Friday, March 23, 2001
Larkin making progress
Reds Notebook
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SARASOTA, Fla. — Barry Larkin picked up his baseball activities Thursday. He'll probably return to the lineup Sunday. That puts him on track to be ready for Opening Day.
“They let me do a little more (Thursday),” Larkin said. “I took grounders and moved around quite a bit. It felt good — no strain at all.”
Larkin has been limited to four exhibition games because of a strained right groin.
“I'm not 100 percent,” Larkin said. “But I'm on target. We'll see how it goes and how it feels.”
“We'll go at his pace,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “We'll see how he responds to being on the field, hitting.”
Boone would like to see Larkin 100 percent by Wednesday.
“He has to get game-ready,” Boone said.
MORRIS RETIRING? General manager Jim Bowden said on WLW-AM (700) Thursday that Hal Morris has decided to end his comeback attempt with the Reds and retire. Bowden could not be reached for comment afterward.
Morris was in his third stint with the Reds. They brought him out of retirement March 7 to add to their bench as a left-handed pinch-hitter. He had three hits in 17 at-bats this spring.
CUTS: The Reds reduced the roster to 31 by reassigning pitcher Jared Fernandez and catcher Tim Spehr and sending outfielder Wily Mo Pena to Single-A Dayton.
Fernandez was the only one of the three with a shot to make the big-league club. Pena is the prospect obtained in the Drew Henson deal Wednesday. Spehr had only four at-bats this spring before Thursday.
NEW ARM: Seth Ether ton was back in camp and very upbeat Thursday after shoulder surgery Tuesday.
“I'm excited,” he said. “The next time I go out and pitch, I'm going to have a brand new arm.”
Etherton, the 24-year-old right-hander obtained from the Anaheim Angels, is resigned to the fact that the next time he pitches will be next season.
But his rehab time will be four to six months, so there's an outside shot he could pitch late this season.
“There's always a chance,” he said. “But I'm not planning on it. I'm just going to work my hardest. I'm not worried. I'm not upset.”
Etherton began rehab Wednesday — just light range-of-motion exercises.
“It's amazing what they can do,” he said. “I've got pictures and a video of the operation. It blows my mind.” BELL'S SWELL: Starting pitcher Rob Bell's performance Thursday — five innings, one earned run — impressed Boone.
“That's the best he's thrown this spring,” Boone said. “He really loosened up. His curveball had good snap on it.”
Bell entered Thursday with a 5.91 ERA in three starts.
“I think he was feeling strong and pressing,” Boone said.
Pitching coach Don Gullett worked with Bell on relaxing.
“We talked about not forcing it,” Bell said. “The quicker I figure out just to let my arm do it, the better off I am.”
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Larkin making progress
