By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sammy Ellis admits to not sleeping much these days.

That's due to more than just a busy travel schedule for the Reds' minor-league pitching coordinator.

"We haven't gotten off to a good start pitching-wise," said Ellis, who visited Single-A Dayton last week for the second time this season. "I don't know if there's anything in common. We're just not throwing good strikes, which is what I'd like to see."

Despite having team ERAs lower than 4.50 entering the weekend, all four Reds affiliates ranked in the middle of their leagues in pitching.

Of additional concern to Ellis is a rash of shoulder injuries that have arisen since spring training.

The Reds lost two pitchers - Chris Gruler and Luke Hudson - to similar shoulder injuries this season.

Gruler, the Reds' first-round pick last year, underwent surgery last month to repair a torn labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

Hudson, who pitched briefly for the Reds last season, also underwent surgery in April.

Both will miss the remainder of the season. Chris Booker, who underwent a similar surgery in March 2002, was sent from Single-A Dayton to extended spring training after five appearances Thursday.

"All these surgeries are just unbelievable," Ellis said. "I wish we had an answer for it. . . . It makes me concerned when you don't have an answer.

"I've thought about everything we do, investigated everything we do. I wish I had an answer."

ROSTER MOVE: Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion was moved from Double-A Chattanooga to Single-A Potomac on Wednesday.

Rated the Reds' fourth-best prospect by Baseball America, Encarnacion was batting .220 with one homer, 10 walks and 15 strikeouts for the Lookouts. He hit .282 with 17 homers and 73 RBI at Dayton last season.

IF YOU BUILD IT: Two Reds affiliates - Dayton and Louisville - ranked among the 10 attendance leaders in April.

Minor League Baseball drew a record 5.7 million fans last month.

Louisville drew 8,464 fans at Louisville Slugger Field and Dayton 8,164 fans a game at Fifth Third Field.

ODDS AND ENDS: Dayton had committed errors in 16 consecutive games from April 30-May 15. . . . After failing to get a win in his first four starts this season, Chattanooga pitcher Bobby Basham got a victory by allowing a run on five hits over 6 2/3 innings against Huntsville on May 4.