
What Arroyo wants next is for Venezuela to lose in the World Baseball Classic so he can get No. 1 catcher Ramon Hernandez to catch him.
“That concerns me a bit,” he said. “He only caught me once and that was in the bullpen. I pitch unorthodox compared to the other guys. I’m a little more offbeat. I hope Venezuela loses soon so he can catch me in a couple of games.”
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TweetJacque and Corey: not the same guy
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker asked a quick favor as his first comment of Saturday morning to the media: “Please don’t compare Jacque Jones to Corey Patterson.”
It isn’t clear what exactly he meant, but in checking what I wrote about Jones in today’s paper, all I said was the same thing Baker is saying:
“And before folks remind everybody that Corey Patterson played for Baker and made the Reds last season, Patterson did hit .298 and earned the spot.”
Baker was reminded that Cincinnati fans sometimes can be extremely negative, especially after eight straight losing seasons, Baker laughed and said, “Cincinnati? The whole world. The whole world is negative.”
THE REDS play Tampa Bay in Sarasota today and the Cincinnati lineup resembled a ‘B’ game. “Day game after a night game,” said Baker, referring to Friday night’s 1-0 win over the Twins in Fort Myers, a game in which the regulars played seven innings. “Everybody went seven last night.”
The Saturday lineup was one resembling one that was tacked on the wall by former manager Jack McKeon on a day that Pete Harnisch was the starting pitcher. Harnisch checked the lineup card and shouted, “Hey, skipper, are we trying today?”
THE REDS have another off days Monday, a day that falls on Homer Bailey’s turn to pitch. It won’t be an off day for him. He will start a game Monday against a Reds’ minor-league team. Daryl Thompson also will pitch against a minor-league team.
The rest of the team can fill out their NCAA brackets — and no fair calling Sarasota resident Dick Vitale for some helpful hints.
With a lengthy spring training this year (seven weeks), Baker said rest is vital for the regulars, “Because when you get fatigued is when you get hurt. When you run a marathon, you build your stamina slowly. And the baseball season (162 games) is a marathon.”
SOMEBODY WONDERED about the health and well-being of pitcher Bill Bray, who has pitched only one inning this spring. His shoulder is fine. It’s his hamstring that is bothersome.
“We’re letting him pitch on the back fields to guys like Jeff Keppinger, guys who are struggling and looking for their stroke,” said Baker. “Right now, Bray can’t cover first base because of the hamstring.
“The inning he pitched last week in Dunedin (against the Blue Jays), there was a ball hit to the right side and he didn’t run to cover first,” said Baker. “I got mad and said something, but (bench coach) Chris Speier calmed me down and said, ‘It’s his hamstring, I’m sure.’ So we’re not taking a chance with him right now.”
BAKER HOLDS a pre-game meeting early every morning to discuss the previous day’s (or night’s) game and he also has, “A key to the game.”
The Reds beat the Twins Friday, 1-0, on a home run by Jonny Gomes, but that wasn’t Baker’s “Key to the Game.”
“To me, and this is what I’ll tell them this morning, it was a ground ball back through the middle that Micah Owings fielded, threw a perfect peg to second to start a 1-6-3 double play,” said Baker. “If that ball gets by and goes into center for a single, it’s first and third with nobody out. Instead it is two outs and nobody on.
“A lot of games are won or lost by balls hit back through the middle,” Baker added. “Pete Rose always said, ‘Hit the ball through the middle on the ground.’ He was working with my son (Darren, 10) and that’s what he told him, ‘Hit the ball on the ground through the middle.’”
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TweetHe quit baseball over $200 (what a hoser)
A man standing near the Cincinnati Reds dugout before Friday night’s game in Fort myers against the Twins caught the attention of AP correspondent Gary Schatz, especially when he heard the guy say, “Ed Bailey.”
Turns out the guys name is Buddy Gilbert? Who? Didn’t he start a pizza chain in Cincinnati? No, that’s Buddy LaRosa. Is Gilbert road in Cincinnati named after him? Nope.
If you know Buddy Gilbert and you know he played for ther Cincinnati Reds in 1959, you’re warped. He only played in 1959 and only played from September 9 through September 27. He was 3 for 20 and two of the hits were home runs.
And he whipped a baseball card out of his wallet to prove it.
“After the season, I asked general manager Gabe Paul for a $500 raise. He offered $300. I held out and he didn’t budge, so I quit,” said Gilbert.
He gave up baseball for $200??? Ouch.
AS I WAS writing the above, I heard an explosion of wood bashing baseball. Loud. Very loud. One needn’t look up to see where that baseball was heading. I just looked to see who hit it. Jonny Gomes. Home run no. 3 this spring, to lead the team. And his 10 RBIs lead the team.
The home run came off lefthander Francisco Liriano. And it was the only run of the game in a 1-0 Cincinnati victory.
Not only is Gomes pushing hard to win the fourth outfield spot (and he leads Jacque Jones and Norris Hopper and everybody else by leaps and bounds and hops and skips, the guy is stating a case to be the starting left fielder.
In his second at-bat, Gomes faced righthander Jesse Crain and drilled an opposite field single to right field. I like this guy more and more every day.
Gomes if famous for a couple of fights he was in last year defending his Tampa Bay teammates, but few people know about the near-fight he was in with the Cincinnati Reds two years ago.
In the ninth inning of a game one team led by about 11-0 - and nobody rememnbers who was leading - the Reds brought in a pitcher they brought with them from minor-league camp. His number was in the high 80s and his name was not on his jersey.
Scared? His pitches were all over the place and Tampa Bay players were ducking. When he threw one near Gomes’ noggin, Gomes yelled at him and started for the mound - in a meaningless spring training game. Yeah, I like this guy.
Whoops. Gomes just got picked off first base. Bet Dusty didn’t like that.
Meanwhile, Micah Owings continues his majestic flight toward winning the No. 5 spot in the rotation. On Friday, he held the Twins to no runs and two hits over four innings and has given up two runs over his 14 2/3s innings this spring.
Following Owings was Edinson Volquez, just back from the World Baseball Classic, trying to wipe away the foul taste of two Dominican Republic defeats to the Netherlands. It was like The Falklands defeating Great Britain - not once, but twice.
But Volquez returns to discover he is the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation, behind Aaron Harang and ahead of Bronson Arroyo.
“That’s a big honor for me,” he said. “Last year I was No. 5 and now I’m No. 2. Volaquez pitched three innings and gave up one single while striking out three.
Happy?
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “I was throwing strikes, a lot of first-pitch strikes. That’ll let me go deeper into games and that’s what I’m working on.” In his three innings, he threw only 36 pitches and thought his day was done, but when he walked to the clubhouse, pitching coach Dick Pole said, “Uh, huh. Thirty more pitches in the bullpen.”
And Owings keeps mowing ‘em down, to the delight of catcher Ryan Hanigan.
“I like everything,” said Hanigan. “He doesn’t waste his pitches. Every pitch has a meaning. Every pitch sets up his next pitch. Guys can’t sit on pitches because he has so many weapons. With one of his first two pitches, he usually throws a quality strike. Then he can elevate or bury both his slider and his changeup.
“He does what he does to get out and he doesn’t just pitch one way,” Hanigan added. “He makes pitches, all the time.”
It was the first night game for Owings and he said, “That felt weird, but it was fun getting back out there. I’m just focusing on trusting my stuff and throwing strikes, getting ahead of hitters.”
And shortstop Alex Gonzalez passed another test.
“I feel good. No problems,” he said. “I’m much better each day. Each day is another step.”
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TweetA (losing) dog day afternoon
If anybody missed me, well, I was gone for a day. The Cincinnati Reds had Thursday off, so after working 28 straight days it was time for me to take one, too.
Sort of.
My day off was at the Sarasota Kennel Club. Lunch was great. Only cost me about $111 ($11 for the omelette, $100 in wagering defeats.
The track’s manager, Leo McCarthy, is a good friend. He also breeds and races greyhounds and a couple of years ago he named one after me - Garys Real McCoy (imagine that). He did fairly well, made All-American as a sprinter one year.
