From Today’s Enquirer, the Reds Notebook:
Wily Mo Peña will play Monday – just not for the Reds.
Peña, out for more than a month with a quadriceps strain, will go on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville. The Bats begin a four-game series in Indianapolis Monday.
“Medically, he’s able to do everything we’ve asked him to do,” trainer Mark Mann said.
How long Peña will be with Louisville is undetermined.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I want to get ready.”
Peña injured the quad April 24. He made one start and three pinch-hit appearances before going on the disabled list May 9. He has been eligible to come off since May 18.
Shortstop Rich Aurilia, on the DL with a strained hamstring, began a rehab assignment at Louisville Saturday.
Aurilia was scheduled to play nine innings at shortstop. He doubled in his first at-bat. How long he’ll be there is undetermined.
“We’ll wait and see,” Reds manager Dave Miley said.
The limit on rehab assignments for position players is 20 days.
“You’re looking at two very different situations,” Reds general manager Dan O’Brien said. “In Wily Mo’s case, he hasn’t seen live pitching in five weeks. In Rich’s case, he’s been out a shorter period.
“He’ll be there a very short time.”
I agree with O’Brien. Pena hasn’t seen live pitching in 5 weeks (partially because the team was too stupid to put him on the DL right away). But the difference is Pena is worth rehab time, Aurilla should be released.
Right-hander Ben Weber will throw a simulated game Monday for Louisville. He’ll pitch one inning or throw 25 pitches in a rehab assignment for Louisville Wednesday.
Weber is on the DL with a bulging disc in his neck. He was eligible to come off Tuesday.
If I were Weber, I wouldn’t think I’d have much more rope. After this team has released Jiminez and Graves, he should either be effective or be released.
Sean Casey was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game after bruising his rotator cuff making a diving stop. He was available to pinch hit.
“It gets a little better every day,” Casey said. “I almost pinch hit (Friday).”
Casey expects to be able to start today’s game against the Pirates.
The injury doesn’t bother Casey when he’s hitting, although it did tighten up after he took batting practice Friday.
“He’s made great improvements,” Mann said. “It’s a question of being able to field his position, taking throws above shoulder level.”.
So, Casey’s supposed to be back in the lineup today. If he’s ineffective, how long before we hear it blamed on the injury? I know it’s the pessimist in me talking, but the Reds medical staff has misdiagnosed so many injuries, every time they say one that looks serious is “day to day”, I’m counting the days until they’re on the DL.