By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - No one epitomized the Reds' problems last year more than Jimmy Haynes.

Haynes was coming off a career year in 2002. The Reds rewarded him with an Opening Day start.

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Photos of Spring Training

He lost the opener 10-1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Things went downhill from there.

"Everything about last season was bad," Haynes said. "It was just a tough year."

The numbers reflect that. Haynes went 15-10 with a 4.12 ERA in 2002, then 2-12 with a 6.30 ERA last year.

Haynes, a 31-year-old right-hander, was twice on the disabled list with back problems.

The thought was that if Haynes was healthy, he could get back to what he was in 2002.

That remains an "if." Haynes' back is fine, but he was weak enough in testing on his core exercises that he's being kept from throwing off the mound until his strength improves.

"We want him to do whatever he needs to to get strong enough to protect the back," pitching coach Don Gullett said. "It's better to do this early than to be messing around with it in mid-March."

Haynes is doing some throwing. How soon he returns to the mound depends.

"We have to see how fast he gets his core strength up," Gullett said. "We want to get him throwing off the mound as soon as possible."

But the Reds won't rush him.

"We're taking a conservative approach," trainer Mark Mann said. "We want him to be ready for Opening Day and be able to pitch at a high level. Your abdominal (muscles) support your back. It's crucial that they're strong."

Mann doesn't see getting Haynes ready for Opening Day as a problem.

"Not at this time," he said.

Haynes has been virtually guaranteed a spot in the starting rotation based on his contract. He'll make $2.5 million this year. The Reds do have a lot of young arms waiting for a chance, but if Haynes, Paul Wilson and Cory Lidle are healthy, they'll be in the rotation.

"If you're going to interject two, let's say inexperienced people into the rotation," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said, "you prefer to have three experienced people as the core. But sometimes things don't work out like you plan."

Haynes' troubles began early last season. He left his second start of the season on April 5 after four innings with lower back spasms.

He tried to pitch through it.

"That's tough," he said. "You can pitch on days when your arm doesn't feel great. But, then, when your arm feels decent, your back is bothering you, it's rough."

Haynes was rested eight days after the April 5 start. But he was still dealing with the back problem when he returned.

The Reds pretty much forced him to go on the disabled list after a 16-3 loss to the Cubs in Chicago.

After taking the shellacking, Haynes insisted he was OK. But after a hastily called meeting with then general manager Jim Bowden and the medical staff, it was announced that Haynes was going on the DL.

In retrospect, he realizes he should have shut it down earlier.

"It was tough to finish my pitches," he said. "You think it's all right but your body doesn't let you bend like you need to. I'd stay out there and it would get tighter."

Haynes was 0-4 with a 12.74 ERA after four starts when he went on the DL. He rehabbed until May 26. Haynes did put together an effective streak. He was 2-5 with 3.45 ERA over nine starts from June 3 to July 17.

But things came apart again. He was rocked in four straight starts. The back was again the culprit. He was placed on the DL with a bulging disc on Aug. 3, ending his season.

Haynes returned his home in LaGrange, Ga., and continued his rehab. "(The problem) gradually went away," he said.

When Haynes is fully healthy and gets his core strength where it needs to be, Gullett thinks he can return to his '02 form.

"Obviously, when someone goes from having the type of year he had (in 2002) to what he did last year, there's a physical problem," Gullett said. "It showed."

The Haynes file

Jimmy Haynes is being counted on as one of the sure things in the Reds' starting rotation this season. A look at his career:

Year	Team	G	W-L	ERA
1995	Orioles	4	2-1	2.25
1996	Orioles	26	3-6	8.29
1997	A's	13	3-6	4.42
1998	A's	33	11-9	5.09
1999	A's	30	7-12	6.34
2000	Brewers	33	12-13	5.33
2001	Brewers	31	8-17	4.85
2002	Reds	34	15-10	4.12
2003	Reds	18	2-12	6.30