Saturday, July 08, 2000
Dessens added to rotation
Villone to 'pen; Fernandez put on disabled list
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds made the changes official Friday. Scott Williamson and Elmer Dessens are in the rotation, and Ron Villone and Osvaldo Fernandez are out.
Williamson will make Villone's start on Sunday. Dessens will take Fernandez's spot after the All-Star break.
Fernandez was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sore right elbow. That's the same elbow that he had two surgeries on and spent two years rehabbing. The Reds called up right-hander Scott Winchester from Triple-A Louisville to take Fernandez's roster spot.
“We'll do an MRI,” team doctor Tim Kremchek said. “He's had a lot of pain on the inside of his elbow. I don't think it's anything super serious.”
Kremchek said Fernandez will be put on a strengthening program for his shoulder and elbow. It'll be a few weeks, not a few days.
Villone was pulled because he has been ineffective. He was 1-2 with a 10.13 ERA in his last three starts. He lasted only two-thirds of an inning in his last start.
“It worked last year,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said of the shakeup.
The Reds began playing well last year after Villone and Steve Parris replaced Steve Avery and Jason Bere in the rotation.
Williamson, last year's Rookie of the Year, was pleased with the news.
“It feels good,” he said. “I'm excited. I'm looking forward to it. I hope it goes well.”
Williamson started the season well but his ERA has nearly doubled to 3.65 over the last two months.
“When we pitch him a couple, three days in a row his shoulder gets stiff from throwing that 96, 98 mile an hour fastball,” McKeon said. “This way he'll throw, then get four days off.”
Williamson, a 24-year-old right-hander, started all 36 games he pitched in the minors.
“This is what he's comfortable with,” McKeon said. “The first time out it might not be the greatest because he hasn't done it in awhile. But he can stay in the comfort zone and throw 91, 92 miles an hour.”
Williamson pitched 3 1/3 innings his last time out, and he's worked on his endurance since.
“I ran 20 minutes today,” Williamson said. “I'm getting there.”
Dessens, a 28-year-old right-hander, made a spot start June 28. He went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He earned the victory in Thursday night's game, allowing only one earned run in 4 1/3 innings.
“He's pitching extremely well,” McKeon said.
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Dessens added to rotation
