The Big Honkin' Spring Training Thread

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The Reds are off and running............................ :clap2:

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/images/2004/02/17/vmUWo9cq.jpg
Pitchers Ryan Wagner (left) and Brandon Claussen work out Tuesday in Sarasota. (Al Behrman/AP)

by Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040217&content_id=637948&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp)

Pitchers, catchers report to camp

SARASOTA, Fla. -- There were handshakes, high-fives and hugs aplenty when Reds pitchers and catchers reported to the City of Sarasota Sports Complex on Tuesday morning.

A good majority of the group has been in Florida since last week, but they were unanimously happy to have camp officially begin.

"Once Spring Training gets going, it's always the best time of the year," right-hander Todd Van Poppel said. "It's one of the most exciting and fun times because it's more relaxed and you're around and closer to the fans. Once you get going and get into a rhythm, it's always been a lot of fun for me."

"It's always exciting to start the baseball season," said Cory Lidle, the club’s most noteable offseason acquisition. "One thing I'm used to is seeing new faces, so it's fun to meet a bunch of new guys. You get anxious the closer it gets because you want to meet everyone and get the ball rolling."

As veteran pitchers, Van Poppel and Lidle have a good idea about what to expect in the coming weeks.

Ryan Wagner, the Reds' first-round pick (14th overall) last year, might need a little time to get acclimated.

The hard-throwing righty was the first Cincinnati prospect to make it to the Majors in the same year he was drafted, but even his Major League experience hasn't lessened the thrill of his first spring session.

"I don't think you can help but be excited with all these great ballplayers around you," he said. "You think about the schedule we play, with the Yankees and everyone like that, and I'm just really excited to get started."

Wagner has good reason to be excited, but not just because he has a chance of being a key cog in the Cincinnati bullpen this year.

He's just not used to spending so much time away from the field.

"It was definitely a whirlwind coming from college baseball to the minors to the big leagues," he said. "I've been working out pretty hard since about December, so it's been about a month and a half. Everything feels good and in good shape.

"With the college season, there's fall ball and all that, so it's a little bit different. A lot of guys play summer ball and fall ball, so it can pretty much be year-round. This year I got a little break, so I feel stronger than I have in a long time."

So does one of Cincinnati's other prized young pitchers -- Brandon Claussen.

Now fully recovered from Tommy John surgery, which has limited the left-hander to 19 starts since June, 2002, Claussen couldn't be happier about heading into his first Spring Training with the Reds.

"I'm really excited, man," he said. "I feel like I've got a really good opportunity. I had a short year last year, so hopefully I can be healthy all year this year."

It didn't take long for one of the Reds position players to echo Claussen's sentiment.

The early position player arrivals included Adam Dunn, Reggie Taylor, Austin Kearns, Brandon Larson and Felipe Lopez. All suffered various injuries last season and were granted permission to join camp prior to their scheduled Feb. 23 reporting date.

"It kills me when people talk about our pitching," Kearns said. "That's not the problem. The problem is the health factor. Every year guys have been hurt and I think, if you see everybody stay healthy and play up to their ability, we can be a very competitive team."

To make sure the group in attendance at least starts out healthy, pitchers and catchers will undergo physicals on Wednesday with the first workout scheduled for Thursday morning.

The Reds will begin Spring Training with a total of 57 players. The spring roster consists of 29 pitchers, six catchers, 13 infielders, nine outfielders and 18 non-roster invitees. It is Cincinnati's lowest total since beginning the 1999 camp with 54 players. The Reds' invited 64 players to camp in 2003, 70 in 2002, 58 in 2001 and 72 in 2000.

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BORN: 18 Dec 1977, Santo Domingo, DR
HT/WT: 6-00, 185
2-0, 2.67 in 4 starts in 2003 before injury
12-7, 3.20 in 23 starts at Triple-A Louisville in 2002
Signed by Reds as amateur free agent in 1996; Juan Marichal is a cousin







Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040222&content_id=640044&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Acevedo out to prove himself again
Young pitcher trying to come back from ankle injury

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Proving yourself as a pitcher in the big leagues is never easy.

It's even tougher to do it twice.

Plenty of hurlers work their way through the minors in dominant fashion only to get called up, knocked around and sent down for some more seasoning. For Reds right-hander Jose Acevedo's first five years in professional baseball, that was pretty much the case.

In four-plus minor league seasons at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, Acevedo never had a losing season or an ERA above 3.92.

His first stint in The Show quickly changed that.

When he was called up by the Reds midway through the 2001 season, he made 18 starts and finished with a 5-7 record and a 5.44 ERA. He managed to break camp with the Reds again in 2002, but a 7.23 ERA in six appearances earned him a ticket back to Louisville.

"A couple of years ago, I felt a lot of frustration and a lot of pressure," he said.

In 2003, Acevedo finally had big-league hitters feeling the same way.

Following a successful start to the season at Triple-A Louisville, Acevedo earned another big-league opportunity in July. And this time it looked like he would be sticking around.

He made his season debut with a scoreless inning against the Astros on July 19. Two days later, in his first Major League start of the season, he held the Brewers to a pair of hits over seven scoreless innings while striking out six to pick up his first win of the season.

He followed it up with a complete-game, five-hit, 10-strikeout victory over the Mets in New York and a no-decision, in which he allowed four runs over seven frames, in a Reds win over Colorado.

Things were rolling along nicely for the Reds right-hander -- until his ankle rolled over.

After tossing three innings of one-run ball against L.A. on Aug. 6, Acevedo's season came to an abrupt end when he sprained his left ankle while stepping back into the dugout at Dodger Stadium.

"It was so disappointing because it was supposed to be one of my best years," Acevedo said. "I was getting experience and everything was going well when the injury happened, but I'm ready to go this year."

Or at least he will be.

"(Pitching off) the mound is no problem," said head trainer Mark Mann. "He in the mainstream with all the other pitchers. It's just a matter of working on his defensive coverage and coming off the mound. He's not 100 percent yet, but he's close."

