SARASOTA, Fla. -- After two weeks of drills, the Reds will finally hit the field in game-like situations next week, and they've lined up their pitchers for intrasquad games Tuesday and Wednesday and the exhibition opener Thursday.
The intrasquad games are scheduled to last 4½ innings each and will feature relief pitchers exclusively.
Scheduled to pitch Tuesday, in no particular order, are Danny Graves, John Riedling, Mike Matthews, Chris Booker, Juan Cerros, Jesus Sanchez, Seth Etherton and Jose Acevedo.
Getting the call Wednesday will be Chris Reitsma, Ryan Wagner, Phil Norton, Brian Reith, Brian Shackleford, Joe Valentine, Todd Van Poppel, Rigo Beltran and Brian Mallette.
Starters will get into the act for Thursday's exhibition opener against Pittsburgh. Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen, Graves, Riedling and Matthews are first on the list, with Booker, Cerros and Matt Belisle also available.
The Reds' relievers are expected to throw every other day, a schedule they began last week.
EXCUSED ABSENCE -- Outfielder Stephen Smitherman, who had been working in the afternoon group, practiced in the morning Friday.
He will miss sessions today and Sunday as he returns home to Oklahoma to attend the funeral of an uncle.
Manager Dave Miley said he expects Smitherman, the organization's 2003 minor league player of the year, back for Monday's workouts.
TWO SIGN -- The Reds on Friday agreed to terms on one-year deals with right-hander Aaron Harang and outfielder Wily Mo Pena.
Thirteen players remain unsigned: Smitherman, Acevedo, Claussen, Norton, Valentine, Wagner, OF Adam Dunn, IF Ryan Freel, OF Austin Kearns, 3B Brandon Larson, SS Felipe Lopez, C Corky Miller and SS Ray Olmedo.
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The intrasquad games are scheduled to last 4½ innings each and will feature relief pitchers exclusively.
Scheduled to pitch Tuesday, in no particular order, are Danny Graves, John Riedling, Mike Matthews, Chris Booker, Juan Cerros, Jesus Sanchez, Seth Etherton and Jose Acevedo.
Getting the call Wednesday will be Chris Reitsma, Ryan Wagner, Phil Norton, Brian Reith, Brian Shackleford, Joe Valentine, Todd Van Poppel, Rigo Beltran and Brian Mallette.
Starters will get into the act for Thursday's exhibition opener against Pittsburgh. Paul Wilson, Brandon Claussen, Graves, Riedling and Matthews are first on the list, with Booker, Cerros and Matt Belisle also available.
The Reds' relievers are expected to throw every other day, a schedule they began last week.
EXCUSED ABSENCE -- Outfielder Stephen Smitherman, who had been working in the afternoon group, practiced in the morning Friday.
He will miss sessions today and Sunday as he returns home to Oklahoma to attend the funeral of an uncle.
Manager Dave Miley said he expects Smitherman, the organization's 2003 minor league player of the year, back for Monday's workouts.
TWO SIGN -- The Reds on Friday agreed to terms on one-year deals with right-hander Aaron Harang and outfielder Wily Mo Pena.
Thirteen players remain unsigned: Smitherman, Acevedo, Claussen, Norton, Valentine, Wagner, OF Adam Dunn, IF Ryan Freel, OF Austin Kearns, 3B Brandon Larson, SS Felipe Lopez, C Corky Miller and SS Ray Olmedo.
http://www.cincypost.com
