By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - Aaron Harang didn't take it as an insult. He took it as motivation.

Aaron Harang threw well in two innings of work in the spring home opener. (Michael E. Keating photo)

Harang finished the 2003 season in the rotation and with a 4-3 record. That the Reds had valued him enough to have traded last year's best player, Jose Guillen, to get him, you might have thought Harang would be guaranteed a spot in the rotation this year.

Instead, he's battling a host of other young pitchers for one of two open spots.

"I haven't reached arbitration yet," he said. "So that's something I'm going to have to do every year. You have to come in and battle for a job."

Harang, the 25-year-old right-hander, showed he's ready for the fight in his first outing of the spring Friday. He went two innings, allowing a hit and striking out two in the Reds' 4-0 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the home opener at Ed Smith Stadium.

Fourth year player Dustin Moseley phones family after making his 2004 season debut. In two innings he gave up three hits, two runs and struck out one. (Michael E. Keating photo)

"He was very sharp," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "Everything was down in the zone."

Harang, Brandon Claussen and Jose Acevedo are the front-runners for the fourth and fifth spots in the rotation. Rule 5 pickup D.J. Mattox was in that group, but his arm trouble has put him behind. He still hasn't thrown off the mound.

Harang, Claussen and Acevedo have thrown as well as anyone in camp so far. Claussen's line in Thursday's game was nearly identical to Harang's in Friday's. Acevedo allowed one hit and one run in one inning Thursday.

Reds general manager Dan O'Brien has said veterans Paul Wilson, Cory Lidle and Jimmy Haynes will be in the rotation if they are healthy. If Harang, Claussen and Acevedo continue to pitch well, the Reds face a tough decision later this month.

"That's great," Miley said. "We're hoping they all throw well and make it tough on us. That's a good thing."

Harang was aware of the competition he faced, so he was prepared coming into camp.

D'Angelo Jimenez makes a throw to nab Alexis Rios at first base. (Michael E. Keating photo)

"I started throwing off the mound two weeks before camp started," he said. "I was ready to pitch in games when I got here."

Harang started his preparation for the season before October was a week old. He hired a personal trainer and lost about 15 pounds and dropped his body fat by 10 percent. Harang still carries 240 pounds on his 6-foot-7 frame, but he looks much slimmer than last year.

The Reds obtained Harang in the Guillen deal with Oakland. He was 4-3 with a 5.28 ERA after the trade.

Harang doesn't know if being in better shape has added anything to his fastball.

But the offseason work should keep him healthy. He missed a start last season because of a lower back strain and wasn't as effective after he returned.

"The work I did on my core muscles in the offseason and work we've done down here should keep me strong," Harang said.

Harang followed the Reds' pitching plan to perfection Friday: He threw strikes and challenged hitters.

"That was what (general manager) Dan O'Brien, Dave Miley and (pitching coach) Don Gullett talked about when we first got down here," he said. "They want us to work faster and try to pitch to contact. That's what I tried to do. And keep the ball down."