Although Acevedo's been going drill for drill with all the other pitchers in camp, the Reds staff is keeping a close eye on the hard-throwing 26 year old.

"He's not so much held back, but he's been talked to by the medical staff and I'm aware of it," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "He's not necessarily limited, but a lot of times with injuries it can be more mental than physical. We realize as we go through drills if it looks like he's not going 100 percent, he's not dogging it or anything.

"Talking with Mark (Mann) this morning, it seems that he's coming along very nicely."

Which is something Acevedo seems to be earning a reputation for around the Reds' clubhouse.

"Jose's a guy you can say grew up a lot in a short period of time last year," Reds pitching coach Don Gullett said. "He went down and he worked hard to get the opportunity to come back and was throwing the ball really well for us before the unfortunate accident out in L.A.

"I think the thing that makes him effective is that he does throw better than the average fastball -- anywhere from 90 to 94 mph -- and his breaking ball has gotten more consistent. He was able to stay away from making pitches in the middle of the hitting area. I think he learned a little bit about himself and hopefully, what he did up here, he can reflect back on and pick up where he left off."

There's nothing Acevedo would like better.

He'll knows that he'll be in a dogfight with some pretty talented pitchers to prove himself worthy of a spot in the Reds' rotation once again this spring. His advantage might be that he's done it before and this time he knows exactly what it'll take to do it again.

"Now I think I have the experience I need and I don't feel any pressure at all," Acevedo said. "(I need to be) very consistent with all my pitches. I just try to go out there and get my outs and do my job right."

But first, there's the small matter of getting that job -- again.

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I sure hope Miley does a better job in the regular season setting his lineups since he's got 2 left fielders and no first sacker on his "Grey Team"



Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040229&content_id=643052&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Miley sets projected lineup

SARASOTA, Fla. -- After two weeks of drills and practices, Reds manager Dave Miley is finally getting ready to play some baseball.

Miley's marker was getting a workout in his office on Sunday as he set a projected lineup for the first of the Reds' annual intrasquad games at Ed Smith Stadium. The games will take place Tuesday and Wednesday and the public is invited to attend free of admission.

"You're probably not going to see any hit and runs," Miley said. "We might steal a base if it's there, but other than that, it's just a matter of going out and letting them play. Right now, I've split 'em up. It's not the Opening Day lineup or anything."

The only position player not scheduled to participate in the first game will be infielder Felipe Lopez, who is coming off season-ending surgery to repair a dislocated left ankle. He suffered the injury on July 24 while sliding into home plate as a member of the Reds' Triple-A Louisville affiliate.

"It's probably the worst injury I've been associated with," said Miley, who was still managing the Bats when Lopez sustained the injury. "To me, it's a minor miracle that he's out there doing what he's doing. The surgeon and the medical people did a nice job on the guy.

"The way the injury occurred [was] more or less of a sliding-type of situation. The only thing we want to make sure of is sliding. He slid yesterday and in the next two or three days, he's going to slide some more. It doesn't hurt. It doesn't bother him. I think it's just more mental than anything. I would say once he passes that test, he'll be ready to go. We want to make sure that he's comfortable."

Miley also plans to be careful with a pair of his outfielders, who are coming off injuries.

"[Austin] Kearns will DH," Miley said. "His throwing program is going well, but we just want to get him a couple of at-bats. For the first few weeks of the spring, we'll DH him when we can and when we can't, well get him some ABs off the bench.

"As for [Ken Griffey] Junior, I figured I'd DH him and let the other guys play center field."

Here are Miley's projected lineups:

White Team
1. D'Angelo Jimenez -- 2B
2. Barry Larkin -- SS
3. Ken Griffey Jr. -- DH
4. Sean Casey -- 1B
5. Jason LaRue -- C
6. Ryan Freel -- CF
7. Reggie Taylor -- RF
8. Brandon Larson -- 3B
9. Stephen Smitherman -- LF

Grey Team
1. Juan Castro -- 2B
2. Ray Olmedo -- SS
3. Austin Kearns -- DH
4. Adam Dunn -- LF
5. Jacob Cruz -- RF
6. Corky Miller -- C
7. Wily Mo Pena -- CF
8. Edwin Encarnacion -- 3B
9. Jermaine Clark -- LF


Signings: The Reds announced this afternoon that they have come to terms with catcher Miller, infielder Olmedo, left-hander Phil Norton and right-handers Joe Valentine and Ryan Wagner for the 2004 season.

The club has yet to sign right-hander Jose Acevedo, left-hander Brandon Claussen, Freel, Larson, Lopez, Dunn, Kearns and Smitherman.

Did you know? Three Reds players have homered in five consecutive games. Ted Kluszewski was the first in 1954. Johnny Bench tied him in 1972, and Griffey Jr. was the last in 2003.

Quotable: "Absolutely not. I don't change anything up. I do what's always worked for me. Spend a lot of time with the family, work out a little bit and do a lot of hunting." -- LaRue on if he did anything different to get ready for the season

Baseball clinic: The Reds held their annual baseball clinic, sponsored by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Sarasota Sports Committee, at Ed Smith Stadium from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Guest instructors included coaches Donnie Scott and Rodney McCray along with players Freel, Miller, Ryan Wagner, Taylor, Chris Reitsma, Castro, Larson and LaRue.

An estimated 120 fans showed up to the clinic, and a special guest was spotted. ESPN college basketball announcer Dick Vitale was there with his grandchildren.

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Could the Reds have come up with a cheesier throw-in prize for a grand prize winner than four programs?!
:laughing



Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040228&content_id=642645&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Larson more focused in '04
Third baseman arrived at camp early to rehab

SARASOTA, Fla. -- If you believe in the teachings of baseball's best-known stat man and Red Sox advisor Bill James, then you have to believe that Brandon Larson is going to be one heck of a hitter.

According to The Bill James Baseball Abstract 1988, "Minor league batting statistics will predict Major League batting performance with essentially the same reliability as previous Major League statistics."

In layman's terms, a good minor league hitter will be a good Major League hitter. And Larson was far better than good in the minors, especially at the Triple-A level.

