By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Chris Reitsma's changeup is always good. But when it's as good as it was Sunday, it's time to have a little fun with it. Reitsma did that with Philadelphia Phillies slugger Pat Burrell.

"I threw him three in a row," Reitsma said. "We were messing with his head a little bit."

Burrell struck out and flew out against Reitsma in two at-bats. He swung and missed one changeup by about 3 feet.

"It was nasty," center fielder Reggie Taylor said. "He had him guessing. He had no chance."

None of the Phillies did against Reitsma in the Reds' 3-2 loss Sunday.

Reitsma had easily his best outing of the spring. He went four innings. He allowed one hit, struck out three and walked none.

"That's as good as Chris can do," said Reds manager Bob Boone.

"I needed that," Reitsma said. "My body and my arm were under control. I was aggressive. I threw strikes down in the zone."

And he had the changeup working.

"When my arm's right and I'm in synch, it's a good pitch for me," Reitsma said.

If Reitsma's change is good, Burrell couldn't hit a great one with a tennis racquet.

"When his arm action is right and his tempo is good," Boone said, "that change comes out."

Reitsma, a 25-year-old right-hander, is in the race for the fifth starting spot. If he doesn't win it, he'll likely make the club as a setup man in the bullpen.

"I'd rather start because that's what I've done my whole life," he said. "But I also think I can be a strong reliever. I don't care what they do as long as they give me a uniform with a major league emblem on it."

Reitsma was hit in his first two outings, allowing six runs in five innings.

Boone discounted that, and so did Reitsma.

"It's March 9," he said. "You've got to look at what we do over the previous six months. I feel like I can contribute. The sky's the limit for me. I lowered my ERA 1.65 from my first year to the second."

Reitsma went from 7-15 with a 5.29 ERA in 2001 to 6-12 with a 3.64 ERA last season.

Boone admits that he'd like one of the other candidates to win the fifth starter's spot so he can use Reitsma as a setup man. That's how much he likes him in that role.

Reitsma was 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA in 11 relief appearances last year.

But, for now, Reitsma remains in the race to start.

"Nothing's changed," Boone said. "That's a decision we'll make near the end of spring training."

Boone talked about as many as 12 candidates for the fifth spot early in camp. But Sunday he mentioned five: Seth Etherton, Jose Rijo, Pete Harnisch, Jimmy Anderson and Reitsma.

Reitsma has made the rotation with strong springs the last two years. Sunday's performance showed he could do that again.

"I believe in myself," he said. "I've worked hard. I'm in the best shape of my life. When I saw I was pitching against the Phillies, I was happy because they have a great lineup. It's solid top to bottom. I wanted the challenge."