Anyway, he got hurt last winter running in Dubuque, Iowa (winter in Dubuque? Who wouldn’t get hurt?) and he was retired. I wanted to adopt him but my wife, Nadine, has no sense of humor when it comes to a 75-pounds dog in the sun room. So Garys Real McCoy is spending his days in a Fort Myers retirement home - for people, not for dogs, as their pet.
Anyway, again, Leo the GM had two dogs running that he liked, one in the first race and one in the ninth race. I put down my hard-earned money on these mutts. As they say on the charts when a dog runs a really bad race, the first dog broke late, ran wide and faded. Not a single dog finished behind it - all seven in front of it.
The second dog never traversed the first turn. He bumped another dog and went tail over muzzle in a nice somersault. Dogs who do somersaults in the first turn finish last.
So back to the condo I went, lighter of wallet and lower of spirit. But watching the six-overtime Syracuse-Connecticut basketball game was fascinating. I was sleepy after the second overtime but I wasn’t going to bed until this puppy (still have dogs on the mind) was over. As Dickie V. would say, “Awesome, baby, with a capital A.”
NOW IT is back to baseball. Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Willy Taveras are back from the World Baseball Classic - and if they had tails and muzzles, theirs would be tucked. The played for the Dominican Republic and lost twice to the Dutch team, which didn’t need any little boy to plug any dikes.
Their pitchers plugged everything.
Asked how he felt, Volquez said, “Not too good. I can’t go home for a while.”
But as Volquez pointed out, “We pitched good, we just didn’t get any hits. You don’t hit, you don’t win. I thought I pitched good.”
Volquez started the first game against the Dutch and gave up three runs, but none was earned, two hits, walked two and struck out three in three ininnings.
CUETO pitched Sunday against Panama and was top dog - 4 2/3 innings, no runs, three hits, one walk, five strikeouts.
Said Volquez, “The best thing about being on the Dominican team was being around Pedro Martinez. That was great. Her didn’t say much to us, didn’t teach us anything about pitching, but you learn just by watching him.”
Volquez was scheduled to pitch three innings tonight in Fort Myers against the Twins and Cueto is scheduled for three Sunday in Sarasota against the Blue Jays as Baker tries to bring them up to speed with the rest of the Reds pitchers.
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TweetBailey’s turnaround gets better and better
For those who wonder why Homer Bailey followed Aaron Harang to the mound today to face the Houston Astros, there is nothing sinister.
Bailey is not bullpen-bound.
The Reds are off Thursday, no game, and that was Bailey’s day to start. Rather than push everybody back a day, Bailey pitched on short rest Wednesday - followed Harang’s four scoreless innings (three hits) and two scoreless of his own (three hits).
The more I see and hear from Bailey this year, the more I like. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus spends winter in Sarasota and in the past some thought Homer was the Bailey in that circus.
No more.
Perhaps it was carrying the heavy freight of youth the last two years that bothered Bailey, which is why it was usually small chunks of ice tumbling from his mouth when he talked to the media.
This year he is as pleasant as Brer Rabbit. And his pitching is rock solid.
He has now pitched 10 innings this spring and given up one earned run, none over two innings Wednesday in an 8-2 win over the Houston Astros, who are 1-11 this spring.
Former major-league pitcher-turned-broadcaster Jeff Brantley, a pitching clinician, is watching Bailey closely and loves what he sees, especially when he tucks his elbow on his slider instead of letting it fly.
“I watched him in the bullpen today and when he kept that elbow tucked he was throwing 89 miles an hour slider with a, ‘Boom!’ break,” said Brantley. “When he let it fly a little, he was throwing it 83 without as much bite.
“I’d like to say something to him, but not right now, he is doing so well, I won’t bother him,” Brantley added. “But, man, he looks good. And maybe he’ll figure it out himself in the bullpen.”
Bailey talked about his slider after Wednesday’s outing and said, “I had a good fastball and used it. Some of the hits they had got inside on them and those are good signs. Only trouble I had was I couldn’t use my slider as an out pitch. I was a little long with it (talk to Brantley, Homer).
“Other than that, I wasn’t completely happy, but it was OK,” said Bailey, also grateful for right fielder Jonny Gomes’ diving catch with the bases loaded and two outs to end Bailey’s outing.
“That was an outstanding catch, at a big-time time,” he said. “I like it when he’s out there because he is an excellent player and I’m glad he’s on our team.”
The real maturation of the 22-year-old Bailey showed when somebody asked him about his battle for the No. 5 spot, especially with Micah Owings.
“Micah (Owings) is throwing excellent,” said Bailey. “Every time he throws well, I pat him on the rear end and say, ‘Good job.’ I like to see that all of us are doing well.
“It just builds more of a team full of pitchers and nobody will every complain about guys throwing too well and that’s what we have right now,” Bailey added.
Man, you gotta love this guy right now. Mr. Pleasant. Mr. Personality. Mr. Quote. Mr. Team Man. You couldn’t say any of that last year with a straight face.
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TweetThe odds on the Reds? Lonnnnnnggggg
All ye of early faith in the Cincinnati Reds, it is time to put your money where your optimism is.
Las Vegas doesn’t agree with you.
The Odds:
The Reds are 12 to 1 to win the NL Central, better only than those lovable losers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are 30-1. The Cubs are 3-2, the Cardinals are 5-1, the Brewers are 8-1 and the Astros are 10-1.
MY OPINION (right now): The Reds could finish anywhere between second and fifth. They won’t beat the Cubs and they will beat out the Pirates. I’ll be more definitive on the second through fifth prediction later this spring.
For the more adventuresome: The Reds are 30-1 to win the National League pennant, better than only than San Diego, Pittsburgh and Washington.
The Reds are 60-1 to win the World Series.
JOEY VOTTO was back in the Reds clubhouse Wednesday morning, “Way too soon,” he said. Team Canada was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic (not Votto’s fault), so he was back in camp.
With 45,000 fans supporting Team Canada, Votto had four hits against TEAM USA in a one-run loss.
“The first thing I told Dusty Baker was that it was an incredible atmosphere,” said Votto. “I told him that if that was anything like the playoffs, I’m all for it. It was just amazing. Being in Cincinnati I’ve never experienced having a full crowd of support in a must-win situation. That was exactly what we’re playing for this year.”
Baker thought Votto would take today off and tomorrow is an off day for everybody, but Votto showed up.
“I just assumed I’d come in and work,” he said. “I don’t think it would be a good idea to take three days off in a row. I’m not playing today, but I’m doing all my activities.”
VOTTO ISN’T the only one returning. With the Dominican Republic’s shocking loss (twice) to the Netherlands, pitchers Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, Pedro Viola and center fielder Wily Taveras will be back.
“Probably Friday,” said Baker. “I didn’t want to get them back like that. I hope that their mood and attitude is good. I know that has to hurt, especially when some of their countrymen are saying it is a disgrace.”
As were most of the players in the Reds’ clubhouse, Votto was shocked and stunned by the D.R.’s loss to the Dutch.
“Geez, I am totally shocked by that,” said Votto. “I watched that game, even after I told myself I wouldn’t after we lost - it made me sick, I thought I was going to puke - because it was so difficult to watch after we got knocked out.”
But he did. “I found myself watching and I was disappointed because I thought they were easily one of the favorites. But the Netherlands outplayed them and didn’t make mistakes.”
WITH VOLQUEZ and Cueto returning, innings are becoming a premium. Even before they return, some adjustments had to be made.
Aaron Harang starts today’s game against Houston and probably will pitch four innings. Homer Bailey’s day to pitch is tomorrow, but the Reds are off. So Bailey will pitch a few innings behind Harang today, although not as many because he is pitching on a day early.
But the competition for No. 5 starter continues.
“We can’t make any decisions yet,” said Baker. “That would negate what spring training is about. The real pressure ain’t coming until close to the end. The better you show me how you handle pressure now the better you show me that you can handle pressure in a pennant race.
“We’re going to start facing big-league hitters soon,” Baker added. “Those were mostly kids we faced last night (in a 7-1 loss to the New York Yankees).”
Candidate Nick Masset gave up three runs and eight hits over four innings.
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TweetGonzalez passes his field test
A manager’s fear is that he puts a player in the lineup to test him and he never gets tested.
Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker loved it last year when he was forced to play catcher Javier Valentin at third base, a position he hadn’t played in the majors, and not a single ball was hit to him.
That was a real game in Toronto.
On Tuesday night in George M. Steinbrenner Field, Baker put Alex Gonzalez at shortstop, hoping every ball would be hit his way in an exhibition game against the New York Yankees.
It was Gonzalez’s first game in the field, a test of his surgically fixed left knee that kept him out the entire 2008 season.
The fact he was smiling after five innings of activity says it all.
“I’m excited,” he said at least three times. “I’m right at the point where I want to be — no pain and able to play.”
Gonzalez covered second base on three throws from the outfield, made a spectacular short-hop backhanded stop to start a 6-4-3 double play and made one other routine play.
And his knee did not collapse.
“Finally, I got to play on defense and it was exciting,” he said. “Now I feel good, feel real good. I look better running and I feel comfortable in the field.”
Before the game, manager Dusty Baker said the major test will see if Gonzalez can stand on his legs for lengthy periods. He passed that test, too.
“I felt much better running to first and I haven’t felt pain the last couple of games and I think I have my speed back,” he said. “Not tired. A lot looser the last couple of games. I’m where I want to be.”
It wasn’t awful, but Nick Masset needs to be better if he wants to stay in the chase for the No. 5 spot in the rotation. He gave up three runs and eight hits (one homer) in four innings.
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TweetYogi isn’t always the class clown
Yogi Berra was standing behind the New York Yankees batting cage before the game against the Cincinnati Reds in Tampa tonight. I chatted with him briefly. He didn’t say anything funny.
I asked him if he really said, “When you see a fork in the road, take it.” He said no.
I asked him if he really said when asked if he would like his pizza cut in six or eight pieces, he said, “Cut it in six. I can’t eat eight.” He said no.
I asked him if he really said, “Baseball is 75 percent mental and the other half is physical.” He said yes.
YANKEE GENERAL MANAGER Brian Cashman was funnier. He, too, was behind the cage and all the Yankees players and coaches kept walking up to him to welcome him back.
“Where you been?” I asked him.
“Buried in my office on the telephone eight hours a day with all the A-Rod stuff,” he said. “Good to get back out on the field and see all my guys. What I need right now is a doctor. A head doctor.”
ERIC DAVIS scanned Legends Field, right across the street from where the Cincinnati Reds once trained at Al Lopez Field, where Eric Davis trained.
Seeing the plushness of Legends, Davis said, “Do you think Marge Schott would have paid for all this? No? Me neither. But we never should have left Tampa. We owned Tampa. It was our turf, our territory, our home.”
What? Plant City wasn’t?
YONDER ALONSO hit a home run in Clearwater against the Phillies Monday. Chris Valaika hit a grand slam home run the same day. Didn’t matter. It already had been decided they would be two of the seven cuts the Reds made.
Alonso was sent to Class AA Carolina, while Valaika, Humerto Cota, Chris Denove, Todd Frazier, Devin Mesoraco and Drew Stubbs were re-assigned to minor-league camp. Alonso, Stubbs and Mesoraco are all No. 1 draft picks.
“Some fan brought the ball Alonso hit for his home run to the clubhouse and didn’t ask for anything for it,” said manager Dusty Baker. “Alonso was excited about it and said if he had known he would have given the guy a bat. Now he’ll have 80 guys calling to say he was the guy who gave him the ball.”
Of the demotions, Baker said, “All good players, all good young men. No problems. They all work hard. But at-bats are going to get tight, but they all got a good look-see, especially with most of them getting their first look at big-league camp.”
Baker likes to give players a day off once in a while, telling them to stay away from camp. He gave one to Stubbs, but he showed up anyway and Baker caught him working in the weight room.
“I told him, ‘Son, when I give you a day off, you take the day off,’” said Baker. “But after Alonso and Valaika homered Monday, I was hoping he would hit one, too, so they’d all be leaving with a good feeling and leaving a good impression.”
WITH CANADA’S ouster from the World Baseball Classic, first baseman Joey Votto will be returning, but not for a couple of days.
“He called and left a message, saying he’d be back tomorrow,” said Baker. “But I’m probably going to give him a couple of days off. We have a game Wednesday and an off day Thursday, so we can give him those two days.
“With the travel and the family stuff, he is probably exhausted,” Baker added.
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TweetFirst Reds cuts - No surprises
The first cuts are not always the deepest. In fact, the first cuts made by the Cincinnati this spring came Tuesday before a night game in Tampa against the New York Yankees.
And they were pretty much expected.
Optioned to Class AA Carolina: first baseman Yonder Alonso.
Reassigned to minor league camp: C Humberto Cota, catcher Chris Denove, infielder Todd Frazier, catcher Devin Mesoraco, outfielder Drew Stubbs and infielder Chris Valaika.
Three No. 1 draft picks were cut - Alonso, Stubbs, Mesoraco.
There are no 56 players in camp.
WITH THE ouster of Canada from the World Baseball Classic, first baseman Joey Votto is expected back in camp tomorrow. Canada’s loss to Italy was aided by former Reds outfielder Chris Denorfia, who had four hits for the Italians.
Denorfia was traded to Oakland in 2007 for pitcher Marcus McBeth (gone) and pitcher Ben Jukich (on this year’s spring training roster.
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TweetGomes: the new Pete Rose?
If you see a lot of Pete Rose in Jonny Gomes, well, it’s there and easy to see.
It was after the 2005 season, after Gomes finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year voting.
Gomes was in Las Vegas and saw Rose signing autographs in a memorabilia store.
“I was just a pup, but I bought a picture and stood in line to get it signed by Pete,” said Gomes. “When I got to the table, I introduced myself and Pete said, ‘I know you. I like the way you play, kid. Just like me.’”
To Gomes, that was the voice of a baseball god and the words stuck.
“Writers already were throwing around things, not numbers, comparing me to Rose — my approach to the game, my aggressive slides, my aggressive play and my attitude,” Gomes said Monday before the Cincinnati Reds hit four homers and beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-4 (Chris Valaika hit the team’s fifth grand slam this spring, while Ryan Hanigan, Yonder Alonso and Daryle Ward also homered).
Gomes was 0 for 3 Monday, but is hitting .353 with two doubles and two home runs in 17 at-bats.
Gomes said Rose had him sit down at the autograph table, “And we had a 15-minute conversation and the line got longer and longer and people were getting mad. But Pete was great. We talked shop and talked about hitting.”
Rose signed a game jersey for Gomes and posed with him for a picture that he also signed.
In addition to his physical talent, it is his Pete Rose Type A personality the Reds would like to add to their mix, a guy with a clubhouse presence.
All he has to do is make the team.
“I’m too young to have remembered Rose playing, a little before my time, but listening to him was like I was a kid in a candy store listening to all his stories,” Gomes said.
“When I was coming up, it was when all this blackball stuff started against him, but now that I know the inside and out of his career I’m a big fan of Pete Rose,” Gomes added.
“You want a player like him on your team — a guy who will get on base and score a run in any way. He set the tempo as a team player,” he said.
There is a reason Gomes plays full-bore 24/7. After playing in a high school championship game for Casa Grande High School near San Francisco, he and his best friend, Adam Paul Westcott, were on their way home when their car struck a utility pole.
Westcott died and Gomes wears his name on a biceps tattoo and said, “It was like a little bird was saying, ‘You never know when you’ll play your last game and my friend went 0 for 4 and maybe he didn’t run hard on every play and I always think, ‘If he had known it was the last game he would ever play, would he have played harder.’ I don’t want anybody ever asking that question about me.”
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TweetJocketty on Cueto: ‘No problema’
How rumors start or how information leaks out - take your pick.
Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty and manager Dusty Baker both say there is no foundation to a rumor that pitcher Johnny Cueto was injured pitching for the Domincan Republic Sunday in the World Baseball Classic.
Just to make certain, Jocketty called Reds coach and Dominican pitching coach Mario Soto, especially after hearing Cueto may have twisted his ankle covering first base.
“No problem,” said Jocketty. “That’s what Soto said. He said he did turn his ankle a bit, but that he did his running today and there was no problem.”
It all began when an American League scout walked into Bright House Field’s media dining room Monday morning and quickly asked, “How’s Johnny Cueto?”
