Sonny Gray hasn’t pitched in a game this spring since March 4th. In fact, that was the only game that he actually pitched in this spring, though he did pitch in a “B” game after that. Still, it’s been a while for Gray, who had to be briefly shut down after experiencing back spasms. He’s been working his way back, and he had a successful bullpen session earlier this week.
“It went well,” said manager David Bell. “He has another one scheduled. I saw most of it before I had to leave, he looked good.”
After his successful bullpen session on Tuesday, Sonny Gray bounced back normally without issue. The Reds right-handed starter will head back to the mound on Friday to throw another bullpen session.
Tejay Antone to begin in the bullpen
This spring Tejay Antone arrived ready to compete for a spot in the rotation. Antone wants to be a starting pitcher – something he’s done every year of his professional career with the exception of the 2020 season. But his groin injury, followed by some hip flexor irritation has led to his inability to build up the kinds of innings to be ready to start the year in the rotation. The hope for both Antone and manager David Bell is that he’ll be ready to go in the bullpen when the season begins.
“I would say most likely he’s going to be a reliever, said Bell on Wednesday of Antone.
With Antone, his role isn’t written in stone within the bullpen. Antone even noted on Tuesday that his goal is still to wind up in the rotation at some point. But manager David Bell has ideas for the time being in how the right-hander can be used in the bullpen in a variety of roles to maximize what he can bring to the table.
“There may be nights where Tejay pitches in that (multi-inning) role,” said Bell. “There may be a night he comes and gets a big out in the 7th or 8th. There might be another night that he closes. He’s such a good pitcher and so important to us given his availability on a given night it could be different.”
Carson Fulmer is impressing the Reds
Cincinnati has had their eye on Carson Fulmer for a while now. The organization has had conversations about him in the past when he’s hit the waiver wire, but he’s never made it far enough for them to make a claim until last week.
“So far from everything we’ve seen kind of confirms why we’ve been trying to get him and why we’ve wanted him, and it’s really good to have him here,” manager David Bell said on Wednesday. “I think he’s in a good place. We all believe in him and like who he is and like what he can do as a pitcher. ”
To this point, Carson Fulmer has not pitched in any games for the Reds. Out of options, the team doesn’t have much time to get a long look at him against live hitters before they must make a decision on what to do with him. This afternoon the team will get their first in-game look, though, as he’s scheduled to pitch against the Chicago White Sox.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/brewers-hader-happy-with-more-defined-ninth-inning-role/ar-BB1eSTQR
“The ups and downs are what’s more taxing than anything, especially the amount of pitches,” Hader said. “That’s something that wears and tears on you over the course of the season.”
If the best reliever in MLB feels as he does …. are we to believe Antone loves the role Bell is describing?
Probably not … but Antone will say all the right things. A MLB job is a MLB job.
Bell does not bother me as much as some RLN posters … seems like a nice guy, pretty meh as a manager. Tinkering rarely trumps pure talent, though he tries at it a lot.
However, his overselling of “versatility” does seem a bit much sometimes. Like these comments.
Fulmer another Vanderbilt pitcher. He started there the year after Johnson left for the pros but he has to be involved in the recruiting process. There is at least 3 Commodore’s pitchers in the organization.