Thursday, July 18, 2002
Rijo returns with more speed (93 mph)
Just off DL, he throws two no-hit innings
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PITTSBURGH — The Reds lost a game Tuesday night but they found a pitcher. Or, more correctly, they rediscovered one. Jose Rijo, in his first outing since returning from five weeks on the disabled list and shoulder rehabilitation, pitched two scoreless, no-hit innings. He walked one and struck out one.
The most impressive number: 93. That's how many miles per hour he registered on the scoreboard meter.
“I'm really excited,” said Reds manager Bob Boone.
Said Rijo: “That wasn't me. That was the young Rijo.”
Rijo, 37, had pinpoint command. He was able to throw half fastballs, half sliders.
“That's a record for this year,” Rijo said.
Before suffering weakness in his shoulder, Rijo had relied too much on the slider.
“My fastball will make the slider better,” he said.
Rijo was 0-2 with an 11.42 ERA in his last two starts before going on the DL. “What we saw tonight was a refreshed arm,” Boone said.
MORE RIJO: One of the things on Rijo's to-do list today is to talk to Ryan Dempster, the losing pitcher in Tuesday's game. Rijo thinks Dempster is pressing.
“He's trying so hard. He's trying to throw so hard,” Rijo said. “He's used to pitching in Florida (where there's no pressure). He's got to go back to that and just pitch.”
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Rijo returns with more speed (93 mph)
