BRADENTON, Fla. — If there is indeed open competition for the Reds' starting rotation, it should be an open-and-shut case as far as Jose Rijo is concerned.

        He should be in. Rijo threw two perfect innings, striking out two, in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates here. That pushes Rijo's streak of batters retired to 17. What is it, 1990?

        “Three more and tie my record,” Rijo said.

        Rijo, a 36-year-old medical wonder, isn't pitching like the guy who retired 20 Oakland A's in a row in the 1990 World Series, but he's getting similar results.

        Rijo's fastball touches 90 now, not 96. But he makes up for his lack of stuff with savvy, guile and location.

        “My location is the best ever,” he said. “I'm like a real estate agent: location, location, location.”

        Rijo would seem like a logical choice for the rotation given his record (92-57) and his results this spring.

        But the Reds now seem to be considering him as a reliever. He pitched only two innings Saturday, so he can try to pitch one inning on two days' rest.

        But he's still being considered for the rotation, right?

        “You'll surmise it,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        Rijo says he'll gladly pitch out of the bullpen. But he doesn't see the logic in that.

        “The bullpen was the best in baseball last year,” Rijo said. “You would think you'd want to improve the starting rotation.”

        The Reds have been preparing six pitchers as starters: Rijo, Elmer Dessens, Joey Hamilton, Jose Acevedo, Chris Reitsma and Jimmy Haynes.

        Rijo joined the mix late, but he has outpitched everyone but Hamilton and Reitsma.

        Rijo returned to the Reds last year after being out of the majors for six years and having five surgeries on his right elbow. He went 0-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 13 games. But he couldn't pitch on back-to-back days.

        He came to spring training on a minor-league contract. He says he doesn't even know what he'll be paid this year if he makes the club. And, whether it's as a starter or reliever, it looks as if he's going to make it.

        “I feel great,” he said. “It isn't supposed to be this easy.”

Junior, Pokey hug, make up Reds Q&A with John Fay Q&A with Reds catcher Jesse Levis Rijo pitching, looking like starter Pirates 3, Reds 2 Reds notebook Baseball notebook

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