Sunday, March 10, 2002
RF, rotation unsettled for Reds
Other questions seem easier to answer for team
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SARASOTA, Fla. — The Reds entered spring training three weeks ago with a number of major questions. Halfway through camp, most remain unanswered.
“I majored in procrastination in college,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “So I put things off. You want to wait as long as you can, so you make the right decisions.”
Final decisions probably won't be made until the last week or so of camp. But let's take a look at how the situations are shaping up:
Who will be in the rotation?
Elmer Dessens will be there, despite the rough early outings.
Joey Hamilton — the svelte Joey Hamilton — appears to be a lock at this point also. He has been the most impressive starter in camp.
Jose Acevedo is leading the pack of last year's rookies. Chris Reitsma is just behind him, and his fastball is approaching the mid-90s. Lance Davis' tight shoulder puts him on the bubble.
The Reds really like Jimmy Haynes' arm. But he allowed eight hits in three innings in his second outing.
Seth Etherton will join the race next week if he's healthy. Jose Rijo has to be considered a long shot, but never underestimate him. Rijo's fire and savvy make up for what's he lost off his fastball, and his fastball still gets into the 90s.
The Reds might consider Ty Howington, their first-round pick in 1999, if he continues to throw as well as he did Saturday. He pitched 4 2/3 innings of two-hit ball.
Who will be the right fielder?
None of four candidates — Juan Encarnacion, Ruben Mateo, Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena — has distinguished himself. Mateo has the best average of the bunch, and he was hitting .154 entering Saturday's game. If nobody gets hot, Encarnacion probably will win the job by default. Encarnacion has looked very good defensively, and he's as impressive as anyone in the batting cage. But that sounds a lot like Ruben Rivera.
To take the job from Encarnacion, someone will have to get hot soon. The opportunity for at-bats is running out. The Reds played their last split-squad doubleheader Saturday.
Pena's time probably has passed. He looked clueless against breaking balls early and appears headed for Double-A.
The plan was to play Kearns in Triple-A, so unless he really comes on, he'll be headed for Louisville.
Mateo might join him. He has looked lost defensively at times, and he has struck out in a third of his at-bats.
If Encarnacion continues to struggle at the plate — he was last in the American League last season with a .181 batting average with runners in scoring position — Brady Clark and Robin Jennings might get shots at the job.
Who will lead off?
The answer still is Todd Walker or Barry Larkin. Boone might use Walker against right-handers and Larkin against left-handers.
The decision might hinge on where Boone hits Adam Dunn. If he uses Dunn second, as he did sometimes last year, Larkin probably will lead off.
Are Ken Griffey Jr. and Larkin healthy?
That's the one question that has been answered. Both have pushed it in the last few days with no ill effects.
Griffey looked very much like the Griffey of old when he scored from second Thursday in Port Charlotte. He looked fast and was striding fearlessly.
Larkin has gone into the hole to make plays at short. He scored from second Friday on Dunn's hit and looked as fast as any 37-year-old has the right to be.
The test for both will be holding up to a 162-game season. Giving Larkin days off comes with a price, because Wilton Guerrero and Juan Castro, the two backup shortstops, are major downgrades offensively.
Will Scott Williamson, Seth Etherton and John Riedling be factors?
We should find out this week on Williamson and Etherton. They might be used in games for the first time. Riedling is behind the other two, but he hopes to be ready by Opening Day.
Williamson has been impressive in his mound sessions. He's up to 70 pitches, and his velocity is almost where it was before he had shoulder surgery. But he has not thrown a split-finger fastball. If Williamson can be close to what he was in 1999 (12-7, 2.41 ERA, 19 saves), the Reds' bullpen will be as deep and good as any in baseball.
Add a healthy Riedling to that mix, and it will be over the top.
Etherton was on schedule to join the rotation race when he strained a lat muscle. If the setback proves minor — it is, by all indications — he still could make the rotation.
Who will come out of nowhere and surprise everyone?
Ranier Olmedo. He has been spectacular at shortstop, and he has four hits in 11 at-bats. But at 20, he needs to play every day and continue to develop, so he probably won't make the team. Luis Pineda, the other player in the Dmitri Young-Encarnacion trade, has shown wicked stuff off the mound. Pineda is the guy whose age went from 23 to 27 when he went through the visa process to get into the country.
“He picked up four years of experience,” Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall cracked.
Maybe that made him a better pitcher.
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RF, rotation unsettled for Reds