Dessens ready to go

BASEBALL CITY, Fla. — Elmer Dessens showed his readiness for the rotation Monday by throwing six quality innings in the Reds' 3-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.

Dessens had to shut down all throwing at the start of spring training because of weakness in his right (throwing) shoulder. Before Monday, his longest outing was 2 2/3 innings. That was his last time out, when he allowed six runs (five earned) on nine hits by the Boston Red Sox.

Monday, he allowed a home run to the third batter. The rest of the way, he faced only one batter over the minimum. He struck out two, walked none and allowed only two hits.

“He screwed us up,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “We had to have him throw a simulated inning. He had like 34 pitches after four innings. But I'll take it.”

“I felt very good,” Dessens said. “Everything was working.”

Dessens, 29, was 11-5 with a 4.28 ERA last year. He was 10-5 in his 16 starts.

SULLIVAN UPDATE: The MRI on reliever Scott Sullivan's back was “unremarkable,” which means it showed nothing unusual.

“He felt the same,” Boone said. “He doesn't feel good. He doesn't feel bad.”

NO DECISION: Boone still has not named his fifth starting pitcher. The competition is between Scott Williamson and Chris Reitsma.

“We haven't had a chance to talk yet,” Boone said.

Boone will meet with general manager Jim Bowden before making the decision.

GERRY SPEAKS: The Reds and their minor leaguers will get a motivational speech from Gerry Faust, the former Moeller High School and Notre Dame football coach.

Bowden set it up, but Boone approved.

“Jim asked me about it,” Boone said. “I said, "Sure, great.' I like listening to those kind of things.”

Faust works in the development office at the University of Akron, where he also coached.

Boone hasn't given his troops a “Win one for the Gipper” talk yet.

“I don't know when I'm going to give mine,” he said.

EXTRA WORK: Ruben Rivera, Michael Tucker, Brandon Larson and pitcher Mark Wohlers stayed behind to play a minor league game.

“I want them to get four at-bats,” Boone said of the hitters.

Wohlers was going to throw an inning.

DEION HITS, RUNS: Deion Sanders hit his first triple of the spring. He lined the ball down the right-field line and reached third base standing up.

Sanders, after an 0-for-7 start, is 11-for-33 (.333). He has five stolen bases in six attempts. Sanders cannot be called up to the Reds before May 1 because he was technically a free agent when the team signed him.

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