Everyone in baseball is 0-0.
The pitchers and catchers are filtering into the Reds' complex on a cloudy (for Arizona) morning. They will all take physicals and have a short meeting.
The real work begins tomorrow with the promise of some good tomorrows starting March 29 when the Reds open the season at Great American Ball Park against the Washington Nationals.
The position players report on Sunday the 18th and the first Cactus League game is against the Cleveland Indians on February 23.
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The rotation has more questions than an episode of Jeopardy. But Bryan Price answered in the form of questions by handicapping the eight competitors for essentially one open start
Yet this year the picture is more in focus than the past three seasons in which multiple pitchers were hurting.
“The good thing is that it is not open try outs,” Price said. “But it’s not a get-your-arm the season spring training either. This is a competitive group. Lack of preparedness will not bode well anyone who wants to make the rotation.”
Price listed the candidates:
Homer Bailey
Anthony DeSclafani
Brandon Finnegan
Luis Castillo
Sal Romano
Robert Stephenson
Michael Lorenzen
Tyler Mahle
The top four are penciled into the rotation. The rest are competing for the fifth spot.
“There are too many pitchers in camp to get regular starts,” Price said. “Amir (Garrett) and Jackson (Stephens) will get some starts. Cody Reed will be competing more for the bullpen but that does not reflect the opinion of the organization that he is just a bullpen pitcher. We still believe he can be a major league starter.”
Bailey and DeSclafani are coming off multiple injury years.
Bailey hasn’t pitched a full season since 2014. He had bone spurs removed on February 8 and joined the rotation on June 24, making 18 starts. Bailey finished with 6-9 record and a 6.43 ERA. DeSclafani was limited to 20 starts in 2016, joining the team in June after recovering from a strained left oblique. He missed the entire season with a stubborn sprained elbow that set him back on several occasions.
Finnegan, the only left hander of the group, made four starts. He made three starts to open the season before a strained left lat put him on the disabled list until June 26. Finnegan pitched four innings and placed on the DL again with a strained teres major. Finnegan had surgery in July to repair a separated shoulder that was injured off the field.
The Reds will be cautious with Finnegan.
“We want to see him pitch some bullpens and live batting practice before we slot him,” Price said. “I’m confident he will make the rotation.”
Castillo impressed the Reds with his live fastball and change up in spring training last year but started the season in Double A.
“We were impressed with him last spring but his breaking pitch was a distant third pitch,” Price said. “He worked hard at it. He came up and was better than the league.”
Castillo was promoted on June 23 and made a start against Washington. He had a deceiving 3-7 record but a healthy 3.12 ERA which was lowest among National League rookies. Castillo also led rookie pitchers with a .202 opponents batting average. From July 8 to the end of the season, Castillo turned in a 2.84 which put him eight behind Korey Kluber, Justin Verlander, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta and Robbie Ray for the lowest ERA among pitchers with at least 12 starts.
Velocity and good stuff were just part of what impressed Price and the Reds.
“His velocity sets him apart. You don’t see a lot of guys throw 95-97 for seven innings and the stuff to pitch in the big leagues but it is rare for a young pitcher to have the presence and the comfortability that he showed last year. He field his position he’s quick to the plate to control the running game. There is a lot to like. In his first start against Washington which is truly one of the best teams in the National League. He got into trouble with command and trying to throw perfect pitches but he managed that environment pretty darn well for a debut and settled in.”
Those four will be in the rotation barring something unforseen.
“We have those four and we will get some starts for the others to see how it shakes out,” Price said.
Lorenzen will be trying to move back into the rotation from the bullpen. Romano was 5-8 with a 4.45 ERA in 16 starts. Stephenson was 5-6 with a 4.68 ERA in 11 starts but finished strong after returning from Triple A Louisville, going 5-2 with a 2.62 ERA in his last eight starts. Mahle made his debut against Pittsburgh on August 27. He made three starts with a 1-2 record and a
2.70 ERA.
Only Rookie Davis starts camp hurt. He had hip surgery but is throwing on the side.
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