Two And A Half Men Enjoy Reds Camp Jose Jumbo Diaz And Mike Lorenzen

Two and a half men in the Reds Clubhouse in Goodyear are enjoying themselves.

Jose Diaz, the pitcher formerly known as Jumbo, is a 30-year old relief pitcher from La Romana, Dominican Republic.  Michael Lorenzen is in his first camp right off the campus of Cal State-Fullerton.

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Jumbo Diaz in the Bullpen

Diaz is 6'4" tall and 279 pounds worth of pitcher.  Lorenzen is more 6'3" and 195 pounds looks like a middle infielder next to Diaz.

Jumbo Diaz at 345 pounds (listed at 316 in the Reds' media guide), pitched in 44 games for the Louisville Bats last season, all in relief.  He pulled his weight with a 1.66 ERA in 54.1 innings.

"I weighed in at 279 today," a smiling Diaz said.  "After I was invited to spring training I called my agent. I told him I have to go in shape over there.  I went to a nutritionist and started working hard."

He shed 70 pounds.

"I wouldn't eat late at night; no fried foods, a lot of rice, salads, fruit," Diaz said.  "I had to make it better for me."

The weight loss paid off for Diaz in the Winter Leagues where he pitched both in the Dominican and Venezuela.

"I pitched way better," Diaz said.  "I can cover the bases way better.  I feel very good."

Diaz once stole thirdbase while pitching for the Indianapolis Indians in the final Triple A game of the season against the Louisville Bats in 2012.

Diaz Slides into Third on Successful Steal in 2012

Cincinnati star, Joey Votto, was a witness.  In fact Votto's errant throw allowed the "immense one" to reach secondbase in only his second professional at bat.  For some reason, he decided to steal third. With a thunderous slide he was successful and scored on a single.

Diaz was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He was in the Dodgers system for eight years, then bounced around.  Diaz pitched for the Texas Rangers in  2009, with the Baltimore Orioles in 2010 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011 and 2012.  The big man never missed a meal in any city, always finding something that he liked.

Lorenzen made rapid advancement to after the Reds plucked him in the June draft.  He pitched in Goodyear in the Arizona Rookie League, Dayton, Bakersfield and Pensacola.

"I am enjoying everything," Lorenzen said.  "I wake up everyday and it's like Christmas."