“He’s fine, why do you ask?”
“I heard he’s hurt,” said the scout. “How bad is it?”
That prompted a quick visit with Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker, standing at the batting cage.
“Is Cueto hurt?” he was asked.
“No, why do you ask? I haven’t heard that at all,” said Baker. When told a scout was talking about it, Baker said, “I’ll talk to Dickie Pole (pitching coach) and have him call Mario Soto. But I haven’t heard that at all. Maybe it’s because he pitched 4 2/3 innings Sunday and came out. But I’m sure that was because he reached his pitch count.”
The scout said he heard it from, “A Reds’ official,” but when it comes to officials Jocketty is about as high as it gets and he is assured that, “No problema.” During his 4 2/3 innings Sunday against Panama, Cueto struck out five and didn’t give up a run, giving up three hits and walking one.
Jocketty said, “I watched the game and he retired the last seven and looked fine to me. And I’m sure Mario Soto (Reds coach and Dominican pitching coach) would have told us if anything was wrong.” Jocketty then laughed and said, “You’re going to have to quit listening to those scouts. They’re the biggest rumormongers around.”
Then, to appease his mind, Jocketty made the call. No problema.
Injuries are something that causes every major-league manager and executive to hold their breath until the World Baseball Classic concludes.
IT’S NO rumor, Edwin Encarnacion is hurt - but not seriously. He missed his second straight game Monday with what Baker said, “Is the same thing he had last spring - a little bit of hurting that comes from checked swings and not swinging properly.”
BAKER ON what he has seen of Jonny Gomes at first base: “He has looked good for a guy who has not played it. I can’t understand why somebody didn’t try him at first base before. They’ve played him in the outfield and at DH, but never at first base. Doesn’t make sense to me.”
Gomes was in left field Monday and batting clean-up against the Philadelphia Phillies.
JEFF KEPPINGER, playing shortstop until Alex Gonzalez plays his first game there tomorrow night in Tampa against the Yankees, is hitting only .105, but it isn’t a concern, “Because what are we talking about, 15 at-bats? I’m not concerned about slow starts or fast starts at this point,” said Baker. “Heck, I never felt comfortable until about 200 at-bats into a season. I’ve seen guys hit .400 in the spring, but as soon as they added that third deck on the stadium he didn’t hit at all.”
PETE MACKANIN, the Reds interim manager the last half of 2007 and a man many thought should have been given the job, is the bench coach for the Philadelphia Phillies and said, “I can’t get away from red. I look so good in blue or green, too.”
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TweetOwings making the strongest statement
Micah Owings is pitching as if to say the No. 5 spot in the Cincinnati Reds pitching rotation is, “Mine, mine, mine.”
On Sunday, facing a Blue Jays team that beat the Reds, 7-2, in Dunedin Saturday, Owings pitched four scoreless innings, giving up one hit and striking out six.
In three appearances, Owings has given up two runs and six hits over 10 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out 12. On Sunday, five of his six strikeouts were swinging.
For the Cincinnati Reds, it is a matter of pleading the fifth — the fifth starter.
Think the fifth spot in a pitching rotation is unimportant, just a spot occupied by a journeyman on his way to a pension or a rookie on his way to Triple-A?
Let your fingers do the walking through the 2009 Reds Media Guide for proof of the importance.
The Reds were 74-88 last season, 14 games under .500 and firm occupants of fifth place.
Get this, though?
When any of the first four starters were on the mound, the Reds were 63-63. That would be Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto.
Yes, the Reds were .500 in games started by those four, despite Harang’s 6-17 record and Cueto’s 9-14 record.
When any of the guys who rotated in and out of the fifth spot, the Reds were 11-25.
That would be Josh Fogg, Homer Bailey, Matt Belisle, Ramon Ramirez, Daryl Thompson and Adam Pettyjohn.
As bad as that is, manager Dusty Baker couldn’t believe the fifth spot produced 11 wins.
“Eleven-and-25? Ooooh? I didn’t think we won even one. I can’t remember any, to be honest,” said Baker. “What was Bailey, 0-and-6?
“Damn, it’s an important spot, boy,” he added. “Wow. That’s unbelievable, isn’t it?”
That’s why every time Michal Owings, Homer Bailey or Nick Masset starts an exhibition game, everybody is all eyes and ears with a rapt attention span.
ANOTHER GUY making a statement is outfielder-turned-first baseman Jonny Gomes. After Brandon Phillips singled in the fourth inning, Gomes crushed his second home run of the spring on the first pitch, giving the Reds a 2-0 lead.
Gomes, an outfielder by trade, started Sunday at first base, trying to prove his versatility that could help the Reds off the bench. Gomes has six hits in 14 at-bats, with two doubles and two home runs.
ON THE DARK side, closer Francisco Cordero has been embarrasingly bad - and I don’t care how early in the spring it is. This is bad.
On Sunday, he pitched one inning and gave up three runs, three hits (two homers) in one inning. In his three appearances over three innings this spring he has given up eight runs and 11 hits and three homers.
“Cordero had good velocity, he just needs to work on his location,” said Baker. “As long as that ankle of his is OK. We had it X-rayed this morning and it was negative. As long as that ankle keeps getting better and he finds his location, he’ll be all right.”
So the Reds act as if it is not a concern. Anybody out there besides me more than a tad concerned?
Cordero ruined what Owings accomplished, forcing the game into 10 innings and Adam Rosales poked a two-out run-scoring single to right to lift the Reds to a 6-5 victory.
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TweetTime flies when the alarm doesn’t work
What is it about Florida and spring training that one forgets about the rest of the world. It is like Groundhog Day - every day is the same.
Take Saturday-Sunday. It was time to spring forward, turn the clocks and the watches forward one hour. How many of the beat writers do you think made the 8 a.m. meeting today with Dusty Baker?
Answer: none.
I use my cell phone as an alarm clock and made the mistake of setting it before 2 a.m., when the cell phone automatically leaps forward an hour. So my alarm didn’t go off at 6:30, as set. But I awoke at 6:50 and scrambled quickly enough to get to the end of the condo driveway by 7:30, when Mark Sheldon of MLB.com picks me up.
No Sheldon. At 7:40, I called - and awoke him. Same thing. He set his cell alarm before 2 a.m. and it didn’t go off. So we were late.
John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer set his alarm for p.m. instead of a.m. Gary Schatz of the Associated Press never did show up in Dusty’s office.
And guess what? Dusty was late, too. Later than me, Sheldon and Fay. So all the scrambling was for naught.
HOMER BAILEY said he didn’t have his best stuff Saturday in Dunedin during his four innings of work against the Blue Jays, but Baker was impressed anyway.
Bailey gave up six hits in his four innings, but only one run and his spring ERA is 1.13.
“He wasn’t as sharp as he has been,” said Baker. “That’s ther sign of maturity when you can get by without your best stuff. He wasn’t as sharp as he had been, yet he got a key double play ground ball and a key double play line drive at the right times. You have to have a pitch or something to get you out of trouble at the right time.”
ALEX GONZALEZ continues his designated hitter success - another hit Saturday, giving him three in three games. Trouble is, there is no DH in the National League and his possible return remains a mystery until he shows he can play afield.
That won’t happen until Tuesday when the Reds play the New York Yankees in Tampa. Gonzalez was 1 for 2 with a double Saturday.
“Alex is swinging the bat good and that’s what is surprising me,” said Baker. “All those months (not playing). His stroke is pretty good. That’s why we’re DH-ing him, because I figured his glove would come quicker than his bat.”
BILL BRAY finally got on the mound for an inning Saturday and gave up a hit, but nothing else.
ON THE OTHER hand, Jared Burton gave up three runs in the 7-2 loss to the Blue Jays.
“He was a little strong - threw the ball well, but was a little too strong,” said Baker. “He is a guy who needs work to have movement.”
MEANWHILE, Joey Votto had four hits (homer, double, two singles) in Canada’s 6-5 loss to Team USA in the World Baseball Classic and as Eric Davis said, “Four hits? Four ropes, man. He ripped all four.”
Said Baker, “That’s good to see. He’s been scuffling since he left our camp. I don’t think he had a hit since he left, at least when I checked the box scores.”
