Tanner
Roark is a bulldog on the mound. The Reds are hoping toughness will
solidify it’s starting rotation.
The
32-year old grinded out 180 or more innings in four of his five big
league seasons, the Reds young staff has struggled to pitch deep in
the games. The short starts eroded a good bullpen through over work,
the last three seasons.
Roark
posted consistent winning records for three seasons, starting in 2014
with 15-10, 16-10 and 13-11 and worked a career-high 2010 innings in
2016. Roark slipped to 9-15 last season but pitched in his third
postseason series.
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“I would say he's
a stable presence,” manager David Bell said. “He's continuing to
make good adjustments over his career. He seems to get better and
better. He is a guy who has had a lot of different experiences and a
lot of success on good teams. He is a really good pitchers and makes
everybody around him better.”
Bell and his staff
have yet to slot the rotation but doesn’t think of Roark as just
someone to give the bullpen a break. He won’t necessarily be a
third or fourth starter.
“I see him as not
just an innings eater but a guy that gives us a chance to win every
time he goes out,” Bell said. “That's saying a lot. It is nice
to have him in that rotation no matter where we slot him in.”
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Roark believes in
his new teammates, even though he’s been with them just three days.
His knowledge of them exceeds what is on paper about them. He is
one of three starters along with Alex Wood and Sonny Gray who the
front office brought in to help the Reds compete now. Roark like
Wood are under team control for one season but if they work out the
Reds could keep them around longer.
“Getting the three
of us can do a lot for this team,” Roark said “They were already
a pain to deal with. Their lineup is so tough, one through eight,
one through nine. It was just a pain to deal with, fouling off stuff,
making you work for every out, every inning.”
The veteran knows
that he has intangibles to offer the Reds’ younger hurlers.
“There are a lot
of young arms here,” Roark observed. “A lot of young players in
general. I'd like to pass along to stay mentally tough. Don't be
afraid to fail. I've been through it I still at times go out there
and think too much. What do you have to lose? Just go out with your
best pitch and do your best.”
Roark learned to
battle through hardship during his toughest season in his career in
2018. He lost 10 of 11 decisions between May 5 and July 13,
including six in a row. Roark recovered with five straight wins.
“There is going to
be grinds throughout the season you can't let this game beat you. You
have to stay mentally tough and mentally strong. There are things
that you fight through that make you tough as a baseball player,”
Roark said. “I had to grind the last two years a little bit
mentally. The biggest part of staying on top of your game is the
mental aspect. I know that I have all the right pitches, all the
right stuff and the mentality to be out there. You have to use that
and build off each start.”
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“After the first
game, it doesn’t matter,” Roark said. “You are going to pitch
every fifth day. The biggest obstacle is
consistency. The cliche stuff like playing
together is big. It is about playing together and have fun. We're
playing a kid's game.”
David Bell’s only
questions this spring is who will play center field and who will
comprise the four-man bench. He is leaning toward carrying 13
pitchers most of the year.
Nick Senzel and
Michael Lorenzen are going to get a chance to play in centerfield.
Philip Ervin and Scott Schebler have experience there.
“I saw Senzel for
the first time,” Bell said. “My first thought was that he can
really move on the field. He is a good athlete. We will keep him
sharp at his other positions but he has the ability to play in
center.”
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