Wednesday, May 08, 2002
Reds Notebook
Rotation needs fill-in for Hamilton
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds officially put right-hander Joey Hamilton on the 15-day disabled list Tuesday. It will be a few days before they decide who will take his spot in the rotation while he recovers from a strained left hamstring. Hamilton will miss at least two starts.
“They say a week to 10 days,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “But with muscle tears, we know it's only an educated guess. They really don't know.”
The Reds will err on the side of keeping Hamilton out too long.
“Given his history of arm problems,” Boone said, “you want to make sure any injury to the lower half of his body is completely healed. You don't want him to overcompensate and hurt his arm.
“We'll be very conservative.”
Because of Thursday's off day, the Reds will move Elmer Dessens, who started Tuesday, up a day to take Hamilton's start Sunday against the St.Louis Cardinals.
And when Hamilton's turn comes up next?
“I don't know,” Boone said. “It could be Jose (Acevedo). But I need him the next two days in the bullpen. I need to give (Scott) Sullivan and Gabe (White) a break.”
Acevedo began the year in the rotation. He was sent down to Triple-A Louisville April16 after giving up six runs in 1 2/3 innings.
The other alternative on the staff is Jim Brower, the long-relief man in the bullpen. Or the Reds could promote another pitcher from the minors.
The Reds promoted left-hander Lance Davis from Double-A to Triple-A Tuesday. Davis, 25, was very good in his last start for Chattanooga — five innings, two runs, three hits, one walk, four strikeouts — and he was 8-4 last year. So given that he's a left-hander, the Reds might want to get him back into the rotation.
ACEVEDO READY: Acevedo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was expecting his trip to Louisville to be a short one.
“I was not surprised,” he said about getting called up. “When they sent me down, they talked to me about making three or four starts.”
Acevedo's stuff is good enough to be successful at the major-league level. The Reds wanted him to be able to control it better.
“I worked on my command,” Acevedo said. “It's a lot better. Experience is what you need as a young guy. I feel like an old man now.”
Acevedo was 2-1 with an 8.53 ERA. That last awful outing was responsible for most of that ERA.
LARKIN BACK: Barry Larkin was back at shortstop and hitting leadoff Tuesday night after missing Monday with a tight hamstring.
“Barry would have played (Monday) if it was dry,” Boone said. “He's very in tune with his body. He's very honest with me. He doesn't want to go through what he went through last year.”
STINNETT UPDATE: Kelly Stinnett is living his version of the movie Groundhog Day.
“I feel like I've been saying, "Another week,' for three weeks,” he said.
Stinnett, the Reds' backup catcher, is on the disabled list with a sore elbow. It's the same elbow on which he had surgery Sept.2.
He threw from 75 feet Tuesday.
“It was free and easy,” he said. “We'll see how it feels (today).”
SILVA UPDATE: Jose Silva threw 50 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday at Cinergy Field. If all went well, he was going to be sent out for a rehab assignment.
The Reds changed that plan.
“We're going to have him throw here once or twice more,” Bowden said. “It wasn't a setback. He needs a little more velocity.”
Silva had elbow surgery March 21.
“It went OK,” he said. “My location was a little off.”
That was evident when he hit Ken Griffey Jr. with a pitch — just below Griffey's injured right knee.
UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers tonight (7:10). Right-hander Jose Rijo (2-1, 3.46 ERA) will face right-hander Nick Neugebauer (1-3, 4.15).
Rijo is coming off his first loss since returning to the rotation. He gave up six runs in seven innings in a 6-1 loss to San Francisco Friday. But in retrospect, Boone said he left Rijo in too long.
“He was juiced in the seventh,” Boone said.
The seventh was when Rijo gave up a three-run homer to Jeff Kent.
Reds Stories
Little attends UC awards ceremony
Logan hogs UC basketball awards
Ryle's Doellman commits to Xavier
Jones impresses Bengals veterans
Spurs 88, Lakers 85
McCallum named to college hall
Nicklaus Museum to open May 21
Seattle Slew: death of a champion
Coming up this week
Boys tennis poll & honor roll
Cincinnati high school results
• Return to Reds front page...
Reds Notebook: Rotation needs fill-in for Hamilton