IT WAS NOT a good day for Willy Taveras, the leadoff man for the Dominican Republic. His team suffered a mammoth upset, 3-2, to the Netherlands and Taveras wore two sets of goat horns.
Early in the game he was on third with his team down a run and the ball eluded catcher Kenley Jansen and rolled about 20 feet to the left. Taveras started to run, would have made it, but for some reason returned to third.
EVEN WORSE, in the ninth inning, still down 3-2, Taveras was perched on second. He tried to steal third but Jansen gunned him down. The Reds played the Netherlands in an exhibition and won in 10 innings on a wild pitch.
“Willy must not have been here the day Dusty told us not to run on that dude,” said second baseman Brandon Phillips. “Or Willy didn’t get the memo. You shut it down on that dude (Jansen). You just don’t run.”
Said Baker, “It’s not a bad play, if you make it. Willy’s percentage on stealing third is so high. His percentage of him being safe is greater than the percentage of the batter getting a hit. It just doesn ‘t look good when you get caught. That’s the only thing about a stolen base. It’s great when it works, but when you get caught it looks bad. That’s why it is called stealing.”
BAKER WAS fighting a cold for a couple of days and said, “I got something from Porky (coach Juan Lopez), one of his Puerto Rican concoctions. It had garlic and, uh, some other stuff. Cinnamon, maybe, and about four other spices. Tasted terrible, but it worked.”
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TweetHal’s odds on who is No. 5
The rotation candidates have only pitched twice each and nobody has gone more than four innings yet, so it is early. It is ALWAYS early in spring training. That’s what the players keep saying, especially any who are struggling - “It’s early, man, it’s early.”
Nevertheless, some things seem obvious, if not exactly etched in cee-ment, as former manager Jerry Narron used to say.
Even though it is early, I am posting my odds on who will be the team’s No. 5 starter, sulbject to change at my whim, of course.
MICAH OWINGS (2 to 1) — As long as he keeps pitching good, as he has in his two outings, he is nearly the odds-on favorite. No. 1, the team WANTS him to be No. 5. You don’t trade a player like Adam Dunn for a starting pitcher and then quickly shuffle him aside.
Plus, not only can Owings pitch, he can hit. With him in the rotation, he can pinch-hit on the other four days, giving manager Dusty Baker a 26th man. Owings has to get hit by an SUV or not get anybody out the rest of the spring to lose the No. 5 spot.
HOMER BAILEY (5 to 1) - Bailey has made the most amazing one-year turnaround on the field and off the field - a complete 180 - of any player I’ve seen in 37 years. He has done extremely well in his two appearances, but some scouts are not convinced yet. “He still isn’t throwing a changeup much,” said one scout.
Bailey has options left. Bailey is only 22. Bailey was awful last year. So the team won’t hesitate to at least start him at Triple-A to see how he does there. But if Owings fails, he is the first option.
NICK MASSET (10 to 1) - After a miserable first appearance during which he gave up three runs and four hits, plus a walk, in one inning against Boston, Masset was good in his second start against the Pirates and still has the team’s attention.
But Masset has experience in the bullpen and when push comes to a big push, he’ll be pushed back into the bullpen. As a long reliever, he can be a spot starter when and if the team needs one.
RAMON RAMIREZ (50 to 1) - He was a long shot (like the Greyhounds on which I wager) when camp began, but his odds went higher when he left camp to pitch for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. While some people call him a kid, he is 26 years old and has spent seven years in the minors and did not pitch at all in 2002 after he was released by the Padres after spending two years pitching in the Dominican Summer League in 2000 and 2001.
DARYL THOMPSON (100 to 1) - Even though he had a taste of the big leagues last summer, he has pitched only two innings this spring in one game and gave up one hit. It is clear he is tickets for Class AAA Louisville.
NOW, I HAVE a question for you? All we’ve heard is that the Reds are looking for only the No. 5 spot in the rotation. My question is: Why is Johnny Cueto a for-sure? Why should he be?
Yes, he has great stuff. But he was 9-14 in 31 starts for the Reds last year with a 4.81 ERA. Why should that guarantee him anything?
And now he is gone, off to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. He pitched three innings for the DR in an exhibition game against Baltimore and was the loser, giving up three runs and five hits.
What if Owings and Bailey continue to pitch with aplomb this spring and Cueto doesn’t? What iff Cueto comes back and gets banged around?
Shouldn’t the team consider making Owings No. 4 and Bailey No. 5?
As we said in paragraph one: it’s early. But it is an interesting scenario.
And what do you think. As Lou Piniella liked to say, “Am I right or am I right?”
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TweetMasset does pitching pirouette
Nick Masset resurrected his rotation life Thursday against the Pittsburgh Pirates after nearly throwing it all away in his first chance this spring.
It’s still life with a thread, but it is a life.
Because he has proved he can work effectively in the bullpen, Masset is likely to make the Cincinnati Reds rotation only if both Micah Owings and Homer Bailey fail in their bids to win the No. 5 spot that Masset wants.
Owings and Bailey so far, in two appearances each, have been scintillating.
In his first start this spring, Masset was turned into Boston baked beans by the Boston Red Sox, giving up three runs and four hits, with a walk, in only one inning. It was uglier than a sea bass.
On Thursday, Masset pitched three innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates and gave up no runs and one hit - and he feared that one hit might have ended his spring.
Andy LaRoche, leading off the the second inning, lined one off Masset’s right foot and the first thing he thought was, “Oh, no.” His spot in the rotation flashed past. But he recovered quickly and finished his excellent adventure.
“I was trying to do more than I should have been trying to do my first time, but this time I was more relaxed and in tune with myself,” he said.
“The line drive stung for a little bit and at first it felt worse than it was and after I started moving around I knew it would be OK.
“I really did say, ‘Oh, no,’ especially after that first outing and how much I wanted to do good today,” he added. “I wanted to do my best, show everybody what I can do.”
Masset said he slept all right after the Boston Massacre — that it was the night before the Boston game when he was counting sheep.
“I was bitter after the game that night, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. Everyone is going to have those types of outings and it is spring training and it was my first one and I was all worked up. It was the night before when I lost sleep.”
After Masset’s first try, manager Dusty Baker said Masset appeared too hyper, too pumped.
“That’s exactly what it was,” said the 26-year-old righthander. “I felt like it was my debut all over again. You train all off-season for spring training and then you get on the hill and can’t calm yourself down. I wasn’t prepared in that
Shortstop Alex Gonzalez was the DH for the second straight game and had the same results - a single and a groundout. He appeared to run the bases OK, but didn’t have to run hard or slide to fully test his left knee.
He’ll take Friday off, not play against the Twins in Fort Myers, then DH Saturday and Sunday, “Then we’ll see how he is and try to put him in the field sometime ealry next week, we hope,” said Baker.
FOR THOSE who think scores and results of spring training games are important (they’re not), the Reds broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning when first baseman Kevin Barker homered to make it 4-3, then Jonny Gomes scored on Craig Tatum’s sacrifice lfy in the seventh to make it 5-3.
OOOOPS: Outfielder Darnell McDonald hit a grand slam home run in the bottom of the 10th, the team’s FOURTH grand slam, a walk-off blast to give the Reds a 10-6 win over the Pirates.
“Four? Maybe that’s an indication of what’s going to happen this year,” said Baker. He said it with more hope than sincerity.
IN THEIR FIRST nine games, the Reds have hit three grand slam homers (Gomes, Tatum, Jerry Hairston Jr.), most grand slams of any spring team so far.
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TweetBaker trying to get the right fit
When writers arrived at the media work room Thursday morning, Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker was seated at a table with a guy selling suits - expensive suits, I presume.
The guy is here every spring and players wander in to check out his goods, too. My question is why do the players purchase suits? I seldom see them wear them. The dress code for their charter flights is sport coats. No ties necessary. No suits necessary.
But then, why do some players need six cars? Because they can afford them.
BAKER SAID he was pleased with what he saw from shortstop Alex Gonzalez in his debut Wednesday against the Dutch WBC team - even though all it involved was two at-bats as a DH and no fielding.
Gonzalez singled his second time at bat and Baker noticed a hitch in his giddy-up.