In 2002, Larson hit .340 with 25 home runs and 69 RBIs in 80 games for the Triple-A Bats, compared to .275 with four homers and 13 RBIs over 23 games with the Reds. In 2003, he started the season with the Reds, but was sent down after hitting just .083 (4-for-48) over 15 games.

Upon returning to Louisville, he hit .324 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs, only to receive another promotion, then another demotion before a late-season callup.

"Obviously, everybody wants to go out and do the best they can, play the best they can," Larson said. "I know last year, the way I started out, wasn't me."

This year Larson, who will once again be Cincinnati's third baseman on Opening Day, is more focused on being himself.
"I was anxious to go out and prove that I can do it at this level," he reflected. "I've had success before and I know what it feels like. So with all the new guys and the new environment, it should be pretty exciting."

So far it has.

Larson received permission from the league to arrive at camp early after having season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder in September. The rehab process has been going smooth overall, but it's been nothing compared to Larson's easy adjustment to fitting in around the clubhouse.

"It's been going pretty good," he said. "It's been basically about getting to know everybody right now. We've got a brand new coaching staff and all the guys have been awesome in my opinion. I've learned so much from these guys in the last few days that it's really incredible."

While learning a lot from his teammates, Larson has also been getting daily guidance from both infield instructor/first base coach Randy Whisler and hitting coach Chris Chambliss.

"I've worked with Whisler and he showed me something I've been doing wrong with my feet probably since I started playing in the minors and it made all the difference in the world," Larson said. "Working with Chambliss, I heard all kinds of great things about him before I even met him, but working with him has been a real treat because he's really hands-on and a professional guy. The entire staff is full of pretty great guys."

And they know it'll be their job to turn Larson into a great big-league third baseman.

Main field: The Reds spent the majority of their workout at Ed Smith Stadium for the third day in a row on Saturday. The team was able to take infield and do some pitching on the other fields, but the outfields remained soggy.

"With the split workouts, it's designed to do most everything on one field," manager Dave Miley said. "That way with the live batting practice, we get to see all the pitchers."

Did you know? The Reds have led the National League in fielding percentage 26 times. The last Cincinnati club to hold that honor was the 1995 team, which finished with a .986 fielding mark.

Quotable: "We were terrible last year, defensively. If we make plays, turn double plays and don't give the opponent extra outs, we'll be OK. As a pitcher, that's got to be tough. You get three outs, but we're giving teams four or five an inning. You can't do that in the big leagues. If you do, you're going to pay eventually." -- First baseman Sean Casey

Intrasquad games: The Reds will hold their annual pair of intrasquad games at Ed Smith Stadium on Tuesday and Wednesday. The games are scheduled to begin at noon with gates opening at 11 a.m. ET. The public is invited to attend free of admission.

Web hosting: The Reds are currently hosting a V.I.P. Sweepstakes where one lucky fan will win the grand prize of:

* Four club seat tickets for the grand prize winner and three guests to the Reds' April 5, 2004, home opener against the Chicago Cubs

* Four authentic Cincinnati Reds team jackets

* Four authentic Cincinnati Reds caps

* Four official Game Day programs

Second prize is a framed edition of the "Pitches" photograph (estimated retail value of $250), while third prize is an authentic Cincinnati Reds home jersey. The third-prize winner will be able to choose their jersey from among: Barry Larkin, Casey, Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns and Danny Graves.

Coaching Kids: The Reds will hold their annual baseball clinic, sponsored by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Sarasota Sports Committee from 1 to 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. The clinic is free and open to the public and instructors will include coaches Donnie Scott and Rodney McCray along with players Ryan Freel, Corky Miller, Ryan Wagner, Reggie Taylor, Chris Reitsma, Juan Castro, Larson and Jason LaRue.

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Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040303&content_id=644424&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Healthy LaRue focused on winning
Reds catcher primed for a strong 2004 campaign


SARASOTA, Fla. -- With good reason, the entire Cincinnati organization was glad to put the 2003 season to rest.

Reds catcher Jason LaRue is no different.

LaRue and first baseman Sean Casey were the only two position players from the Opening Day lineup still working in September.

"It's tough when there are only two guys from the starting eight guys that are out there, but it's baseball," LaRue said. "Any time you play a professional sport or any kind of sport, you're always setting yourself up as a risk for injuries and unfortunately we had a lot last year. Hopefully this year we can keep everybody healthy."

For LaRue, that hope didn't alter his offseason workout.

"I don't change anything up," he said. "I do what's always worked for me -- spend a lot of time with the family, work out a little bit and do a lot of hunting."

As Cincinnati's main man behind the plate, LaRue will play a big part in the Reds hunt for a pair of starters this spring.

Paul Wilson, Cory Lidle and Jimmy Haynes are already locked into the starting rotation and with a long line of arms competing for the final two spots, LaRue's opinion could help figure in the final decision.

"Right now, I think it's still too early to say who's been the most impressive because I still haven't caught everybody here," he explained.

Fair enough.

The Grapefruit League hasn't even started yet and the Reds have more than enough time to come to a decision. Once those roles are defined, though, LaRue knows exactly what needs to be done behind the plate and on the mound.

"As a staff we've just got to execute our pitches," he said. "Go out, keep the ball down and change speeds throughout a game. If you do that, it doesn't matter who you are. You're going to set yourself up for a win. For us, we've just got to do all the little things right."

Reds manager Dave Miley and the rest of the Cincinnati coaching staff have every confidence that LaRue will make that happen behind the plate, but they also believe he's due for a big year with the bat.

"Defensively, as far as calling a game and working a game and everything that goes on behind the plate, he's done a tremendous job," Miley said. "He had 16 home runs last year and you could see the progress. I firmly believe that he's one click away from having a bust-out year.

"That's what I see from him and (hitting coach Chris) Chambliss working together. I look for him to be just as good defensively, and without putting any pressure on him, I look for even more at the plate. I just feel that he's really close to taking off."

