Latos, Broxton, Marshall

[JohnU]

Shoulder injuries=VERY HIGH RISK

Timetable could have Latos ready for Opening Day

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Reds starter Mat Latos is progressing well enough from recent surgeries on his right elbow and left knee that he could be ready to open the season on the big league roster, manager Bryan Price said Sunday.

According to the first-year skipper, Latos would have to throw one more bullpen session, live batting practice and make four spring starts to build up enough arm strength to be ready for Opening Day.

Considering the Reds open at home against the Cardinals on March 31, the time frame is pretty tight.

Latos was 14-7 with a 3.16 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 210 2/3 innings last season, but he had to undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips in his right elbow this past October. Although his arm was ready before Spring Training, Latos tore the meniscus in his left knee throwing in the bullpen the week the team reported to camp, requiring another round of surgery.

Price said Latos had a good bullpen session Saturday, the right-hander's third since returning from rehabbing the knee, and was encouraged by the 26-year-old's progress.

Price said it's essential that Latos be able to build up to at least 90 pitches before he can open the regular season. Price also said he hasn't informed Latos when he might make his first spring start.

Broxton on track for return; Marshall delayed

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Reds manager Bryan Price said on Sunday that he's happy with the progress of one of his relievers, right-hander Jonathan Broxton, but much more guarded about left-hander Sean Marshall.

Broxton had surgery to repair a torn flexor mass in his right forearm in August and hasn't pitched yet during Spring Training. Marshall suffered a recurrence of the left shoulder tendinitis that caused him to be placed on the disabled list twice last season.

"Broxton has a throwing schedule that leads him into live batting practice, and I don't know the exact date for that," Price said. "He hasn't had any setbacks. He's been terrific every time he's thrown, not just in his bullpens, but in his long toss. We should know realistically as we get into the last 10 days of spring whether he'll be on time to start the season.

"I don't anticipate there being any issues with his elbow. He looks strong. His delivery is good. He's throwing his breaking ball now so the next step will be live batting practice before getting him into games."

Marshall, though, has been slowed down.

"He had some real challenges with the shoulder last year," Price said. "Every time we seemed to get close, we took a step back. So we didn't want to go down that road again. He checked out well with Dr. [Tim] Kremchek. He's done a lot of offseason work, but he just didn't get out of the gates the way we hoped. Instead of pushing him through it, force him through it, we decided to take a step back.

"He's been playing catch, but he hasn't gotten back on the mound yet. We're hoping that's going to come soon. And if it does, and there are no setbacks from that point, it's still realistic to see him on the Opening Day roster. But if we're talking about it being a week from now, that might be more of a challenge."

 

[Ryanballa]

Really good news about Latos, some "experts" where projecting him not to be back til May. Dont look for him to pitch in Cardinals series, but the 2nd series I think he should be good to go.

 

[JohnU]

Optimism is fairly common in spring camp. He needs to build up to 40 pitches, then 60, then 90 ... and any setbacks at all and they will shut him down.

 

[Redsfan1507]

You never have enough pitching. Ask the Braves...now in the Ervin Santana market after Minor blew an elbow and Beachy had a setback. Improves the Nats chances there.

Jaime Garcia seems to be a continual injury question...limiting the Cardinals LHSP options...IMO, what truly cost them the WS ladt year. ...doesn't hurt the Reds chances any. The Pirates are hoping the Reds currently gimpy stretch out as long as possible too.

 

[JohnU]

Brox threw an inning on Monday, all fastballs. I would not be ready to pencil this guy onto the roster just yet. I smell a Nick Christiani on the O.D. roster. Marshall won't be ready, if ever now. I fear these shoulder injuries are just right for the old 60-day DL. Expect to see that on the last day of camp.

 

[Redsfan1507]

Injury reports in spring training are about like accurate 6:00 news in Russia right now. The only things I believe are what I see in the box score and when they announce a doctors appointment.

I hope Latos is healthy AND effective, whenever he pitches, or I'll suspect a coverup.

 

[HammerDown]

I urge extreme caution with Latos. 15 day DL to start the season.

 

[Ryanballa]

Mat Latos threw 2 great innings of baseball today.

 

[Ryanballa]

Latos:To start season on DL
Broxton:To start season on DL
Marshall:To start season on DL
Devin Mez:Hurting oblique. Gonna rest for 2 days.
Well Spring training was a disaster. But non are hurt serious. Hopefully they arnt out to long. Are boys are just gonna have to get through this rough spot.

 

[JohnU]

Latos has to be on the DL until he gets stretched out. Gives Price some bullpen options.
Same with Broxton.

Marshall? I think we've seen a Nick Masset reprise there.

