Wednesday, April 28, 1999

REDS NOTEBOOK

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Wohlers erratic, so return delayed

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        PHILADELPHIA — Mark Wohlers' erratic performance in a “live” (full-speed) batting-practice session Tuesday left the Reds doubting that he'll be ready to join the staff May 3, the earliest date they had hoped he could be activated from the disabled list.

        “Realistically, we need to think a little farther down the road in May, to get him every opportunity to feel totally good about himself,” pitching coach Don Gullett said. “If a pressing situation came up where we had to have a pitcher right away, then (early May) wouldn't be out of the question. But I don't foresee that.”

        Instead of sending Wohlers on a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, as they had planned, the Reds will have him pitch a simulated game Thursday, complete with ball-and-strike calls and baserunners.

        Wohlers declined to discuss the 52 pitches he threw to Chris Stynes, Mark Sweeney and Dmitri Young on Tuesday. “I didn't do (anything) today,” he said.

        Gullett was more charitable, though direct.

        “It was the most inconsistent day he's had,” Gullett said. “But he still wasn't totally all over the place.”

        Gullett said the right-hander threw two or three pitches that would have been beyond a catcher's reach. “It wasn't flagrantly bad,” Gullett said. “Out of 52 pitches, that's not bad.”

        Asked if Wohlers battled with his control, Young said: “Maybe just a hair ... From time to time, he struggled with his fastball. His velocity was there.”

        As was the case Friday, when Wohlers excited the Reds' braintrust with his first live batting-practice stint, he threw his slider more effectively than his fastball.

        “I think he's just trying to do too much with the fastball right now,” Gullett said. “We're talking about smoothening his rhythm and delivery. Right at the end, he has a tendency to try to rush the fastball and do too much with it. I told him to (consider) throwing about three-quarters speed and think about smoothness all the way through the delivery. He threw some quality pitches after that.”

Third at third
        Manager Jack McKeon used his third different starting third baseman in as many games, inserting Hamilton's Mark Lewis into the No.7 slot in the batting order.

        McKeon said Lewis, Philadelphia's every-day second baseman last year, hit well against Phillies starter Curt Schilling in the spring. Lewis was 3-for-3 off Schilling in a March 26 exhibition.

        Michael Tucker started his second game in a row in right field, replacing the slumping Young. Tucker entered the game with three hits — all home runs — in 10 career at-bats against Schilling.

        “Hey, give the guy (Tucker) a chance,” McKeon said. “We won a couple of games with Tuck in there; let's see if he can do it again.”

        Young, whose work in extra batting practice prompted McKeon's praise, shrugged off being benched.

        “There are times when people struggle and people make it out to be more than it actually is,” Young said. “Me personally, I'm fine.”

Etc.
        Left-hander Steve Avery, who will start Friday's opener of a three-game series at Atlanta, is the first Red to begin a season with four outings of seven innings or longer since Tom Browning opened 1991 with six seven-inning efforts in a row.

        • Disabled reliever Stan Belinda, who twice was scratched from an injury rehabilitation outing at Triple-A Indianapolis late last week, has remained with the team and is continuing to strengthen the area in his upper back and shoulder. Gullett said he'll give Belinda “a few extra days to (physically) calm down” before they agree on a throwing schedule.

Up next
        Inconsistent right-hander Brett Tomko (0-1, 6.35 ERA) will face Philadelphia's Chad Ogea (2-1, 3.04), the former Cleveland Indian.

        Tomko walked five New York Mets last Thursday. Three of them scored, making the difference in the Reds' 4-1 loss. Ogea has worked seven innings in his past two games, allowing only one run, eight hits and three walks in that span.

       

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