LAKELAND, Fla. — Jimmy Haynes' attitude is: Competition? What competition?

        Haynes, one of six pitchers vying for the Reds' starting rotation, chooses to race with blinders on.

        “I don't even follow that,” Haynes said. “When it's my turn, I go out there and get the ball. In spring training, you're still trying to fine-tune things.”

        Haynes made his first start and fourth outing of the spring Friday in the Reds' 4-2 loss to Detroit here. Haynes went four innings for the first time. He allowed three runs on four hits. He walked one and struck out one.

        “I felt good,” he said. “I could have gone a few more innings. My location was a little off, but I got my work in. A few pitches here and there cost a couple of runs.”

        Injuries and ineffectiveness have reduced the race for the rotation from 12 a little more than a week ago to six: Elmer Dessens, Joey Hamilton, Chris Reitsma, Jose Acevedo, Jose Rijo and Haynes.

        Dessens has been considered a lock based on what he has done the last two years. Hamilton, Reitsma, Acevedo and Dessens were all coming off scoreless outings. (Acevedo did take an eight-run beating in an intrasquad game Friday).

        So if Dessens is truly a lock and the others are competing based on results, Haynes is fifth in a five-man field. Friday's outing left him 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA. He has allowed 18 hits in 12 innings. Friday was the third straight outing in which he has allowed at least three runs.

        “You can't go out and worry about things like that,” Haynes said. “You've got to go out and try to get ready for the season.”

        With Opening Day two weeks from Monday, time is rapidly running out.

        “In the next week or so, we have to decide on the five and get them ready,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        Boone said Haynes is still in the race.

        “What I liked tonight, he wasn't very good, but he still wasn't bad,” Boone said.

        Haynes, a 29-year-old right-hander, was 8-17 with a 4.85 ERA for the Milwaukee Brewers last season.

Haynes going about business 'Rotation Wars' continue Tigers 4, Reds 2 Reds notebook Baseball notebook

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