SARASOTA, Fla. — The Reds' lineup of starting pitchers Thursday reflected what the competition will be like for the rotation this year.

        You had Lance Davis, followed by Brian Bohanon, followed by Luke Hudson. That's a youngster, followed by a veteran, followed by a prospect.

        The Reds profess to be open-minded on the rotation question, but youth vs. experience will become an issue at some point.

        “If everything was equal, we'd probably lean toward the younger pitcher,” Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. “But it's hard to get two guys who are equal. We're in the long-term mode, and we're going to continue in the long-term mode.”

        Thursday, it wasn't close to being equal. Davis, the rookie from last year, was awful. Bohanon, the veteran, was very good. And Hudson, the prospect, was so-so.

        No one will win or lose a job based on one outing.

        “These early outings don't count much,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “They're getting their feet wet. I'm not doing a lot of judging early.”

        But with 37 pitchers in camp and as many as 14 in the race for the rotation, results will count. Davis knows that. He knows that going 8-4 last season in 20 starts doesn't count for much.

        “I'm not feeling like I've got the team made,” he said. “I know they brought in competition. They signed the free agents — Bohanon, Joey Hamilton, (Jimmy Haynes). I can't take anything for granted.”

        Davis, the 25-year-old left-hander, lasted only 1 1/3 innings Thursday, giving up three runs on five hits. He also walked three.

        “My mechanics were all screwed up,” he said. “I was drifting. Then I'd get it together. Then I'd drift again.”

        Bohanon, a 33-year-old left-hander with a 45-60 career record, retired all six batters he faced.

        “He showed he knows how to pitch,” Boone said. “He has a number of different ways of getting people out. But when he doesn't have it, you're going to find out quick.”

        Meaning Bohanon's stuff isn't overpowering.

        Hudson, a 24-year-old right-hander who has never pitched in the big leagues, threw two innings, allowing a run on three hits. The Reds obtained him in the Pokey Reese trade with Colorado.

        “He's got a good arm,” pitching coach Don Gullett said. “I like his work ethic.”

        The youth-vs.-experience question isn't limited to Davis, Bohanon and Hudson. Hamilton, Ricardo Aramboles and Ty Howington will pitch today against the Texas Rangers. That's a veteran (Hamilton) and two prospects. Haynes, another bargain veteran free agent, is also in the mix.

        But the Reds are clearly leaning toward youth. Sixteen of 37 pitchers in camp are 25 or younger.

        “Then again, we have the veterans here for a reason,” Gullett said. “We're giving them an opportunity to show what they can do. You have to make that determination based how they're able to help the ballclub.”

        Still, with the Reds pointing toward 2003, it's hard to imagine more than one from the group of Bohanon, Haynes and Hamilton making the club. But Bowden wouldn't rule it out.

        “If they pitch well enough to make a difference, yeah, it could happen,” Bowden said. “If some kids need a little more developing in Triple-A, we'd be open to that.”

        Boone expects the decisions to be clear-cut.

        “I think it will be pretty easy to pick out five or six,” he said.

        Bohanon came to the Reds because the opportunity was there. But he realizes this team's focus is on the future.

        “You see that throughout the clubhouse,” Bohanon said. “I'm the third-oldest guy here at 33. But you've still got to have some veterans. That's who I learned from coming up.”

Reds' rotation could be fun for all ages Yankees 8, Reds 3 Reds notebook Baseball notebook

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