“I asked him if he was OK and he said he was,” said Baker. “But I noticed a funny gait as he ran to first base. He just has to get it out of his head. You tell somebody to quit limping and it’s like your mother telling you to quit scratching.”
Gonzalez was to appear again today against the Pirates as a DH, then hoped he would be back on the field to test the surgically repaired left knee that kept him out of the lineup for all of 2008.
IT WAS JACQUE JONES turn to play first base Thursday as Baker continues his auditions over who might be able to back up Joey Votto when he isn’t at first base.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played there,” said Jones.
How long?
“Long time,” he said.
“Ever? Ever play it in a major-league game?”
“Uh, no,” he said with a smile. “But I’ve worked out there. I go over there a lot and take ground balls, just to relieve the monotony of taking fly balls all day in the outfield. I like it because you are in the action most of the time.
“And it is not as easy as people seem to think,” he said. “There are places you have to be on every play and things to do on every play. But it’s fun and if I can show versatility I can be more valuable to the team.”
BAKER keeps a large white board that covers one entire wall of his office and it lists all 63 players in camp. And he stares at it constantly with hope.
“We have a whole wall full of guys who at one time were good players expected to be star-calibre players,” said Baker. “You look at Jonny Gomes - he was almost rookie of the year. There is Jacque Jones, a star at USC and a big-time player at Minnesota just a couple of years ago. Look at Darnell McDonald - a first round draft pick (Baltimore, 1997). Then there is Laynce Nix - he was a high-round draft pick (Rangers, fourth round, 2000).
“At any give time or day, they could play like they were touted,” said Baker. “It is just a matter of if they can put it all together for an extended period of time. I keep looking for a guy like (Ryan) Ludwick - a No. 1 draft pick and highly touted and it took him a while, four or five organizations, then ‘bam,’ he got it. And it’s possible. Because if it is in there, it’s in there. They just have to get it out.”
Ludwick, drafted No. 2 by Oakland in 1998, bounced from the A’s to Texas to Cleveland to St. Louis.
SOME GOOD lines from Baker this morning:
—“To be a good base stealer you have to have larceny in your heart and want to run.”
—“The game is going to go back to speed during the post-steroids era.”
—One wish I have, as I watch our kids do baserunning drills, is that wish that I could still fly and run the bases the way I did when I was a kid.”
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TweetGonzalez goes Dutch, passes minor tests
These weren’t the Dutch Masters representing the Netherlands national team that played the Cincinnati Reds tonight in Ed Smith Stadium. I sat where the visiting writers usually sit in the press box and told folks I was Hal VanderCoy of the Amsterdam News.
Where was Sidney (Windmills of the Gods) Sheldon?
I recognized two names on the roster - pitcher Sidney Ponson and first baseman Randall Simon. You remember Simon. When he played for the Pirates he whacked one of the sausage racers with a baseball bat as he/she/it ran past the dugout. When Simon batted in the first inning, one of the fans yelled, “Hit a sausage, Simon.”
Instead, he singled - his fourth straight WBC exhibition hit. He had three hits Tuesday against the Pirates.
The crowd? They needed a few more people to qualify it for a crowd, although Sarasota folks recognize the empty seats. The Class A Sarasota Reds had the smallest attendance in organized baseball last year.
But the Hooters girls were here in their short orange pants and it was so quiet you could hear hearts pounding when the young ladies walked by.
Tlhe Netherlands - or ‘Nederlands’ as it says on their jerseys - used pitcher Rick VandeHurk and, no, he didn’t use a windmill wind-up.
But we were all here to see Alex Gonzalez play his first game of the spring - two at-bats as Designated Hitter. On his first at-bat, he flied to left on a 2-1 coiunt, so he didn’t have to run to test his left knee.
In his second at-bat he lined a 2-2 pitch into left field for a one-out hit and there he was standing on first base, ready to test his knee by ripping around the bases. Jay Bruce popped to short, so Gonzalez couldn’t run. Adam Rosales, though, grounded to deep short and the ball was booted as Gonzalez ran into second. Edwin Encarnacion grounded out, ending the inning and Gonzalez’s first night of baseball activity.
And after three innnings, the Reds and the Dutch were tied, 0-0. On Tuesday, the Pirates beat the Dutch by one run.
The Reds late constructed a 3-0 lead (Jay Bruce homered) and the Dutch made four errors, prompting broadcaster Marty Brennaman to say, “These guys can’t catch a cold.”
Gonzalez was thrilled to be able to play.
“Finally, a chance to get out there and have an at-bat, almost a year,” he said, an ice pack covering his left knee. “I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, working hard. Tomorrow is another day. I’ll DH again and maybe in another game I’ll jump out to shortstop.”
That’s the key move. Can he cover the ground at short?
“That’s what I’m looking for,” he said. “I feel 100 per cent and I want to get on the field and help my team. I feel a little tightness on the muscle, but nothing right on the knee. I feel very good. Running the bases was a little tight, but nothing bad.”
BRONSON ARROYO pitched four innings and held the Dutch to no runs, two hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
“I played against Eugene Kingsale a long time in the minors and I know Randall Simon and that was about it,” said Arroyo. “It was good because sometimes when you don’t know guys it makes you go a little harder. I don’t if these guys were A-Ballers or Triple-A guys or played in Mexico or don’t play at all. You just assume ev erybody is pretty darn good.”
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TweetBray finally ready to rumble
Made my first appearance of the spring at The Home - so named by my companion Boomer Denis. The Home is the Sarasota Kennel Club, home of championship greyhound races.
I’d like to say I won enough to buy a Porsche (which I couldn’t drive anyway), but actually I stayed for eight races and broke even. Just glad I broke even. I need the money.
IT IS CELEBRITY day at the ball park - a game tonight against the Netherlands national team for the World Baseball Classic.
Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, wearing his No. 5 Reds uniform, was on hand for the first time this spring. And The Mayor is here - former Reds first baseman Sean Casey, passing out hugs like a new father passing out cigars. Casey retired this season and is working for the MLB TV network.
“I’m really enjoying this,” said Casey. “Keeps me in touch with baseball and also keeps me in touch more with my family - the best of both worlds.”
PITCHER BILL BRAY, slowed by injury for the third straight spring, threw a two-inning simulated game today - 20 pitches, a rest period, then 20 more pitches. Pitching coach Dick Pole said all is well.
“He is such a great kid and I told him this spring, ‘Man, it is always something with you,’” said Pole. “If he can ever have an injury-free year he’ll really be something. He didn’t start the year with us last year and still appeared in 63 games. He could appear in 75 or 80 if he is healthy.
“He throws 93 miles an hour and has great stuff,” said Pole. “His slider is nasty, late-breaking and down-and-in to a righthanded hitter. He is one of those guys who can get both lefthanders and righthanders out.”
Pole said Bray looked extremely good today and that the 25-year-old lefthander should be ready to get into games within the next two days. He has been slowed this spring first by shoulder tendinitis and a tender hamstring.
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TweetOwings thinking only of t-e-a-m
If Micah Owings is sincere — and the look on his face is as sincere as a Hallmark card — then he isn’t worried about No. 5. He is only worried about No. 1.
Number five would be the fifth spot in the Cincinnati Reds pitching rotation, which is there for the grasping, and number one is himself.
Owings knew that Homer Bailey, a rival for the No. 5 spot, pitched three scoreless innings with one hit and four strikeouts Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
But he didn’t think about that, didn’t take that to the mound Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox, a 9-8 victory during which the Reds hit three homers, including a grand slam by Jonny Gomes.
Owings pitched 3 2/3 innings and when he left the mound he had given up three hits and a walk with four strikeouts, but no runs.
But he left two batters on base and his replacement, Jared Burton, promptly gave up a two-run double to Paul McAnulty — both runs placed upon Owings’ record.
“I reached a point in my career, two or threre years ago, where I don’t worry about that stuff like whether I’ll be No. 5 or whatever,” said Owings.
“”I realize I’m not competing against the guys in this clubhouse,” he added. “We’re all on the same team and in this together. Manager Dusty Baker made that clear early-on and I like that.”
So Owings says he worries on the mound about what he can worry about — making well-plotted pitches and retiring the guys wearing the colors of the other team.
