SARASOTA, Fla. Scott Williamson doesn't care about the results. “It doesn't matter if I strike out the side or give up five bombs,” he said. The important thing to Williamson is that he'll be back on the mound in a major-league game 11 months after having Tommy John ligament replacement surgery in his right elbow.

        Williamson will pitch one inning tonight against the New York Yankees at Ed Smith Stadium.

        Williamson, a 26-year-old right-hander, has astounded the Reds brass with how good he has looked in throwing sessions this spring.

        But tonight is different.

        “I'm excited, of course,” he said. “I haven't pitched in a year. It's going to be a lot of fun.”

        Williamson will be unveiling his new, smoother delivery.

        “He looks smoother than I've ever seen him,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        The timing of Williamson's injury — he had the surgery April 12 — was such that there was no need to rush him.

        “I think that really helped me,” he said. “I gave it time to heal. Some guys try to come back after nine or 10 months. I didn't rush it. I've had no setbacks. That's big.”

        REITSMA ROLLS: Chris Reitsma ran his streak of scoreless innings to eight with five scoreless frames in the Reds' 9-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers Wednesday. He gave up five hits and walked two.

        “It was one of those days where I made pitches when I had to,” he said. “I got a couple key strikeouts and the double-play ball.”

        DESSENS THROWS: Elmer Dessens threw 75 pitches to Reds outfielders in a simulated game Wednesday morning.

        “It was pretty good,” Dessens said. “Nice and relaxed. I worked on my pitches.”

        The hitters were impressed with Dessens.

        “He threw me that two-seamer,” Ken Griffey Jr. said. “That stuff is nasty.”

        Dessens has struggled this spring. His ERA is 9.00 and he has allowed 13 hits in seven innings. He pitched the simulated game because the Reds don't have enough innings for all the pitchers competing for the starting rotation.

        SPECIAL TREATMENT? If there were two sets of rules for the Reds, Griffey probably would have opted out of hitting in the simulated game.

        “Where's that special treatment?” Griffey said. “See, I don't get it. Outfielders don't get anything.”

        Griffey also started in Wednesday's game against Detroit.

        Griffey was joking as he complained, but “special treatment” was mentioned in the diatribes delivered by former teammates Pokey Reese and Dmitri Young.

        SPEAKING OF DMITRI: Young did not make the trip with the Tigers for the game Wednesday.

        Reese and Young have made it this far into the spring without playing against the Reds.

        That streak is likely to end this weekend. The Reds play Detroit at Lakeland Friday and Pittsburgh at Bradenton Saturday. Griffey and/or Larkin, the players ripped, probably will face Young or Reese in one of the games.

        THIEF-PROOF: Griffey's bats and gloves would be worth as much or more to collectors than the items Ruben Rivera allegedly stole from Derek Jeter.

        Has Griffey's locker ever been pilfered?

        “Why do you think I have a trunk?” he said. “I lost five or six gloves. The trunk stopped all that.”

        No one was ever caught for the thefts.

        NEXT STEP: John Riedling will take the next big step in his rehab Sunday when he throws breaking balls off the mound.

        Riedling, a 25-year-old right-hander, is coming off shoulder surgery in August. He's throwing fastballs at nearly full velocity and breaking balls off flat ground.

        “The fastball is getting there,” he said. “The breaking ball is good off the flat.”

        Throwing breaking balls off the mound is the final step before getting Riedling in a game.

Davis, Etherton out of Reds rotation Davis needs strength, not surgery Williamson makes return tonight Tigers 9, Reds 1 Players reject owners' proposals

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