In addition to his career-high homer total, LaRue established career bests with 359 at-bats, 52 runs scored and 23 doubles despite battling through a bruised right shoulder, bruised left shoulder, bruised left heel and recurring back spasms.

Those nagging injuries no doubt factored into him ending the season with a less-than-spectacular .230 batting average. Of course, the Reds and LaRue would both like to see that number climb a little in 2004, but they understand that there are numerous ways for LaRue to help them win which can't be measured by box scores.

"Obviously average-wise, I would think that he definitely would want to hit more for average," Miley said. "But he also knows that he can help our ballclub on the defensive side by throwing a guy out or making a play at the plate."

Which is exactly what LaRue has in mind.

"As an overall team, we have to do the little things right like moving guys over, hitting and running, stealing some bases and taking the extra base on an error or a bobbled ball," he said. "For us, we just have to play together as a complete team and let our pitching staff do what they're going to do and just be ourselves. Hopefully, we can set ourselves up for a lot of wins this year."

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Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040303&content_id=644478&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Notes: Sticking to the fundamentals
Manager Miley pleased with his team's scrimmages

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The drills appear to be paying off.

In their final warmup before the start of the 2004 Grapefruit League season, Reds manager Dave Miley was ecstatic about the way his team stuck to the fundamentals in the second of their annual intrasquad scrimmages.

"I think the two words for today are situational hitting," he said. "I think we've done a fine job with it right from the get-go. That's the thing that stood out for me."

The first example came courtesy of Reds captain Barry Larkin. Batting second in the order for the White team, Larkin came to the plate in the first inning after a leadoff double by William Bergolla and moved the runner to third with a perfect sacrifice bunt.

"It's been stressed from Day 1 and Larkin set the tone by getting the guy over. (Ken Griffey) Jr. walked and (Sean) Casey got the run in," Miley said. "That's what we've got to do."

Larkin dropped down another sacrifice bunt in the third, but it wasn't just the veterans who are getting Miley's message.

Ray Olmedo reached base on a bunt single and moved a pair of runners up with a nifty sacrifice in the fourth, while Adam Dunn drove in a couple of runs with a sacrifice fly and a groundout to the right side.

"It's good to see that they're using what we've been telling them," Miley said. "Olmedo did that bunt with guys at first and second on his own. Reggie (Taylor) showed bunt a couple times, too. It's set into them and its good to see them doing that stuff without really being told."

Grapefruit anyone? The Reds will kick off the 2004 Grapefruit League session Thursday afternoon with a contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Fla. Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen, Danny Graves, John Riedling and Mike Matthews are scheduled to pitch for the Reds. The Pirates are planning to send Kris Benson, Josh Fogg and Joe Beimel to the hill.

Remembering Marge: The Reds had a moment of silence and kept the flags at half-mast during their intrasquad game Wednesday in memory of minority owner Marge Schott, who passed away Tuesday.

The funeral arrangements for Mrs. Schott will take place Saturday, March 6 at All Saints Church, located at 8939 Montgomery Rd. in Cincinnati. Visiting hours are from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. ET with a mass scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

The Reds are asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to:

Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation
C/O Schottco Corp.
531 Murray Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45217

The Reds are also planning a tribute to her during their Opening Day game with the Cubs on March 5 at Great American Ball Park.

Tough start: Reds right-hander Ryan Wagner had a tough time on the mound Wednesday. The young hurler, who was the Reds' first-round pick (14th overall) last season, allowed one run, walked three and threw three wild pitches in his lone inning of work.

"I'm not the pitching coach," Miley said, "but it looked like he was trying to overthrow. It was his first time out. It's to be expected from some guys. Gully (pitching coach Don Gullett) went out there and told him, 'These guys are wearing red just like you. Focus on the command and quit overthrowing.'

"He'll learn from it. He'll get more comfortable through Spring Training."

On the Bench: Johnny Bench, who serves as a special consultant to the general manager, made his second straight appearance at the City of Sarasota Sports Complex on Wednesday morning.

Playing it safe: Both Griffey Jr. and Austin Kearns will be held out of Thursday's Grapefruit League opener against the Pirates.

Quotable: "I want to go out there and be successful every time I pitch; give 110 percent every time. Obviously, sometimes things aren't going to go my way. That's just baseball, but I go out there with the feeling that I'm going to be successful every time I pitch." -- Wagner

Did you know? While playing for Louisiana State University in 1997, Reds third baseman Brandon Larson set two single-season Southeastern Conference records by hitting 40 home runs and driving in 118 runs. He also earned a degree in information systems and decision sciences.

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Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040304&content_id=645247&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Wilson sharp in first spring outing
Right-hander a candidate to start Opening Day

BRADENTON, Fla. -- After one day of Grapefruit League action, Reds right-hander Paul Wilson has already thrown two more innings than he did all of last spring.

Wilson, who missed every one of Cincinnati's exhibition games last season because of a strained ribcage muscle and later a strained hamstring, held the Pirates to a single hit over two scoreless innings in Thursday's spring opener against the Pirates at McKechnie Stadium.

"It didn't hurt me last year not throwing any innings," Wilson said. "But it didn't help me at all. I needed to get out there this spring and get the ball rolling early."

During his two innings on the hill, Wilson had it rolling all over the infield. He recorded five of his six outs via ground balls.

"I felt really good today," he said. "I was really anxious -- more anxious than I've been in a while. Always the first time out there, you kind of remember what it feels like, and you kind of don't. You get out there and it all comes back to you."

After a 1-2-3 first inning, the feel for pitching apparently had returned to Wilson. Leading off the second frame, though, he had a far less pleasant sort of comeback -- or more accurately a comebacker -- when Pittsburgh's Randall Simon ripped Wilson's lone off-speed offering back through the box.

"I threw all fastballs," he said. "I threw one changeup and that's the one he hit off my foot."

The ball ricocheted off of Wilson's right shoe and sailed high into the air, allowing Simon to reach on an infield single.

"Every time (Simon) hits it, it's like a magnet on Paul," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "This isn't the first time he's hit him."

