Spencer Steer To Start The Season On The Injured List

 

 

 

Dateline: 318 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

 Terry Francona had a long talk with Spencer Steer and Reds’ RBI leader from last season will start on the injured list.

His shoulder is improving but not enough to be cleared to play at the start of the season.

“I talked to him for a while,” Francona said. “He’s going to start on the IL. He is going to go with us to Cincinnati. I give him so much credit. He busted his ass. He’s such a good kid. He listens and gives you good opinions. We’re going to let our trainers work with him. We think we can furnish some at bats either with the traject machine or we’ve even talked about bringing in a minor league pitcher for a day. We’ll figure out some at bats for him before we send him to play.”

The Reds want him to progress without taking any steps backwards.

 “I told him and he understands, being a full time DH probably isn’t the best for him or our team. I understand coming back. We have to massage this a little bit and have him play a position it will really help,” Francona said.

His throwing program is still being followed.

“It is better each day,” Francona said. “It’s still early on but he is improving. He has to retrain some things though that, not through his fault, when you try to make do for so long, now he’s trying to retrain it. Sean (head trainer McQueeney) thinks once he does, then he’ll take off.”