Davis

        CLEARWATER, Fla. — Lance Davis sounded a little dazed and confused. Dazed from the beating he took — six runs, seven hits, four home runs in one inning of the Reds' 10-10 tie with the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday.And confused from trying to figure out why he's suddenly so ineffective.

        The Reds will try to get an explanation by sending Davis to Cincinnati today for an MRI on his left shoulder. Davis gave up home runs to four of the first five batters he faced, got an out, then gave up back-to-back doubles and a single before getting a double play to end the inning.

        “I kind of feel like I fell out of a Dumpster,” Davis said. “I felt like I was throwing batting practice instead of pitching out there.”

        No matter what the MRI determines, Davis apparently is out of the Opening Day rotation. Even if he's healthy, he won't be ready in time.

        That leaves seven — Elmer Dessens, Joey Hamilton, Jose Acevedo, Chris Reitsma, Jimmy Haynes, Jose Rijo and Seth Etherton — competing for five spots. Etherton has yet to pitch in a game. Rijo put himself in the competition by throwing three perfect innings Tuesday.

        Davis was pitching for the first time since suffering shoulder tightness March 3.

        “In the bullpen, I was fine,” he said. “Then I came in the dugout and sat down for a minute, I tightened up a little bit. Once I got back out there in the heat, I felt good — not great.”

        Said manager Bob Boone: “He doesn't have any power behind his pitches.”

        Davis had an MRI on the shoulder in December, which showed some fraying on the labrum. It was considered normal wear and tear. The year before, an MRI showed a tear in the labrum.

        Davis went 7-2 with a 3.05 ERA at Triple-A Louisville and 8-4 with a 4.74 ERA with the Reds last year. But the way he has felt this year is totally different from the way he felt a year ago.

        “I feel like I'm struggling to throw it 60 feet, 6 inches,” he said. “I feel like I'm tired when I shouldn't be tired. I'm loose enough to throw. But I'm struggling.”

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