By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - Ryan Wagner thought about the person before the opportunity.

"That guy took me in, showed me the ropes," the Reds relief pitcher said. "They don't get any better than Chris Reitsma."

Reitsma's departure - he was traded to the Braves on Friday - means Wagner will assume a more prominent role as a setup man in the Reds bullpen.

"It won't be a situation where he's going to be force-fed into the role," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said, "but gradually given the opportunity to pitch some important and meaningful innings leading up to (closer) Danny Graves."

In 10 appearances this spring, Wagner is 2-0 with a 0.79 ERA and has allowed just five hits in 11 1/3 innings.

"I'm ready to get things going," Wagner said. "I'm ready for the season to get started."

Wagner's rise to prominence has been an accelerated one since the Reds drafted him 14th overall last year.

"He's a guy that anytime I've ever seen him given the ball he's risen to the occasion," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "So I don't see why he wouldn't be able to handle (the setup role)."

Cincinnati recalled the 21-year-old after nine minor-league appearances and looked brilliant for doing so.

Wagner did not allow a run in his first five major-league appearances and finished the season with eight scoreless outings. He was 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA in 21 2/3 innings.

CASEY UPSET: Sean Casey is about as emotional a baseball player as you'll find.

The emotion Friday was too much for him.

Casey, after hearing his best friend on the team, Reitsma, had been traded to Atlanta, asked out of the lineup for Friday's game. He left the Ed Smith Stadium complex, with permission, before the game started.

"It's been a weird day," Casey said later. "This is a part of the business I hate. Chris is probably my best friend on the team. His wife and my wife are close. Our kids are the same age. We had things planned to do this year. You get close to someone and they're gone."

Casey was mostly upset about losing a friend, but he doesn't see the baseball logic of the trade either.

"I think Chris has been one of the under-appreciated guys on the team the last three years," Casey said. "He's gone from starting to relief to closing. It was like he never fit in. But I think he's one of best pitchers in the baseball.

"Ultimately, he's going to get appreciated in Atlanta. It's a great situation for him."

TURN IT UP: The Todd Jones signing Thursday and the Reitsma trade got the attention of at least one Reds reliever.

"With (stuff) like that going on," John Riedling said, "I better turn up the intensity."

The right-hander leads all Reds pitchers with nine walks in 10 1/3 innings this spring.

"Before I just went out there to try and get work in, try to work on my pitches," said Riedling. "Now it's time to go."

GRAND SLAM: The Reds beat the Phillies on a grand slam by outfielder Wily Mo Pena in the eighth inning Friday.

In the running for a backup outfielder spot, Pena is batting .500 in his past 12 games and .324 with two homers and seven RBI in 37 at-bats.

WIND-AIDED: Pitching against the Pirates' Triple-A team, Jimmy Haynes allowed five runs on five hits, walked two and struck out nine in five innings.

He also allowed four home runs, aided by a steady 15-20 mph wind blowing out.

"They were just fly balls that got blown out," Reds bullpen coach Tom Hume said.

ANOTHER OPTION: Jesus Sanchez turned in another impressive performance Friday.

The left-hander, a non-roster invitee, started against the Phillies and tossed six scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out three.

Miley said using Sanchez, who is 1-1 with a 2.00 ERA in four starts this spring, as a reliever remains an option.

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John Fay contributed to this report.