Reds v. Rays, if we play, roster hints
Posted by JohnFay at 3/29/2009 9:54 AM EDT on Cincinnati.com
It's raining. It's been raining since 5 this morning. They already sent the minor leaguers home. I think they'll wait a while before they bang the Reds-Rays (the Rays games have drawn nearly 7,000). But my guess is we don't play.
We asked Dusty Baker some roster questions. He wouldn't commit.
--It's lining up for Micah Owings to be the fifth starter.
“That’s not official,” Baker said. “He’s pitched well. He’s pitched great.”
Where does that leave Homer Bailey?
“That’s a little premature,” Baker said. “Whatever it is, Homer’s in our plan big time. He’s shown more progress than he has over the last couple of years. That’s what you need to see from young guys is progress and maturity. He’s getting it and figuring it out.”
--It sounds like Bill Bray's roster spot is in jeopardy because his velocity is down five or six miles an hour and Daniel Ray Herrera is pitch so well.
“That’s the question right now,” Baker said. “He did a good job for us last year. He has outstanding stuff. Yesterday, his velocity was down a little bit. You don’t know if that’s from overthrowing. He’s been checked and they can’t find anything.”
“I’ve talked with him about being himself and not trying to hard.”
Herrera would probably get the call if it’s not Bray.
“Early in the year, change-of-speed guys are the hardest to hit,” Baker said.
--Baker hinted that the Reds' won't let options affect the final roster.
“We'll try to let options affect it. Try to get the best players on the team.”
Here's the lineup if we do play:
Rays:
Adam Kennedy 2b
Gabe Kapler lf
Matt Joyce cf
Shawn Riggans c
Gabe Gross rf
Morgan Ensberg 3b
Chris Richard 1b
Ray Olmedo ss
Scott Kazmir p
Reds:
Willy Taveras cf
Jerry Hairston Jr. ss
Joey Votto 1b
Brandon Phillips 2b
Jay Bruce rf
Adam Rosales 3b
Chris Dickerson lf
Ramon Hernandez c
Bronson Arroyo p
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