Friday, July 19, 2002
Reds Notebook: Larson on the spot
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PITTSBURGH One reason Sean Casey and Barry Larkin were out of the starting lineup Thursday was to give them a mental break. The other was to get starts for Brandon Larson and Russell Branyan.
“I'm trying something to get the offense going,” manager Bob Boone said.
The Reds have some decisions coming up. Ken Griffey Jr. is close to being ready for activation. If the Reds want Griffey and a 12th pitcher, someone has to go.
“I'm trying to get Larson some at-bats,” Boone said. “We're going to have to make some decisions.”
Larson went 0-for-3 and is hitting .222.
SPOILED HOMECOMING: PNC Park is the toughest place for Casey to sit out of the lineup. He's a Pittsburgh guy.
“I have a lot of family and friends coming,” Casey said. “But that's the way it goes. Bob's trying to mix it up a little bit.”
Casey doesn't think the day off will help his sore shoulder much.
“I had three days off at the All-Star break and when I came back, it felt awful,” he said.
SILVA'S SPRING: Right-hander Jose Silva begins his rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Louisville today. He'll pitch an inning every other day for the next week or so.
Silva looks at it as spring training, even though he pitched 10 games at Louisville and five games for the Reds earlier this year.
But he says during those stints he was still feeling the effects of elbow surgery he had in spring training. Now, after three weeks on the disabled list, he isn't.
“It's amazing,” he said. “I've got the pop back, life on my fastball. My curve's sharp.”
The Reds want Silva to go to Louisville to get his control back.
“Facing batters is the big thing,” he said. “It could click after one or two pitches.”
That's not to say Silva is expecting to be back with the Reds quickly. He could spend as many as 30 days with Louisville, but he doesn't think it will take that long to get back to form.
“Hopefully not,” he said. “But the bullpen is doing well. If it's not broke, why fix it?”
FARM REPORT: Ryan Mottl threw a complete-game, two-hitter in Single-A Stockton's 4-1 win over San Bernardino. Mottl, a 24-year-old right-hander, is 8-6 with a 2.74 ERA. He was 15-6 with a 3.60 ERA last year at Dayton.
UP NEXT: The Reds return home for a three-game series with the New York Mets beginning at 7:05 p.m. today. That series is followed by three games against the Pirates.
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Reds Notebook: Larson on the spot