"It wouldn't be me pitching if I didn't get one smoked off me somewhere," Wilson joked. "Luckily, it got more of the side of the shoe than the meat of my foot. I don't care how many PFPs (Pitcher's Fielding Practice) I do, I'm not going to get that one."

In the end, he didn't have to. After tossing one practice pitch to prove to Reds coaches and medical staff that he wasn't hurt, Wilson got a fielder's choice and an inning-ending double play before heading back to the clubhouse area to do some stretching, sign autographs and reflect on his first performance of the spring.

"It doesn't matter what kind of intrasquad games you do," Wilson said. "You've got people in the stands and another team out there on the field. There's an adrenaline you can't recreate and I was proud of myself for not trying to throw 100 mph."

Thursday's adrenaline rush won't be anything compared to the juices that might be flowing through his veins come Opening Day in Cincinnati.

Miley has yet to reveal which one of his hurlers will earn the honor of starting the 2004 season for baseball's oldest franchise, but he has indicated that either Wilson or Cory Lidle will do the honors. As of now, Wilson is the odds-on favorite.

"I'm not going to lie to you and say that I haven't thought about it," Wilson admitted. "It's still a month away and there's a lot of work to be done. I'm human. Somebody's got to start Opening Day.

"But after we get done talking about it, I'm going to try not to dwell on it because it's not going to help me get ready. We need five guys, five good quality starters to go out and help us win this year and after the first day, it's everybody out there helping everybody else out."

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Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040304&content_id=645047&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Reds notes: Happy with Haynes
Wilson OK after taking hot shot off his right foot

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Reds manager Dave Miley and pitching coach Don Gullett arrived a little late to the team's Grapefruit League opener at McKechnie Field on Thursday.

The reason wasn't that they wanted to skip the 30-minute bus ride with their players. Instead they stayed back in Sarasota, Fla. to watch right-hander Jimmy Haynes throw an eight-minute bullpen session.

"He threw really well," Miley said. "There were no ill effects and he was way sharper than we thought he would be."

Haynes, who is projected to be the club's No. 3 starter this season, has been held back from his mound sessions because the medical staff wants him to strengthen his abdominal area in an effort to avoid the same back problems that plagued him throughout the 2003 season.

"We wanted to make sure on our physicals that his core, his abdominal region, was strong," Reds head trainer Mark Mann said. "It wasn't as strong as we wanted it to be, so we saw it as a 'pay me now, pay me later' kind of scenario. So we're keeping him off the mound and getting him as strong as we can get him, and we'll get him on the mound when we feel like his core is strong enough to protect his lower back."

Back problems have become an all-too familiar problem for the right-hander. After winning 15 games for Cincinnati during the 2002 season, Haynes struggled his way to a 2-12 record and a 6.30 ERA last season before a bulging disc in his back finally ended his season on Aug. 3.

"I think without question (it affected him)," Gullet said. "He had a lot of problems with his back starting in Spring Training and certainly he experienced difficulty through the whole year. We shut him down on a couple of different occasions and he didn't get the type of relief that he needed to be able to throw the ball."

By holding him out and working on building his abdominal core up, the Reds are taking a more precautionary approach to Haynes' back pains this season. So far, it appears to be working.

"Instead of trying to work with him with and finding out two or three weeks into it he had back problems, we decided to make sure that he had a good base and good core strength," Mann explained. "It's really paid off for him. Because of his hard work over the past week and a half, you can see a tremendous difference with him on the mound and the way he feels, so we feel that we're safe at this time to proceed with mound work and hopefully in a week and a half to two weeks we can get him in a game-type situation."

Scary moment: The Reds coaching staff was left holding it's collective breath in the second inning of Thursday's game when Pittsburgh's Randall Simon drilled a pitch off of right-hander Paul Wilson's right foot for an infield single.

No worries, though. Wilson threw one practice pitch before getting a groundout and a double-play to end the inning.

Go toward the light: As Miley and Gullett were driving to the field, Miley said Gullett told him to just look for the lights.

There aren't any at McKechnie Field. The Pirates play all their home Grapefruit League games in the afternoon.

Selling out: The Reds have already sold out all tickets, including the standing-room only variety, for their March 13 evening contest against the Reds Sox and the March 23 night games with the Yankees.

Quotable: "It just goes to show that BP is overrated. Wilson didn't take BP today and he came out hacking." --

Reds outfielder Adam Dunn on Wilson's second-inning single

Did you know? The Reds and Pirates will play a total of eight games this spring. That's more than any two teams in the Majors. The Orioles and Marlins and the Dodgers and the Mets will each meet up for seven contests.

Coming up: The Reds will play the first of five split-squad games on Friday.

Half of the club will be at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota for the Reds' exhibition home opener against the Blue Jays, while another group will journey to Ft. Myers, Fla. to face the Twins.

Aaron Harang, Dustin Moseley, Chris Reitsma, Joe Valentine, Phil Norton and Rigo Beltran are scheduled to pitch in the home games. The Blue Jays will start Jason Arnold.

Cory Lidle, Aaron Myette, Ryan Wagner, Brian Reith, and Brian Shackelford will go against the Twins, who will be starting Carlos Silva.

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Reds notes: Larkin not coasting
Shortstop attended Schott's funeral in Cincinnati

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- After playing 18 years in the Major Leagues, Barry Larkin obviously knows how to get himself ready for the season.

With that much experience, one might assume that the Reds shortstop would approach the spring session with a "been there, done that" kind of attitude.

That hypothesis, however, would be misguided.

"I don't care how many years I've been doing this," he said. "I go through the same progression every year. No matter how ready I am when I come into Spring Training, I always feel like -- Am I there yet? Am I behind the pitchers? Am I comfortable at the plate? Am I seeing the ball well? Am I comfortable hitting with two strikes?

"And the answer right now is no. I'm not comfortable with any of that yet, but we've got a month left, so hopefully that's enough time to get ready."

Considering the way Larkin breaks down even his early at-bats, that time frame should be more than ample.

