DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — It won't be long before the Cincinnati Reds will be shopping on eBay for starting pitchers. As it is, they are scanning the roster in search of able bodies.

Another bit the dust Friday when it was discovered that Bobby Livingston has a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that probably will require surgery, knocking him out for the season.

The Reds will wait 10 days before Livingston is evaluated again and general manager Wayne Krivsky said, "We told him a lot of pitchers have torn labrums and pitch with them. He'll rehab for 10 days and see what happens."

Matt Belisle has been summoned from Louisville, where he was exiled August 11 after going 1-4 with a 6.61 earned run average in his previous 12 starts.

Now they need a Sunday plug-in for Livingston and the likely suspect is left-handed bullpenner Mike Gosling, who was starting in Louisville before he was called up June 17.

Livingston, 3-3 with a 5.27 ERA in 12 starts, felt no pain when he pitched against Atlanta Tuesday, giving up seven runs (six earned) and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. And he felt no pain Thursday when he played long-toss in the outfield. But he awoke Friday with discernible pain.

"This is depressing. I don't know what to say other than it's depressing," he said. "I played catch (Thursday) and went home, felt fine, then all of a sudden I couldn't lift my arm. It felt like it was catching and wouldn't release.

"I could be easier with it if I didn't put in the work, didn't prepare my body for something like this, but I've done everything I could to keep my body in shape," he added. "I've been pitching with it, but it never affected me.

"I can't express how upset I am that I'm not going to get to pitch any more this year," Livingston said. "It's so depressing."

Said manager Pete Mackanin, "That's not what we needed."

Gonzalez to wear No. 13

Shortstop Dave Concepcion's No. 13 hasn't been worn since he retired in 1988, but it will be worn one time before it goes into official retirement.

Reds shortstop Alex Gonzalez, born in Concepcion's hometown of Cagua, Venezuela, normally wears No. 2, but said, "It would be a great honor for me if I could wear No. 13 one last time before it is retired."

The Reds checked with Major League Baseball and received permission and Gonzalez will wear '13' today.

Have slider, will travel

Relief pitcher Todd Coffey is back, hoping his slider helps him slide back into the good graces of the fans who nearly booed him out of Hamilton County before he was optioned to Louisville.

This is his third recall from Louisville and he is 2-1 with a 6.04 ERA in 48 relief appearances with the Reds.

Coffey was pleased with the progress of his slider, but more excited about the two hits he collected at Louisville, his first two hits at any professional level.

"First career hit, anywhere," he said. "First one was a base hit up the middle for a ribbie (RB). The other one, I was bunting but they charged and I pulled back the bat and swung. I hit a grounder and to leg out one, beat the pitcher to first. Then I was dead tired the next inning."

Of his slider, Coffey said, "I pitched two innings Wednesday and threw 12 sliders. When I was here before, my slider was fine in the bullpen. It was mental. In games I held it too long and pulled it across my body for a ball. Now it's good — short, sharp instead of big and looping."

Dunn gets rest

Adam Dunn, who was 0 for 5 and struck out his last three times before hitting a game-winning home run in the 12th inning Thursday against the Braves, was not in Friday's starting lineup.

"I wanted to give Dunn a rest," said Mackanin. "He is a big guy (6-6, 275) and in this heat it can take it's toll. Last year he withered a little at the end of the season. He doesn't get many rests."

And he is 0 for 10 against Florida starter Dontrelle Willis.

"Let him enjoy his walk-off home run (against Atlanta Thursday) one more day," said Mackanin.

Quotes of the day

Ryan Freel, walking with crutches for the second week of a six-week sentence, spotted a writer walking with a cane and said, "I'd give anything to have one of those."

Manager Pete Mackanin, asked about pitcher Bobby Livingston's torn shoulder labrum: "I'm not a medical guy, but that doesn't sound good to me."