 

[chico ruiz]

there are a lot of interesting statistics in baseball. but, the only one that counts is wins. right? how do you get 90+ wins? the rays have allowed the fewest runs in mlb the last six seasons combined. they did this in the AL east. not too shabby. you might also want to look at their defensive efficiency in the last 6 years. far and away the best in mlb. any one want to guess which team has the most stolen bases since 2008? take a real close look at how they have done this and then listen to saint marty's assessment / sermon of price's 'intellectual' approach. it might sound familiar. regardless, price will be thrown to the wolves immediately. trial by fire on march 31st. we're going to find out what price's proclivities are by mid april.

again, and regardless of roster, i hope to see this type of so-called 'intellectual' style (i just call it, 'the way the game was meant to be played') sustained by the reds for years to come. it will be interesting to see how price manages with a couple of 15 day DL's, or worse. he will have to adapt -on the fly- to keep the reds in contention. up to now, he hasn't had to make those kind of decisions. right now, it's just talk, but very soon every game will count. i also don't see how any pronouncement about how he will utilize the bullpen serves any purpose. there are inherent risks no matter what he does. relying on one or two pitchers too heavily is one risk, and will produce the same outcome. and he will get into situations when he needs to go left on left. he's going to look at his chart and see that player x is pounding right-handed pitchers -especially fastball / slider types- and he will make the move. more often than not i suspect (go back through bochy's and larussa's box scores of 2010,11,and 12 -all world championship years). the temptation will be too compelling. he'll have the odds right in front of him. or maybe some empirical evidence will help him along. like, when adams and alvarez deposit a couple of game winners -off hoover or broxton- into or near the ohio river. let's not kid ourselves. this is 2014. there are no more hoyt wilhelm's, or wayne granger's. if you have to get them up and throwing in the bullpen; you have to get them up and throwing in the bullpen. so, price can try and save bullpen arms, but what will really save them is the starting pitching, running, and defense.

 

[JohnU]

Price has already said the situational reliever isn't what we can expect to see. Sometimes a righthander has to get out a lefty hitter. Just ... that's what has to happen.

Exactly how that compares to "intellectual" is maybe a puzzle, but I do know that he has said that getting a pitcher up and ready to come into a game would mean that the guy probably would come into the game. He may pitch to one hitter, or four hitters, or go three innings.

I don't know that I am excited about a different bullpen strategy but I do know that we can expect to see a different bullpen strategy. About all I get excited about these days is the blonde who works in the deli at the supermarket. Everything else is just statistics.

I do agree that the strength of a pitching staff is not the bullpen; it's the rotation.

That and 4 runs in the first inning.

 

[Ryanballa]

Latos-Pitched 3 innings,threw 93 MPH consistently. Gave up 1 run.
Broxy-Threw 1 scoreless inning
Bailey-Threw 85 pitches worth of scoreless baseball.
All played in a Minor league game today.

 

[Ryanballa]

CORRECTION-Latos did not give up a run in 3 innings pitched, so very good news.

 

[JohnU]

I will stop short of calling him Broxy, if that's OK.

 

[Hit-n-Run]

Everything Price has said sounds good, but to this point as Chico points out, it's more "the best laid plans of mice and men" than gospel.

We'll find out soon enough if Price can play poker, he hasn't been dealt great cards to start with the injuries in ST.

 

[JohnU]

I think we all hope/want to believe that Price HAS to be better than Dusty. That's a perception that we've allowed ourselves to pursue just ... well ... because.

So far, Price has said things that people who don't like Dusty would find appealing. All the same, there are only 9 spots on the lineup card.

 

[Redsfan1507]

All the really good managers on really good teams did a few things- maybe not the same way- but they (almost) all:

1. Limited opposing runs- pitching and defense are large here. Some had big parks that helped- doesnt apply with our Reds, but they have the pitching and D, if they can keep them off the DL.

2. Relay a systemic offensive methodology to a team that is successful at implementing it. Earl Weaver liked the 3 run homer to the exclusion of most other methods. The White Rat, didnt try to wait on a homer less team- he ran people to death. Walt Alston and Joe Maddon have one thing in common- they aren't picky about how they score- they only need 1 more than you scored today.


It doesn't take too much intelligence to evaluate your own roster, and develop a plan within their capability, but many don't appear to be that smart. There is more required to manufacture runs- coaches gotta coach, players gotta pay attention, and the guy flashing signals has to 1) give them and 2) give them in sensible situations. Price can't possibly be worse there than Dusty. I don't think Dusty was stupid, I think he was just stubborn about not working too hard.

I like Joey Votto's approach. I don't think he would do better swinging at breaking balls away than walking. If a walk was just 2 balls, Brandon Phillips OBP would still be .310. He needs a lesson. Bruce is a swingaholic too, but has the opportunity to go to class. All of the above need to brush up on the fact that protecting a basestealer is best done by mashing the fastball, not swinging at the pitchout. Frazier needs to understand one handed front foot waiving at a 55 ft. Breaking ball is the result of not hitting the pitch he took for a strike.

Lots of room for improvement here...but it has to start with the manager. He has to be willing and able, as do players. You can't just ask Simon to be Latos, or Cozart to be Ripken, and expect it to happen. Gotta figure out how to get all they have, and win with them being who they are.

 

[JohnU]

Speaking of (Brett) Marshall, it's looking like he might be the rotation plug instead of Simon.

 

[Redsfan1507]

I haven't seen any recent updates on Cueto and Bailey- are they expected to be ok for opening day ?