Hurricane Floyd
06-06-2002, 08:04 AM
CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds tried to address short- and long-term needs alike in their latest round of pitching moves Wednesday.
To reinforce its bullpen, Cincinnati is expected to return right-hander Jose Silva from his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Louisville and reinstate him from the disabled list. Silva has been steadily strengthening his arm since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on March 4 to remove bone chips in his right elbow.
The Reds cleared space for Silva by optioning right-hander Luis Pineda to Triple-A Louisville, where he will join the starting rotation after making 24 relief appearances with Cincinnati. Ostensibly, Pineda is starting so he can refine his off-speed pitches and work regularly on the side, which would be difficult for a reliever to accomplish. But Reds pitching coach Don Gullett said, "We'll find out if he can help us as a starter" -- creating the possibility that the switch could be full-time.
This was the Reds' major development of the day, since steady rain postponed their game against the Cardinals. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Aug. 27. No starting time has been set.
Reds manager Bob Boone used this opportunity to alter his rotation slightly. Though Wednesday's starting pitchers are scheduled to return Thursday -- Cincinnati's Jimmy Haynes (5-5) and St. Louis' Woody Williams (2-1) -- Boone pushed Carlos Almanzar's debut as a Reds starter back from Saturday at Anaheim to Monday at Texas. The probable starters for the Anaheim series, in order, are Chris Reitsma, Elmer Dessens and Joey Hamilton.
Could Pineda join that group someday?
"Maybe. I don't know," Boone said. "We'll see how he does (with Louisville)."
Pineda, acquired last off-season with outfielder Juan Encarnacion from Detroit for first baseman-outfielder Dmitri Young, made 31 starts in 103 minor-league appearances. But he had started just five times since the beginning of the 1998 season.
Pineda excelled through most of this season with the Reds, recording a 2.14 ERA in his first 20 appearances. Then he allowed runs in three consecutive appearances, allowing five runs and three homers in a span of five innings. He pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday against St. Louis, leaving him with a 0-3 record, a 3.33 ERA, 26 strikeouts in 27 innings and an opponents' batting average of .204.
As effective as Pineda usually was, the Reds believe he can be better if he improves his curveball and change-up to complement his lively fastball. Boone and Gullett also want to see Pineda sharpen his command of his fastball, which opponents teed off on during that rough three-game stretch.
The Reds maintain abundant faith in Pineda, 27.
"As I told him, it's not a permanent thing," Boone said. "I'm sure we're going to need Luis Pineda quite a bit this year."
"It's a demotion in itself, but we don't feel like he's gone by the wayside or isn't a useful pitcher," Gullett said. "Certainly he is. But we're going to find out if he can learn to command the strike zone a little bit better and tighten up his stuff."
Silva, who has started and relieved during five years in the Major Leagues, will begin his Reds career in the bullpen, though Boone mentioned that he eventually could be tested in the No. 5 starting spot, which Almanzar currently owns. "I wouldn't feel comfortable firing him in there every fifth day," Boone said of Silva, referring to his elbow surgery. "But we'll see how he is."
Silva, acquired from Pittsburgh last Dec. 20 for minor league right-hander Ben Shaffar, allowed four hits in three scoreless innings for Louisville against Detroit's Toledo affiliate on Tuesday night. Silva was 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA in 10 games for Louisville.
Reds catcher Kelly Stinnett, who was at Cinergy Field to continue rehabilitating his elbow injury, caught Silva in the Toledo game.
"Last year when we faced him, he threw 96 (mph). (Tuesday) he was 92, but he was hitting his spots," Stinnett said. "He was pretty pinpoint with his fastball."
source: mlb.com
To reinforce its bullpen, Cincinnati is expected to return right-hander Jose Silva from his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Louisville and reinstate him from the disabled list. Silva has been steadily strengthening his arm since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on March 4 to remove bone chips in his right elbow.
The Reds cleared space for Silva by optioning right-hander Luis Pineda to Triple-A Louisville, where he will join the starting rotation after making 24 relief appearances with Cincinnati. Ostensibly, Pineda is starting so he can refine his off-speed pitches and work regularly on the side, which would be difficult for a reliever to accomplish. But Reds pitching coach Don Gullett said, "We'll find out if he can help us as a starter" -- creating the possibility that the switch could be full-time.
This was the Reds' major development of the day, since steady rain postponed their game against the Cardinals. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Aug. 27. No starting time has been set.
Reds manager Bob Boone used this opportunity to alter his rotation slightly. Though Wednesday's starting pitchers are scheduled to return Thursday -- Cincinnati's Jimmy Haynes (5-5) and St. Louis' Woody Williams (2-1) -- Boone pushed Carlos Almanzar's debut as a Reds starter back from Saturday at Anaheim to Monday at Texas. The probable starters for the Anaheim series, in order, are Chris Reitsma, Elmer Dessens and Joey Hamilton.
Could Pineda join that group someday?
"Maybe. I don't know," Boone said. "We'll see how he does (with Louisville)."
Pineda, acquired last off-season with outfielder Juan Encarnacion from Detroit for first baseman-outfielder Dmitri Young, made 31 starts in 103 minor-league appearances. But he had started just five times since the beginning of the 1998 season.
Pineda excelled through most of this season with the Reds, recording a 2.14 ERA in his first 20 appearances. Then he allowed runs in three consecutive appearances, allowing five runs and three homers in a span of five innings. He pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday against St. Louis, leaving him with a 0-3 record, a 3.33 ERA, 26 strikeouts in 27 innings and an opponents' batting average of .204.
As effective as Pineda usually was, the Reds believe he can be better if he improves his curveball and change-up to complement his lively fastball. Boone and Gullett also want to see Pineda sharpen his command of his fastball, which opponents teed off on during that rough three-game stretch.
The Reds maintain abundant faith in Pineda, 27.
"As I told him, it's not a permanent thing," Boone said. "I'm sure we're going to need Luis Pineda quite a bit this year."
"It's a demotion in itself, but we don't feel like he's gone by the wayside or isn't a useful pitcher," Gullett said. "Certainly he is. But we're going to find out if he can learn to command the strike zone a little bit better and tighten up his stuff."
Silva, who has started and relieved during five years in the Major Leagues, will begin his Reds career in the bullpen, though Boone mentioned that he eventually could be tested in the No. 5 starting spot, which Almanzar currently owns. "I wouldn't feel comfortable firing him in there every fifth day," Boone said of Silva, referring to his elbow surgery. "But we'll see how he is."
Silva, acquired from Pittsburgh last Dec. 20 for minor league right-hander Ben Shaffar, allowed four hits in three scoreless innings for Louisville against Detroit's Toledo affiliate on Tuesday night. Silva was 0-1 with a 1.13 ERA in 10 games for Louisville.
Reds catcher Kelly Stinnett, who was at Cinergy Field to continue rehabilitating his elbow injury, caught Silva in the Toledo game.
"Last year when we faced him, he threw 96 (mph). (Tuesday) he was 92, but he was hitting his spots," Stinnett said. "He was pretty pinpoint with his fastball."
source: mlb.com