Saturday, May 15, 1999
REDS NOTEBOOK
Tomko may fill in for Avery
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Brett Tomko did not make his scheduled start Friday in Syracuse for Indianapolis as a precaution.
Tomko will start for the Reds on Sunday if Steve Avery cannot pitch because of the blister on his pitching hand. Avery left his last start after five innings because of the blister.
Avery will test the blister today.
“It's kind of dry right now,” he said. “I'm afraid it's going to crack. I'll find out (today). Waiting till Sunday wouldn't be fair to anyone.”
Avery played catch Friday but has not thrown off the mound since his start Tuesday.
Villone happy here
Ron Villone was happy that the promote-me-or-release-me clause in his contract resulted in his promotion to the Reds.
The Reds had to either bring Villone, a left-handed reliever, up to the majors today or allow him to go to another team as a free agent. Five teams had expressed an interest in Villone.
“I'm glad to be here,” he said. “This is the team that gave me a chance.”
Villone was 2-0 with a 1.42 ERA in 18 appearances at Triple-AAA Indianapolis.
Villone, 29, has three years' experience in the majors. He appeared in 25 games with Cleveland last year. He was 0-0 with a 6.00 ERA. He was 1-0 with 3.28 ERA in 50 games in 1997 with Milwaukee.
The Reds signed him after the Indians released him during spring training. He was able to find himself in Indy.
“I got to pitch a lot,” he said. “Sometimes that's what it takes. (Pitching coach) Grant Jackson helped me work on a few little things.”
But it was mostly just getting the work.
“If I had to say one thing, that would be it,” he said. “You get more consistent if you pitch four, five days in a row.”
The Reds have been using five men in their bullpen since John Hudek was traded away, so there should be plenty of work for Villone.
“I'm ready to go,” he said. “I can go short or long. It doesn't matter.”
Farm report
Villone said Jeff Branson and Carlos Baerga have been looking good at Indy.
“Branson is so smooth,” Villone said. “You don't see that many guys that smooth. I hope he catches on somewhere. He deserves it.”
As for Baerga, “He's really starting to hit the ball.”
Baerga's average was up to .317 entering Friday.
Parris' plea
Steve Parris walked up to Tony Gwynn in the San Diego dugout before the game and asked for two favors.
“Last year on Family Day, my son had his picture taken with you,” Parris said. “Could you send it to me?”
“Sure,” Gwynn said.
“And tomorrow, when I pitch,” Parris said, “could you hit the ball at somebody?”
“I'll do the first,” Gwynn said.
More Gwynn
Gwynn drove to Cincinnati — not from San Diego but from Indianapolis, where he lives in the offseason.
That's right. Gwynn, the San Diego native, is a Hoosier. What's the connection? There isn't one.
“I just love it there,” Gwynn said. “I'm a California guy, and I play in same town I live in. But sometimes it's nice to go somewhere where they don't know you.”
Gwynn has had the home in Indy for five years. People there pretty much leave him alone.
Plaque for Jack
The Reds will present manager Jack McKeon with a plaque Sunday commemorating his 600th win.
“I haven't seen it yet,” McKeon said. “But I heard it has two cigars on it.”
McKeon isn't counting wins.
“My kids do,” he said. “After I started and I got over .500, they said, "Dad why don't you quit now?' I don't worry about wins and losses.”
Up next
The right-handed Parris (0-0, 5.06 ERA) will start the second game of the series against San Diego left-hander Sterling Hitchcock (3-1, 4.17).
It will be Parris' first action in 12 days.
“It's been a while,” Parris said. “Twelve days seems like an eternity.”
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