"I feel OK one at-bat and then another I'm like, 'Maybe I don't feel exactly where I want to be,'" Larkin said after going 0-for-2 in his first Grapefruit League game on Friday. "I hit a ball and I thought I hit it well, trajectory-wise. I wound up popping it up to right field. The pitch was up and away and if I'm staying back, that's a ball I should hit on a line. Things like that are what I'm trying to work on."

Larkin wasn't working on anything baseball-related on Saturday, though. The Reds captain was back in Cincinnati to attend the funeral of Reds limited partner Marge Schott.

As one of the last players remaining from Schott's tenure as the Reds majority owner, it was fitting that Larkin be there to represent the players -- something he's done with class throughout his entire career.

As he enters his final season, though, Larkin isn't feeling sentimental -- at least not yet.

"There's nothing yet," he said. "It's just business as usual -- nothing sentimental, no nostalgia. I'm just trying to do the small things that I do every single year."

Cruz-ing along: Jacob Cruz, who is vying for a reserve outfield spot on Cincinnati's roster, has started the Grapefruit League season with a bang. After going 2-for-2 in Saturday's contest, Cruz is hitting .571 (4-for-7) with a home run and a double.

Cruz also stood out in the Reds' intrasquad games.

Back in action: Reds third baseman Brandon Larson, who was held out on Friday and Saturday because of an infection in his left eye, is expected back in the lineup on Sunday.

No pains for Haynes: Right-hander Jimmy Haynes, projected to be Cincinnati's No. 3 starter, threw another eight-minute bullpen session at the City of Sarasota Sports Complex on Saturday.

Haynes was bothered by lower back problems throughout 2003, and the Reds' medical staff has decided to limit his early spring work until he further strengthens his abdominal core, which they believe will help support his back muscles.

Quotable: "It makes it so much easier coming in ready to go. When I came in, I had been throwing off the mound for over three weeks. I probably could have pitched the first day I came into camp. I felt good enough that I could have come out and started games right away, but we're just kind of fine-tuning everything. It is nice to start some games, though." - Reds right-hander Aaron Harang, who came to camp 15 lbs. lighter than last season.

Did you know? The last Cincinnati pitcher to lead the league in strikeouts was Jose Rijo, who fanned 227 batters in 1993.

Coming up: The Reds will return to Sarasota on Sunday to face off with the Minnesota Twins. Reds right-hander Jose Acevedo is scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League start of the season against Twins southpaw Johan Santana. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 at Ed Smith Stadium.

Both teams will be using designated hitters at the National League stadium. The Reds received permission from the league office to do so when playing American League opponents in order to get outfielder Austin Kearns some more at-bats until he is ready to take the field after offseason surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder.

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Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040307&content_id=646192&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Out of nowhere: Jacob Cruz

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Some guys have all the luck.

Reds outfielder Jacob Cruz just isn't one of them.

For five of the last six years, he's been like a lime at a Tiki Bar -- under the knife. He had surgery on his left elbow in 1998, on his right thumb in 1999, on his left knee in 2000, again on his left elbow in 2002 and on his right knee in 2003.

Amazingly, though, Cruz is able to keep a positive outlook on his recent misfortune.

"I'm grateful just to get back on the field because [last season's injury] was the second ACL tear of my career," he said. "So, the way I see it, I'm lucky just to be here and whatever happen, happens."

Of course, he'd prefer for that to be breaking camp with the Reds.

Cruz, a non-roster invitee to Reds camp, is one of several players battling for a roster spot as one of Cincinnati's reserve outfielders this spring, and although he's happy just to be playing again, he is also fully aware that time may be running out on the process of seasoning himself in the minors.

"You get to that point when you're 31 years old," he said. "My goal is to make this team, and if my role is as a backup player, I'll do that the best I can. I'm excited to go out there and earn one of those backup spots. In baseball, you never know. Things open up, or you can get traded. The way I see it right now, my job is to go out there and win one of those spots that are available."

And the Cincinnati coaching staff has started to take notice.

"You look at the two intrasquad games and he's swung it as well as anyone we have," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "He's going to get an opportunity to get in some situations to pick [Sean] Casey up at first base, and he'll play in left and right and some situations as a pinch-hitter."

Which is all Cruz can ask for.

He realizes that entering camp with a history of injuries and a journeyman reputation doesn't work in his favor, but he also knows that he has big-league ability.

"As a non-roster invitee, to make the team, it's a little tougher because they have to make some moves for you to make the team," he said. "It is a strike against you, but if you play well enough, [you can overcome it]. And with this team, I think there is an opportunity to win a spot."

With a career minor league average of .307, Cruz, who has spent parts of eight different seasons in the Majors, does have a couple things working in his favor.

"I know what kind of manager [Miley] is because he coached us at Triple-A last year," Cruz said. "He's one of those guys that wants you to be aggressive and go out there and play hard for him. So I'm just taking that kind of approach -- going out there, not really thinking about it and just playing baseball."

A little bit of luck in the injury department wouldn't hurt, either.

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I love Miley's quote below, the MLB.com people always try to make the managers sound so profound................But Miley's quote comes off to me as though the Reds are among the few teams who won't be stealing a lot of bases this year ... How many teams does he expect to steal 100+ in today's game????????



Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040308&content_id=647414&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Notes: Strong outing for Claussen
Left-hander tosses three innings in Monday's win

BRADENTON, Fla. -- It wasn't the prettiest display of pitching to ever take up three innings, but left-hander Brandon Claussen showed why the Reds have such high hopes for him in Monday's victory over the Pirates.

In his first Grapefruit League start of the season, Claussen allowed one run on two hits while walking one, hitting one and fanning two.

Good numbers, but not great -- unless you saw it.

Claussen cruised through the first inning, allowing an infield single before getting a double play and a fly out.

Normally a consistent strike thrower, Claussen began the second inning by walking notorious free-swinger Randall Simon on five pitches and fell behind in the count before plunking Chris Stynes.