And he was pleased with what he did in City of Palms Park.
“I worked the zone, pounded the bottom of it and got a feel for all my stuff,” he said.
Particularly his changeup, something he has been refining all spring and something with which he used for a couple of his four strikeouts.
“I feel good where I am right now, but I’ll keep working and not let up,” he added. “I’ve worked more and more on the changeup since I made the big leagues and I know it is going to help me down the road.”
Owings has concentrated on polishing his changeup this spring, “To keep hitters off balance and I used it a good bit today. And I am throwing it more than I have in the past.”
When Owings left, the Reds led, 4-0, thanks to a pair of two-run home runs in the fourth by Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion.
“Jay crushed his,” said Owings. “Always nice to have runs scored for you.”
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TweetOwings outing passes the test
Micah Owings was OK, until he turned things over to Jared Burton Tuesday against the Boston Red Sox.
Owings is one of the candidates for the No. 5 starting spot and pitched three scoreless innings. Then he retired two more hitters in the fourtho, but put two runners on. Manager Dusty Baker brought in Burton, who promptly gave up a two-run double and both those runs were charged to Owings.
So Owings line read: 3 2/3 innings, two runs, three hits, one walk four strikeouts. He threw 51 pitches, 32 for strikes.
It was an outing that should keep him in the running.
After four innings, the Reds led, 4-2, thanks to a two-run home run by Jay Bruce and a two-run home run by Edwin Encarnacion - the first homers of the spring for both.
Bruce’s home run came after left fielder Paul McAnulty dropped his foul fly down the left field line, giving Bruce added life.
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TweetWhat do wins in the spring mean?
Just three days ago we were in this same City of Palms Park, an hour and a half south of Sarasota, to play the Boston Red Sox. On Saturday afternoon, the Red Sox beat Northeastern University, 14-0, then beat the Cincinnati Reds, 16-5, Saturday night.
But as coach Eric Davis said, “Nobody in the U.S. cares about baseball wins in March.”
Davis was referring to the World Baseball Classic, an event everybody in the world cares about, except people in the U.S. But it is the same with spring training games. Losses mean nothing. Wins mean even less.
There was a year not long ago when Detroit had one of the best records in spring training and lost 119 games. Most managers prefer a team not win too many or lose too many - .500 is perfect.
If that’s the case, the Reds are right on pace. Going up against the Red Sox today, they are 3-3 and have alternated wins and losses - win, loss, win, loss, win, loss.
ONE SCOUT watching batting practice checked the Reds travel squad and said, “Oh, they didn’t bring my favorite player, Danny Herrera.” Huh?
Herrera is the jockey-sized (5-foot-5) lefthanded pitcher who walked into the Reds clubhouse in early June last year in Philadelphia and Ken Griffey Jr. said, “Hey, didn’t I just see you ride in the Preakness?”
Said the scout, “I saw Herrera in Louisville last year strike out eight straight hitters. He could have told them his changeup was coming and they still wouldn’t have hit it.”
WITH SEVERAL of the Reds gone to their WBC teams, the lineup is sprinkled with hopefuls and wannabes and manager Dusty Baker said, “Man, that clubhouse seems different. Joey Votto just left and I already miss him. Just doesn’t seem right without him in there.”
When Votto left, Baker wished him well but said he hoped the Canadian team would lose quickly so Votto would return.
On Tuesday, Daryle Ward played first base for Votto and Norris Hopper (remember him?) was in center in place of Willy Taveras.
In 2007, Hopper hit .329 in 121 games and had 17 bunt singles. Last year, Hopper played only 26 games due to a sore elbow that finally required season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. He hit only .200.
Baker didn’t see Hopper in 2007 and said, “I wish I could have seen more of him last year. All I have to go on are his statistics. Right now he is in a situation where he has a lot of competition and it comes down to what pieces we need and who fits.”
Since Hopper plays only the outfield, his spot is precarious. On the other hand, Ward is primarily an accomplished pinch-hitter, but has played a lot of first base in his career and plays it fairly well.
He was supposed to play left field early this week, but showed up at the clubhouse that morning perspiring when it was 40 degrees outside, “So they sent me right home. Something I ate.”
Ward didn’t know he was to play left field that day and said, “That would have been nice. As a veteran, it would be nice to show them that I can play left field, even for a guy my size (6-2, 240), I’m a veteran who has studied hitters and know them so I can position myself.”
Micah Owings starts today in his quest to win the No. 5 spot, knowing that one of his competitors, Homer Bailey, pitched three scoreless innings with one hit, no walks and four strikeouts against the Pirates.
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TweetBailey: changed man on and off the field
BRADENTON, Fla. — A person who has been around for all of Homer Bailey’s so-far below C-level career, watched an interview and said, “Who kidnapped the old Homer Bailey?”
As far as the Cincinnati Reds are concerned, if the old Bailey was kidnapped they better pay the ransom to have the kidnpappers keep him.
The new Homer Bailey is something to behold — on and off the field.
First he pitched three scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving up one hit and striking out four during a 2-1 loss.
Then he was even more dazzling in his post-appearance interview.
Instead of one-word answers delivered with a snarled lip and a surly voice from the old Bailey, the new Bailey was a smiling, cooperative bundle of personality — and he has been that way all spring.
“It has to do with the offseason I had, a really good offseason,” he said. “In the past, I wasn’t really dedicated in the offseason, didn’t prepare myself as I should have.”
Asked if he is a different pitcher from last year, or the year before, Bailey said, “When you have a year like I had last year (0-6, 7.93 ERA), you can’t not have a few things knocked inside your head. I was able to look back and think about it a lot more and realize the mistakes I made and I understand it more.
“One more year of seeing the games, watching the games and let it all sink in was good for me,” he added.
Bailey looks at it as a fresh start and said, “I have a lot more motivation, not that I didn’t have it last year. But I have some self-motivation that I’m trying to work with. So far, all is going well.”
Many Bailey defenders — probably rightfully so — say people forget that he is only 22. Bailey forgets, too.
“Yeah, I do,” he said. “A lot. Every time I wake up. I have to sit back and keep in mind I still have a lot of time ahead of me and that everything is a learning process instead of getting frustrated so much.
“I need to step back, take a deep breath and say, ‘All right, sink it in, remember it for next time.’”
Bailey also said the changing of the guard in the Reds clubhouse contributes to his change.
“The vibes I get in camp, well, we’re a lot younger and guys coming into camp for the first time aren’t afraid to step on egg shells with all the veterans around,” he said.
Bailey smiled broadly and said, “All this isn’t rocket science. But I don’t want to take an IQ test. I might fail.”
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TweetReds lose Ramirez to the WBC
Every time Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker nods off he seems to lose another player to the World Baseball Classic.
On Monday he lost another — pitcher Ramon Ramirez, added to the Venezuelan team. The Reds already have lost Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Pedro Viola to the Dominican Republic team.
It’s a problem for Ramirez. He is one of the candidates for the fifth spot in the Reds rotation.
“He realizes it’s tough because he has a chance to make our team,” said Baker. “But how often does a kid have a chance to pitch for his country? We tried to make him feel better by telling him, ‘Go pitch lights out.’ “
BAKER SAID the Reds nearly lost Jay Bruce to the U.S. team at the last moment, but they took former Reds outfielder Adam Dunn instead.
“I talked to Dunn last night and he was pumped about playing in the WBC,” said Bruce, who was unaware he was next on the list. “What? I didn’t know that. That’s really cool. You always want to play for your country, but it would be a tough decision for me.
“This is my first spring training as an established player and I don’t know if I would want to leave. I’d have to talk it over the Dusty. But I’d certainly be honored to be asked. Maybe 2012?”
WITH JOEY VOTTO gone to play for the Canadian team in the WBC, Baker begins a test to see who can play first base and who can’t.
The first candidate Monday was Jonny Gomes, an outfielder by trade, but a man looking for a job and willing to do whatever it takes.
“Now is the time to check it out with everybody, while Votto is gone,” said Baker. “He has worked out over there with Votto and (infield coach) Chris Speier.”
Gomes said it is a new adventure.
