News
Encarnacion working through slow start
Cincinnati (10-9) vs. Houston (8-12), 7:10 p.m. ET
Though he leads the Reds with 13 walks, Edwin Encarnacion is batting .127 on the season. (David J. Phillip/AP)
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
04/28/09 1:00 AM ET
CINCINNATI -- Only three Reds players -- Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Edwin Encarnacion -- have played every inning of every game to this point. As far as manager Dusty Baker was concerned on Monday, it would remain the case in the foreseeable future. Both Encarnacion and Phillips have struggled to get going since the season began. "Edwin came out early and hit today. His timing is off. He's not tired," Baker said. "It's April. It hasn't been hot yet. Phillips might need more of a mental off-day coming up here soon. We'll determine when that is. He's so valuable defensively. That's what makes it tough giving him [a day] off." Although he leads the club in walks with 13, Encarnacion is batting .127 and is 1-for-his-past-28 after an 0-for-4 game that included leaving the bases loaded in the sixth inning of a 4-1 loss on Monday. Baker tried to get Encarnacion extra at-bats in Spring Training, but wrist and shoulder injuries limited those chances. A couple of seasons ago when he started out flat, Encarnacion was sent to Triple-A Louisville for a couple of weeks to get what was termed a wake-up call. The organization happens to have one of the hottest hitting third basemen in all of baseball in Louisville's Adam Rosales, but there has been no thought to sending Encarnacion down to make room. "I guess he's a slow starter after three years in a row," Baker said. "You'd have never guessed Ryne Sandberg and Eddie Murray would be in the Hall of Fame looking at their Aprils. Some guys are April and May hitters and by July, you can't find them. Some guys take a while to get their timing. Triple-A isn't the answer." Timing certainly hasn't been an issue for Votto, who is batting .378 with three homers and 20 RBIs. "I've got something in mind. But Votto, he doesn't need an off-day," Baker said. "I've always been told if a guy is hot, you play him until he stops being hot. You get all you can while you can get it." Pitching matchupCIN: RHP Aaron Harang (2-2, 2.00 ERA)
Harang resumed his good pitching in a 7-1 win over the Cubs on Thursday. In seven-plus innings, the right-hander gave up just one unearned run on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. His previous outing vs. Houston wasn't so strong as he allowed five earned runs and 10 hits in a 7-0 loss on April 18. He left trailing, 3-0, but had two more runs inherited by the bullpen score. All three of the early runs came with two outs. HOU: LHP Wandy Rodriguez (1-2, 1.80 ERA)
Rodriguez took a hard-luck loss in his previous outing, dropping a decision to the Dodgers after he was outdueled by Chad Billingsley, with Rodriguez yielding just one run over six innings.
Reds notes
Of Laynce Nix's six hits this season, four are doubles. Nix hit a sixth-inning double after he replaced injured left fielder Chris Dickerson on Monday. ... The Reds suffered their first defeat when getting a quality start. ... Votto was 2-for-4 with an RBI on Monday and leads the club in RBIs.
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.
On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio• Gameday
• Official game notes On television
• FS-O On radio
• WLW 700 Up next
• Wednesday: Reds (Edinson Volquez, 2-2, 6.20) vs. Astros (Felipe Paulino, 0-1, 3.00), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
• Friday: Reds (Bronson Arroyo, 3-1, 6.48) at Pirates (Zach Duke, 3-1, 2.43), 7:05 p.m. ET
Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
