Saturday, April 17, 1999
Reds deal for Wohlers
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
![[wohlers]](http://reds.enquirer.com/img/mugs/wohlers.jpg)
Mark Wohlers
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The Reds have revived the careers of several pitchers, but they regard Mark Wohlers' case as different from all the rest.
To Reds General Manager Jim Bowden, psychological factors hastened Wohlers' descent from the summit of relief aces. Bowden said he views this as a curable problem when he explained why he obtained the hard-throwing right-hander Friday from the Atlanta Braves for reliever John Hudek, who had an 0-1 record with a 27.00 ERA in two appearances.
Wohlers, who suddenly stopped throwing strikes in 1998 after 97 saves in the previous three seasons, probably will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with an “anxiety disorder” after Reds doctors examine him in Cincinnati today.
Bowden pointed out that the Braves made a similar move last
season after Wohlers posted a 10.18 ERA and 33 walks in 20ô innings. They disabled Wohlers for the season's final five weeks with an “inability to pitch.”
Bowden believes that ability still exists. In his eyes, Wohlers is not a Pete Schourek, who adjusted his pitching motion; a Jeff Brantley, who found a comfortable role, or a Jason Bere, who needed to mend physically.
“We don't consider this a reclamation project,” Bowden said. “We think his delivery is fine and his stuff is there. We believe it's mental, not physical.”
Wohlers, 29, is expected to report to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday to regain his form. The Braves designated Wohlers for assignment Monday after he made two unsuccessful appearances, walking six batters in two-thirds of an inning and posting an ERA of 27.00.
“It's just a matter of getting comfortable again,” Wohlers said. “I think a fresh start is something that will help. ... It's been tough. It's been a lot of sleepless nights, tossing and turning, wondering what's going on.”
But, he added, “If not being able to throw a strike is the worst thing that happens to me, that's not so bad.”
The Reds probably will not add another pitcher to the staff until Denny Neagle, who has recovered from his weakened shoulder, is activated in time to start Wednesday against New York.
Bowden said no timetable had been devised for summoning Wohlers to the majors.
“We just want to get him ready, whether that takes a week, two weeks, two months or three months,” Bowden said.
Wohlers saw no reason to return to the minor leagues again with the Braves.
“Both times I went to Richmond last year, it got worse,” he said. “It just wasn't working. I didn't want to make the same mistakes a third time.”
The financial obligation, which Bowden initially considered prohibitive, is minimal. The Reds are responsible for Hudek's $800,000 salary, while Atlanta will pay Wohlers' $5.2 million salary and his $800,000 buyout for the 2000 season if Cincinnati exercises it.
Besides struggling on the field, Wohlers also recently endured a divorce. Reds pitchers Neagle and Steve Avery, Wohlers' former teammates with Atlanta, believe he'll benefit from a fresh start.
“It's not like he doesn't have the ability to overcome this, because I know the kind of person he is,” Avery said.
Wohlers was thought to be close to regaining his dominance during spring training. Though he recorded a 6.52 ERA with 11 walks in 9ö innings, he had a 1.29 ERA in a seven-game stretch from March 9-29.
Right-hander Danny Graves, who shares the closer's role with Gabe White, wasn't concerned about Wohlers running him off.
“Let's say he does as well as he did a couple of years ago. That's fine. Let him be the closer,” Graves said. “I know they're still going to give me and Gabe a chance to close games, too.”
(The Associated Press contributed to this report).
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