Saturday, April 24, 1999

Wohlers overpowering in BP

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'Effectively wild' says McKeon

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mark Wohlers shares a laugh with pitching coach Don Gullett. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Mark Wohlers may have accelerated his return to the major leagues and the closer's role with his 46-pitch outing Friday.

        The reliever looked typically overpowering in his first encounter with hitters since joining the Reds, pitching full- speed batting practice to teammates Chris Stynes and Michael Tucker.

        “I'm getting aggressive again,” Wohlers said. “I'm attacking and throwing the ball correctly for the first time in awhile.”

        For the near future, Wohlers will throw every other day. He'll pitch his next session of live batting practice Tuesday when the Reds are in Philadelphia.

        Wohlers, who is on the disabled list with an anxiety disorder, might make a few rehabilitation appearances with Triple-A Indianapolis before Cincinnati decides to activate him.

        Or he might go directly to the Reds.

        “It's going to be tough to determine whether we send him out to rehab or activate him on the spot and let him go here,” pitching coach Don Gullett said. “I think the more of this type of situation we give him, the more comfortable he's going to be facing hitters and with what it feels like to do things right.”

        Manager Jack McKeon indicated that Wohlers, who's eli gible to be activated May 2, would receive the chance to close games shortly after joining the team.

        “We might bring him in a couple of games to get his feet on the ground (as a set-up reliever) and then put him right back in that (closer's) role,” McKeon said. “I think the sooner you get him back in that role, the more comfortable he'll be. That's where I think he can help us the most.”

        Said Wohlers: “I look for ward to facing hitters in game situations, whether it's the minor leagues, the big leagues, the over-30 league, whatever. I just want to get out there and pitch.”

        Wohlers, who was obtained by the Reds from Atlanta on April 16 for right-hander John Hudek, mixed his fastball with a split-fingered fastball and a slider Friday.

        “I was probably most consis tent with my slider, but the fastball and split-finger weren't too far behind,” he said.

        “His breaking ball was nasty as heck,” Stynes said.

        Wohlers' deliveries missed low several times; a couple flew high and outside. He also nearly beaned Stynes with a fastball.

        But he avoided the near-total lack of control that prompted Atlanta to give up on him. As McKeon said, “He was effectively wild.”

        Rarely has a pregame work out drawn so much attention. McKeon, General Manager Jim Bowden, shortstop Barry Larkin and hitting coach Denis Menke watched Wohlers behind the batting cage.

        Managing Executive John Allen and three of Bowden's assistants — Larry Barton, Brad Kullmann and Tim Naehring — stood near the Reds' dugout. Four television cameras captured the action.

        Nobody held a radar gun. As hard as Wohlers threw, none was necessary.

        At one point, Larkin and Tucker met eyes and broke into laughter, giddy over Wohlers' velocity.

        Said Gullett: “When a guy throws that hard, there's no way you're going to be able to get on a split-finger or a breaking ball, unless you guess and you happen to get the right pitch.”

       

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