Milton, Claussen, Kozlowski expected to participate in early voluntary workouts

[savafan]

http://www.redszone.com/forums/newth...newthread&f=24

By Marc Lancaster
Post staff reporter

Reds pitchers and catchers are due to report to the City of Sarasota Sports Complex one month from today, but a few will get a head start on their preparations for 2006 this week.

Because a number of players - mostly those who live in Florida during the offseason - expressed an interest in reporting early, the Reds will make the facility available for voluntary workouts for the next few weeks.

Among those who probably will be on hand with some frequency are pitchers Eric Milton, Brandon Claussen and Ben Kozlowski, according to general manager Dan O'Brien. Right-hander Paul Wilson, who is recovering from shoulder surgery that ended his 2005 season in June, also will be at the complex to work with the medical staff. He is expected to begin throwing off the mound soon, possibly this week.

"The situation with Paul is considerably different because he's still in rehab and it's somewhat of a structured thing," O'Brien said. "The other guys will obviously on their own volition decide to come and there will be some sort of workout schedule they like and we'll try and have the complex open."

It helps that the Reds have been able to establish a year-round base of operations in Sarasota. Members of the minor league training staff are on hand there, and several of the organization's coaches live in the area. Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle, minor league pitching coordinator Mack Jenkins and special instructor Ed Napoleon live in Sarasota, and minor league field coordinator Bob Miscik and bullpen coach Tom Hume are nearby.

A handful of big-league teams hold more organized early camps that mainly focus on pitching.

Pitching coach Leo Mazzone's annual "Camp Leo" gatherings during his time with the Atlanta Braves were well-attended, and the Braves reportedly will continue the tradition even though Mazzone has moved on to Baltimore.

The Pittsburgh Pirates last week held a voluntary minicamp at their Grapefruit League facility in Bradenton, Fla., the sixth consecutive year they have done so. Most of the Pirates' frontline pitchers were on hand as new manager Jim Tracy and his staff got a look at what they'll have to work with full-time beginning next month.

"Maybe we can accomplish the same thing, just do it a little bit differently," O'Brien said.

[redsfan30]

Glad to see Eric Milton will be there. I really expect a good turn around season from him. We were all disappointed with his season last year, but nobody was more upset than Eric himself.

As I've said on here many times before, nobody has ever accused Eric of being Cy Young but nobody could have ever imagined he would be that bad in 2005.

[westofyou]

Glad to see Eric Milton will be there. I really expect a good turn around season from him. We were all disappointed with his season last year, but nobody was more upset than Eric himself.

As I've said on here many times before, nobody has ever accused Eric of being Cy Young but nobody could have ever imagined he would be that bad in 2005.

Last year he was even earlier.

http://www.redszone.com/forums/showt...9#postid539699

[Heath]

So the Pirates have been doing this for six years now.....interesting...

[Redsland]

Does this mean we won't have to wait until June before the tendonitis sets in?

[Barbarossa]

I think this is great. Three pitchers on their own, showing up early to start getting in shape. I seem to recall a young pitcher named Jack Armstrong in 1900 doing the same thing. Only he didn't have a facility to go to practice. He had to hire a highschool coach to throw to. Did pretty well too, won his first ten games and made the All-Star team. Not bad for a rookie. 'Course he didn't do much after that. I'd like to see the Reds do some adaptation of the Braves system of earlier reporting for pitchers.

[TeamBoone]

Who is Ben Kozlowski? What did I miss?

And I thought there was some sort of rule against arriving early unless the player is injured. If I remember correctly, Dunn and a couple other players arrived early last year only to be told they wouldn't be allowed to work out.

[KronoRed]

So the Pirates have been doing this for six years now.....interesting...

We want 5th..better copy them

[wheels]

Glad to see Eric Milton will be there. I really expect a good turn around season from him. We were all disappointed with his season last year, but nobody was more upset than Eric himself.

As I've said on here many times before, nobody has ever accused Eric of being Cy Young but nobody could have ever imagined he would be that bad in 2005.

How soon we forget.

[Chip R]

Who is Ben Kozlowski? What did I miss?

He's a pitcher we picked up from Texas (surprise, surprise) last off season. He's supposed to throw hard. I think he was coming off an injury (another surprise) as well.

[registerthis]

So the Pirates have been doing this for six years now.....interesting...

Yes, and obviously it's paying off very well for them.

[jregensb]

As I've said on here many times before, nobody has ever accused Eric of being Cy Young but nobody could have ever imagined he would be that bad in 2005.

Agreed. I know there was a lot of frustration over the Milton signing, but I don't recall even the most ardent critics predicting the kind of train wreck that '05 was. His ERA shot up by almost a point and a half over his career average. He gave up close to 20 more hits (above career average) while pitching about 20 fewer innings. Strikeouts were down and earned runs were way up. He had, I suppose, the opposite of what we'd call a "career year".

And maybe he'll suck again in '06. Maybe he'll be worse. Who knows. But right now, in the dead of January, as I watch Columbus rain turn into Columbus snow, I prefer to imagine he won't.

[Redsland]

Anyone who says Eric Milton will be better had better have a good reason why.

He was a 4.76 career pitcher who moved into a HR park and brought a degenerative knee condition with him. If you think he's going to be so much as one tick better than last year, be prepared to tell me why. And "luck" ain't gonna cut it.

[Slyder]

Glad to see Eric Milton will be there. I really expect a good turn around season from him. We were all disappointed with his season last year, but nobody was more upset than Eric himself.

As I've said on here many times before, nobody has ever accused Eric of being Cy Young but nobody could have ever imagined he would be that bad in 2005.

If he learns to keep the ball down and understand he isnt the same pitcher he was when he had enough of a fastball to get it by some guys, then he will see improvement. Hopefully hes worked hard this offseason (and to be honest with you if hes under 5 hed be great help with this team).

Claussen can only improve with this extra help and its good to see the young spect Kozlowski is taking advantage of this. I wander though, was this open to only a select few or could everyone have taken advantage of the extra time? Anyone know?

[jregensb]

If you think he's going to be so much as one tick better than last year, be prepared to tell me why. And "luck" ain't gonna cut it.

The Miley/Gullet purge provides a nice place to bisect Milton's '05 season.

Before the managerial change Milton started 15 games. Of those, only three (20%) could be described as quality starts. Perhaps more troubling, in six of those games (40%) he gave up 6 or more earned runs.

After the change, Milton started 19 games. Of those, nine (47%) could be described as quality starts. In that same span he managed to keep his terrible starts (6 or more earned runs) down to four (approx. 20%).

Isn't it reasonable to assume that something changed? He essentially flip-flopped his quality start/lousy start ratio somewhere around the middle of the season. Granted he never got good, but all he has to do to improve on last year's numbers is simply pitch like he did the second half. I'm not convinced that's out of the realm of possibility.