— From Mark Sheldon:
Catcher Ramon Hernandez has been bothered lately by a sore right elbow, and will be examined on Thursday when Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek is back in town.
Whether Hernandez will have to miss time is unknown.
Except he hasn’t played since Sunday. He says later in the article, once he’s warm it’s “loose with less pain”, but “when it cools off it gets a little sore”.
It’s just the pessimist in me asking this, but if he goes on the DL, I assume Corky gets the call, don’t you?
— Both Sheldon and John Fay write about the one of the remaining competitions is for the bullpen:
Logan Ondrusek, Jared Burton, Dontrelle Willis, Sam LeCure, Matt Maloney and Jose Arredondo are in the running for the remaining three or four spots. It could go down to the last days.
In the print edition he states that the Reds might come North (East?) with only 11 pitchers, rather than 12.
IF that’s the case, these guys are fighting for 3 spots. John said that Arredondo might start the year on the DL (which takes the option issue out of the equation, some say he has options left, other say no…John Fay told me that the Reds don’t have him on the “out of options” list.)
He also mentions that Willis’ hitting ability will help him if it’s a close decision.
Personally, I think if they’re only bringing 11 up, then Burton or Ondrusek is going to AAA. I think Bray, Willis, and one of the aforementioned two makes this team. I think LeCure and Maloney go to Louisville into the rotation.