"My slider was kind of dry today," explained Claussen. "It was backing up on me a little bit. It was breaking off a little too much and that's what I hit that guy on. I just really couldn't get in a rhythm with it."

Despite struggling with his command, Claussen didn't unravel. He induced a double play, gave up an RBI single to Jose Castillo and got some help from catcher Jason LaRue, who ended the inning by cutting down Castillo attempting to steal.

After that, the 24-year-old Claussen showed some veteran-like makeup by demonstrating his ability to adjust on the fly.

"The only thing I was doing was cutting everything off," he said. "I wasn't getting full extension on anything. My ball was kind of cutting or sinking, which is good sometimes if you can control the cut or sink, but as you could see, I wasn't controlling it out there.

"In the last inning I wanted to finish strong -- make sure I was free and easy and get my arm out and extended, which adds life and depth to your fastball."

Claussen made the change, and the strikes started coming. After throwing nine balls and six strikes in the second, he threw nine strikes and three balls in the third. Not coincidently, he set the Pirates down in order and recorded two strikeouts.

"I think (pitching coach Don Gullett) got with him and they talked about making some adjustments," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "I think that in the second inning he was trying to dilly and put it where he wanted it instead of letting it go. He had some good zip on it, too."

Larson locked in: Third baseman Brandon Larson's had a tough start to his Grapefruit League session.

He was bothered by an upset stomach in the opener, missed the next two tilts with an eye infection and went hitless in his first four at-bats.

Things finally started looking up Friday, as Larson busted out a 3-for-4 performance with a home run, double and six RBIs.

"That's the kind of game you're looking to have right now," Larson said. "Just kind of relax as much as I could today. I got a few pitches to swing at and I'm just trying to build off this."

"When he uses the whole field, that's what he's capable of doing and that's what he's got to do for us and for himself to be a better hitter," Miley added.

Slugging in St. Pete: Austin Kearns, Adam Dunn and Corky Miller all homered in Cincinnati's other split-squad game against the Devil Rays. The Reds won the game, 6-4.

Haynes progressing: Right-hander Jimmy Haynes, who has been held back this spring as he tries to strengthen his abdominal core, threw for 10 minutes at the City Of Sarasota Sports Complex Monday morning.

Haynes threw off the mound for five minutes and threw live batting practice for another five.

"He said he felt good," Miley said. "He faced a couple of hitters. His sharpness wasn't where it needs to be, but that's to be expected."

Miley said a decision as to when Haynes might make his first Grapefruit League appearance could come as early as Wednesday.

Birthday boys: Reds utility man Ryan Freel and general manager Dan O'Brien both celebrated birthdays Monday. Freel turned 28, O'Brien 49.

Quotable: "You look at our club and we're not going to steal a massive amount of bases, but we can still get better at going from first to third and being aggressive on the bases. That's one of the things we've been stressing." -- Miley on the Reds running game

Did you know? Ken Griffey Jr. is the youngest player to hit 350, 400 and 450 home runs. He needs 19 home runs before the end of this season to become the youngest player to reach 500 homers.

Coming up: The Reds will travel to Ft. Myers on Tuesday to face off against the Boston Red Sox in their first night game of the season.

Cory Lidle and Aaron Harang are scheduled to throw for the Reds, while Boston is planning to send out both Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at City of Palms Park.

"It's kind of a nice little change of pace," Miley said. "It'll give the guys a chance to sleep in a little bit. The bus doesn't leave until 2:45 p.m. ET."

Griffey Jr. is the only everyday player not expected to make the trip.

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Todd Lorenze / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040313&content_id=649948&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Notes: Haynes glad to make debut
RHP throws a scoreless inning against Braves

SARASOTA, Fla. -- It's been almost a month since the Cincinnati Reds arrived at the City of Sarasota Sports Complex, but Saturday marked a big first for right-hander Jimmy Haynes.

Haynes, trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2003 campaign marred by back problems, made his first appearance of the Grapefruit League season Saturday at Ed Smith Stadium.

The reason for Haynes' late start is that the Reds were taking a proactive approach to the back injury that shelved him on Aug. 3, 2003. The Cincinnati medical staff decided to hold Haynes back after the hurler failed a core strength test, and they've had him working to strengthen his abdominal area in hopes of supporting his back.

"I feel good," Haynes said prior to the contest. "I'm definitely excited about getting out there. It's been a while since I've actually pitched in a game, so I'm looking forward to getting out there and getting going."

Haynes threw one inning against a split Atlanta Braves squad, allowing no runs on one hit with a strikeout. He threw 12 pitches -- nine of them for strikes.

"That's a pretty good rotation for his first time out in the middle of March," said Reds manager Dave Miley. "I thought he threw well and was very sharp."

First call: Steve Stewart, who agreed to come on board as a broadcaster for flagship station 700 WLW and the Reds radio network on Feb. 11, 2003, called his first Reds game with Hall of Fame announcer Marty Brennaman on Saturday.

Stewart is slated to cover approximately half of the Reds games with Brennaman this season. Longtime Reds voice Joe Nuxhall will work the remaining games as he finishes out his final season as a Cincinnati baseball broadcaster. "The Old left-hander" made his Major League debut with the Reds on June 10, 1944 and will retire following the 2004 season, after 37 years of calling games for the Reds.

Check up: John Vander Wal, who was signed by Cincinnati this winter but tore an ACL while shoveling snow at his home in Grand Rapids, Mich., will be in Sarasota on Sunday to get examined by the Reds' medical staff.

Results of the examination will likely play a big part in how the Reds decide to handle the outfielder's contract.

The Reds would owe Vander Wal 30 days termination pay if they release him by March 17 and 45 days pay if they decide to cut him loose between March 18-31. Come April 1, however, the team will be on the line for his entire contract.

Injury update: Outfielder Adam Dunn and third baseman Brandon Larson were both held out of Saturday's contest with minor injuries.

Dunn is listed as day-to-day with stitches in his left ring finger after having a hangnail removed.

"If it was during the season, he'd play," Miley said. "But I don't think there's a reason to push it. I think he's biting at the bit to get back out there though."

