Saturday, June 29, 2002
White downplays effects of hand infection
Reds notebook
By John Fay, jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ST. LOUIS — Gabe White put his ordeal into perfect perspective. “There are a lot of people with bigger problems than me for me to complain,” he said.
White rejoined the Reds Friday after missing a week with a mysterious infection on his left (pitching) hand. White was available to pitch Friday in the opener of the three-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
“I think I'll be all right,” he said. “I could be crazy, but I don't think being off six or seven days will be that big of a deal.”
White didn't think the sore on his hand was a big deal when he saw it before the Reds' game June 21.
“It was just a little red dot,” he said. “I started messing with it. By the end of (batting practice), it was swollen.”
White pitched a scoreless inning in the game. But because the sore was on his pitching hand, White showed it to medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek.
“Doc said, "This isn't good,' ” White said.
That scared White enough that he didn't sleep. By 4 a.m., his hand was so swollen that his knuckles no longer were visible.
“And I have pretty bony hands,” White said. “It hurt pretty bad, too. I knew something wasn't right.”
White ended up spending the night in Good Samaritan Hospital. The hand was cut open and drained. He was on intravenous antibiotics for six days.
“I was lucky,” he said. “If it had been any other place (on his body), I probably would have blown it off. I could have gotten in real trouble.”
Doctors still aren't sure what caused the infection.
“It could have been a million things — a bite, a sting,” White said.
Reds manager Bob Boone wants to use White in the series some time. Right now, the Reds will use Bruce Chen as the first left-hander out of the bullpen.
NICE SURPRISE: When Louisville manager Dave Miley called Luke Hudson into his office after a 7-1 loss to Richmond, Hudson was expecting advice on mechanics or something.
“He said, "Congratulations, you're going to the big leagues,' ” Hudson said. “I got goose bumps; my eyes started watering up. It's a moment I'll never forget.”
Hudson, a 24-year-old right-hander, replaces right-hander Jose Silva on the roster. Silva was placed on the 15-day disabled list with shoulder tendinitis.
Hudson, obtained in the Pokey Reese trade with Colorado, was 4-6 with a 4.57 ERA at Triple-A Louisville.
“He has great stuff, similar to (Luis) Pineda,” Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. “He's a pitcher with a tremendous upside. We think this will help with his development.”
Hudson will take over the role Silva and Jim Brower occupied: long relief.
“How he does will determine how we use him,” Boone said.
Hudson knows that.
“They say as hard as it is to get to the big leagues, it's harder to stay,” he said.
ON SILVA: Silva's shoulder problems probably are related to the elbow surgery he had in spring training. His velocity was in the high-80s. He has thrown in the mid-90s in the past.
“He knew (something was wrong),” Boone said.
Silva had a 5.84 ERA in six games.
NO LARKIN: Barry Larkin was out of the lineup for the second straight game Friday. The trapezius muscle in which he had a spasm Wednesday was still sore.
“I don't want him to open his stance or change anything because he can't turn his head,” Boone said. “Let's wait and get it better.”
Aaron Boone was at shortstop for the second straight game. Russell Branyan again played third.
A CHAT: Scott Sullivan spent about a half-hour in Bob Boone's office before Friday's game.
“We were just chatting,” Boone said. “I like talking to the players. You usually don't talk when they're going good.”
Sullivan isn't. He is 1-2 with a 9.00 ERA since getting hit on the pitching arm (right) May 13 on a comebacker off the bat of Richie Sexson in Milwaukee.
Boone is satisfied Sullivan is physically sound from the way Sullivan is throwing. Asking Sullivan doesn't help.
“If he wasn't (OK), he'd lie through his teeth,” Boone said.
So Boone and Sullivan spoke about the mental approach to the game.
“Fifty percent of this game is 100 percent mental,” Boone said in his best Yogi Berra impersonation.
IT'S PINEDA: As expected, Pineda will start Sunday in the series finale. Pineda pitched five shutout innings in his first big-league start Tuesday.
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White downplays effects of hand infection