“No, I’ve never played there and we’re soon going to find out if I can,” he said. “We’re going to find out in a hurry. It’ll be a big yes or a big no. But Bake (Baker) asked if I’d try it and I said, ‘Heck, yeah. Maybe it’ll help me make the team.’ “
DARYLE WARD was supposed to get a trial in left field Sunday, but was sent home when he didn’t feel good, “Probably something he ate,” said Baker. Ward was back in camp Monday but was not on the travel squad.
REMEMBER BILL Bray? Tall. Left-handed. Pitcher. Dark hair.
For the third straight year, Bray is on his own program in spring training that holds him back.
He has not appeared in a game yet due to inflammation in his shoulder. Then, just when it appeared he was ready, he had a hamstring problem that set him back.
“He has had two bullpen sessions, including one today,” said pitching coach Dick Pole. “On Wednesday he will throw 20 pitches, sit down, throw 20 more — like a short simulated game,” he said. “Then we’ll wait a couple of days and see where he is, hopefully ready to pitch in a game.”
PITTSBURGH COACH Jim Donnelly, a close friend to Bert Blyleven, coach of the Netherlands team in the World Baseball Classic, told Blyleven, “The closest you’ve been to a windmill is on a miniature golf course. And I know you don’t have any real Dutch players who will play in wooden shoes with spikes on the bottom.”
.
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TweetA fun day at the ol’ ballpark
It was a bizarre Sunday, even not considering the eight wind-blown home runs hit by the Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees in the Reds’ 13-11 win.
On Monday, the Reds play the Pirates in Bradenton, where the pressbox always seems to be the coldest spot in the state, even when the days are hot. Walked in this morning and one Pittsburgh writer was sitting at his seat with a hood on his headed as he typed.
Before, we get into baseball later this afternoon, some personal stuff.
Just before Sunday’s game, as I sat in the pressbox, somebody told me there were a couple of guys outside the door who wanted to meet me.
When I got there, I was stunned. It was my wife Nadine’s ex-husband and his friend. He greeted me warmly with a handshake and small talk, then said, “My friend wanted to meet you. We’re down from Dayton playing golf.”
Then I posed for a picture with him and posed for a picture with his friend. Surreal. I mean, this is a guy with whom I once nearly came to blows with in a Kroger parking lot. But he has been extremely friendly the last few times we came in contact, so that’s nice. Still … it was bizarre.
Later I walked through the stands and a man stopped me and said, “Hal, I’m Mike Wilton, former tennis pro at Quail Run Racquet Club in Dayton.” All he needed to say was, “Mike Wilton,” and I would have known. After all, he was MY tennis pro, a guy who helped me with the nuances of the game.
He has been in Sarasota, teaching tennis, for nearly 20 years now. Since my eyes went bad, I miss playing tennis more than I miss driving a car.
After chatting with Wilton, I walked a little farther down the concourse and a fan presented me with a dutch apple pie. Must have weighed four pounds.
I love the closeness that fans can get to spring training activities. I love for them to come up to me to tell me they read my stuff on the blog or on the web site or in the paper. They are strangers and it is like meeting old friends.
I love it, too — although it always stuns me that somebody would ask, although I’m asked every day — to sign a baseball, a program or a photo or to be asked to pose for photos.
On this same bizarre Sunday, two couples stopped me to tell me they read my stuff every day and one couple asked me to pose with them for a photo. I put my arm around the guy’s shoulder and also an arm around his wife’s shoulders, to which he said, “Hey, that’s my wife.”
He was kidding — I think — but I told them, “Hey, I’m down here by myself for seven weeks.”
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TweetA bizarre day in a wind tunnel
It rained hard, washing out on-the-field batting practice, but the sun broke through at game time and it was 60 degrees with a brisk wind blowing out to left. A wind. Seemed like a hurricane.
The New York Yankees brought most of their thoroughbreds while the Reds countered with some standardbreds because half the regular lineup left for World Baseball Classic workouts.
But eight homers whistled out of Ed Smith Stadium, five by the Reds, two by Chris Dickerson, and the last one by catcher Craig Tatum, a grand slam in the eighth that gave the Reds a 13-11 victory.
A-Rod, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano were in the Yankees lineup even though they are WBC participants.
Tlhere was a breeze blowing out that had the flags straightenedd out, suggesting lots of home runs. And, oh did it happen.
Reds starter Aaron Harang retired the first hitter, but the next four reached base for a couple of runs. Jeter beat anl infield single, Mark Teixeira singled, A-Rod doubled for a run and Cano single for a run.
A-Rod received a mixed reception - loud boos mixed with cheers from a crowd heavily populated by Yankee fans in the Reds’ Ed Smith Stadium.
The Reds countered with three runs in the bottom of the first. Adam Rosales walked, stole second and scored on a two-out double to the left field corner by Brandon Phillips, then Dickerson drilled a two-run homer over the right field wall.
Yonder Alonso, in the lineup so his good friend A-Rod could see him play, led the second with a well-smacked double up the left-center gap.
Dickerson struck again in the third, driving a single to left field that scored Phillips (walk) from second with a run to put the Reds ahead, 4-3.
David Weathers replaced Harang for the fourth and Cano, the first batter Weathers faced, cleared the right field wall with a game-tying home run, retired a batter, then gave up another homer.
It turned into the Theatre of the Absurd.
Weathers gave up two runs, three hits and two homers in one inning. Arthur Rhodes gave up three runs and five hits in one inning. Francisco Cordero gave up three runs and four hits in one inning.
Homers? There were seven in the game: two by Chris Dickerson, one by Joey Votto, one by Laynce Nix and Tatu’s grand slam. The Yankees hit three, one by A-Rod.
In their last two games, the Reds have given up 27 runs and 39 hits while losing 16-5 to the Red Sox and beating the Yankees, 13-11.
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TweetBailey: ‘Snow, Florida in same sentence?’
It was 67 degrees when I left the condo at 8:45 this morning, but it was raining and the forecast was for a cold front to move in this afternoon and drastically reduce the temperature.
In fact, snow was predicted for the tip of northern Florida and as Homer Bailey walked into the front door of the complex he said, “I learned today that snow and Florida can be used in the same sentence.”
THE REDS were scheduled to play the New York Yankees this afternoon and manager Dusty Baker said, “Man, I’m sure they don’t want to lose this sellout crowd for the Yankees.”
Baker’s lineup included Yonder Alonso as the designated hitter and said, “I put him in there so A-Rod could see him play.” A-Rod and Alonso are close friends and work out together in the off-season in Miami.
“Excited? Yeah, hell, yeah,” said Alonso. “That’s great. I’m really pumped. I saw him the day before spring training began. We met in Tampa. We talk often on the phone.”
Not only did the Yankees bring A-Rod, they brought Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano.
BAKER IS HOPEFUL that shortstop Alex Gonzalez can at least be a designated hitter Wednesday when the Reds play the Netherlands national team from the World Baseball Classic.
“I hope he can, we’ll see,” said Baker. “He still has to pass some tests, like baserunning and cutting. He’ll never pass all the tests until he plays. We’ll try to DH him against the Netherlands and go from there.”
CENTERVILLE’S Jeff Kennard made his Reds exhibition debut Saturday night in Fort Myers against the Boston Red Sox - one inning, three runs, four hits. But he wasn’t the Lone Ranger. The Reds lost 16-5 and gave up 20 hits and seven walks.
“No command of my fastball,” said Kennard. “I had velocity, but no control. Probably didn’t matter because we could have bounced pitches up there and they would have hit them.”
Kennard and Kate Yanko, a medical student in Columbus, announced their engagement Sunday.
BAKER ON what cleanup hitter Brandon Phillips must do to get better this year:
“He needs to be more selective, especially with runners in scoring position. That comes with concentration. Sometimes it seems he has made up his mind to swing before the pitch. Then he gets that reputation and pitchers are not going to throw him his pitch.”
ALL BUT Joey Votto are gone to join their World Baseball Classic teams, but Votto remained, “Because he wanted to play,” said Baker.
Votto only has to go up the road a few miles to Dunedin, Fla., to join the Canadian team, “because his point of destination is a lot shorters. The Dominican players had to report to Lakeland, Fla. and Jerry Hairston Jr. had to join his Mexican team in Arizona.
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