As for Larson, he left Wednesday's contest with a sprained toe and could miss 10 days.

"He was walking around a little today," Miley said. "We just want to make sure he's 100 percent before getting him back out there."

Staying put: A report in the Sarasota Herald Tribune on Saturday revealed Sarasota as one of three cities, along with Winter Haven and Ft. Lauderdale, that could receive up to $15 million from the state of Florida to help keep a Spring Training team.

"I'm not a big baseball fan," Rep. Nancy Detert, R-Venice told the Herald Tribune. "I don't attend baseball games. But I do consider this an economic development item. It's part of our total economic package. We are proud to have the Grapefruit League."

Did you know? Ryan Wagner, a native of Yoakum, Texas, was named after Hall of Fame hurler Nolan Ryan. :hmm: Just about every little boy named Ryan born from the early-to-mid 1970s on in this state is named for Nolan Ryan.

Coming up: The Reds will host the Phillies on Sunday at Ed Smith Stadium. Right-hander Cory Lidle (0-0, 1.80 ERA) is scheduled to start for Cincinnati against Philadelphia southpaw Eric Milton (0-0, 4.76 ERA) at 1:05 p.m. ET.

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Casey will be shrugging it off from the bench if it extends more than a series or two into the regular season ... I like this guy, he seems like a genuinely good person ... And I envy people who can let the water really roll off their backs without being upset ... But I suspect he needs a size-12 brogan placed firmly on his backside at times just to keep a fire lit inside him.

And how stupid is it for MLB NOT to let NL teams use the DH rule in spring training when they want to? Why is it ok for the managers to decide to end a spring game after 9 innings despite it being tied in a location like Mex City where you're trying to market your product, but it's not ok for those same managers to decide this is a good game for both sides to use the DH?

Hello, Bud Selig? Sir, your proctologist called and they just found your head. :hmm:


Todd Lorenz / MLB.com (http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/cin/news/cin_news.jsp?ymd=20040316&content_id=658106&vkey=spt2004news&fext=.jsp)

Notes: Slow start? No problem
Veteran Casey shrugs off low Spring Training average

SARASOTA, Fla. -- After going 0-for-1 with a pair of walks Tuesday against the Red Sox, Cincinnati first baseman Sean Casey is hitting .222 so far this spring.

A career .300 hitter, one might think a slow start might be a disappointment. At one time it might have been, but not after six seasons in the big leagues.

"Years ago I used to be like, 'Aw geez,' when things weren't going good," he said. "But I've realized that Spring Training is Spring Training and you get ready for April 5 (Opening Day) and that's it."

Until then, Casey will keep plugging away.

"Some days are good, some days are bad," he said. "It's Spring Training, you know what I mean. That's the way it's going to work. That's the way every spring is for me."

Considering the consistent production Casey has provided throughout his career, the same as usual will be just fine with the Reds.

Ace-vedo: Jose Acevedo went five innings for the first time of this spring on Tuesday. He was masterful through the first four frames, holding Boston scoreless and striking out the side in the second inning.

The fifth frame didn't turn out quite so well.

Acevedo allowed two runs on three hits, but his manager was still impressed with his overall performance.

"He threw the ball well," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "He got a couple pitches elevated there in the fifth inning, but to only give up two runs to the lineup they brought over here is pretty darn impressive."

Doctor visit: Rule 5 pickup D.J. Mattox, who has been shelved with a sore elbow, is scheduled to have his right (throwing) elbow looked at by team physician Dr. Tim Kremcheck on Thursday.

Left out: Third baseman Brandon Larson, who hasn't played since last Wednesday because of a sprained big toe on his right foot, seems to be gradually progressing. He was getting around the Reds clubhouse with a little more ease on Tuesday, but isn't expected to return to the lineup for about another week.

"It's almost like you're stepping on a sharp rock," he said. "You keeping stepping on it every step you take. That's what I think it feels like.

"I guess that's a classic sign of turf toe, but eventually that pain dulls. You still know it's there, but it's not as sharp of a pain."

Larson had six hits, two home runs and eight RBIs in the three games prior to his injury.

Back in: Adam Dunn returned to Cincinnati's lineup on Tuesday night after missing four games with an infection in his left ring finger brought on by the removal of a hangnail.

Dunn went 1-for-2 with a double and an RBI.

Last day for the DH: Tuesday marked the last day the Reds are allowed to use a designated hitter at Ed Smith Stadium. The club was granted permission to use the DH in home games against American League teams as a way to get right-fielder Austin Kearns some at-bats until he was cleared to play the field following offseason surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder.

Kearns is expected to debut in the field on Wednesday and Miley said he will play in the field every other day for a while.

Ring-a-ding: The Billings Mustangs, Cincinnati's Class A affiliate, were presented their 2003 rookie advanced championship rings in an on-field ceremony prior to Tuesday's game.

Supporting the troops: The Reds will once again provide free tickets to all active military personnel throughout the 2004 regular season.

Monday through Thursday, active military members with proper identification can receive complimentary View Level tickets, subject to availability, on the day of the game. The program does not include games on Opening Day, April 21, June 30 or August 11.

Did you know? Reds right-hander Cory Lidle played on the same team with Major Leaguers Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Shawn Wooten and Aaron Small at South Hills High School in California.

Quotable: "Three at-bats, but he gets me out all the time in PlayStation." -- Larson, on Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson, who has never gotten him out. Larson took Johnson deep once, walked once and was hit once vs. the left-hander. The one that hit him broke one of his toes.

Coming up: The Reds will play the fourth of their five split-squad games on Wednesday. Half the team will travel to Tampa, Fla., where Paul Wilson (1-1, 7.56 ERA) will go against Yankees right-hander Jose Contreras (1-0, 3.60 ERA) at 7:15 p.m. ET. The rest of the Reds will welcome the Pirates to Ed Smith Stadium as Jimmy Haynes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his first start of the spring against Pittsburgh's Josh Fogg (0-1, 5.00 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. ET.