Ross faces uncertain return

[AmarilloRed]

Notes: Ross' return remains uncertain
Back cramps preclude veteran catcher from spring action
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Reds catcher David Ross never expected that he would miss this much time.

Spasms have had Ross' lower back in knots, and when he wakes up on Saturday, he'll have already missed all 11 Spring Training games.

"It's terrible," said Ross of the longer-than-expected layoff. Ross thought he'd miss a couple of days when he first got hurt.

Ross' stay in the trainer's room has been extended because of two attempts to return gone wrong. The most recent try at hitting and throwing was four days ago, and it proved he wasn't ready yet.

"I'm going to wait until I'm pain-free," Ross said on Friday. "I've never had back problems. You can't really do anything. I can't throw. I can't hit. I can't catch. I've been on all kinds of medicine. It's not really helping me much."

A targeted return date wasn't known, but manager Dusty Baker estimated it could be another week.

"He was taking two steps forward and one step back," Baker said. "If you keep doing that, you might as well say it's not day-to-day. They say it's muscular. Nothing in the vertebrae or nerves or anything like that."

Ross, who turns 31 on March 19, began working out at a local YMCA pool on Thursday and is running and conditioning in the water.

There are three weeks remaining before camp breaks, which means Ross can still catch up. But there's no avoiding the fact that he's behind his teammates. If he's not ready to open the season, the Reds have Javier Valentin and non-roster invitee Paul Bako as catching options.

"I'm trying not to look at it, because it'll make me do stuff," Ross said. "I thought it'd be a two-or-three day thing. It's a crucial time because I want to see pitchers, get my at-bats and stuff. I feel like there are enough at-bats here for me if I have to go to the Minor League side. But I can't wait too long because I need to see all our pitchers and build a rapport, which is important at Spring Training.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin

[captainmorgan07]

we need ross to get healthy quick. He's a great reciever of the baseball and does wonders for our pitching staff. He will help out the young kids alot. I expect his bat to be better this year than it was last year. If it it he can swing a pretty decent stick when hot.

[SMcGavin]

Our catcher spot was already pretty weak with Ross, it gets awful without him. Let's hope he's ready when the squad heads north.

[KySteveH]

I still haven't read anything definitive on when he hurt his back originally. Was he already hurt when camp began?

[HeatherC1212]

I thought it was spasms that started sometime during the early part of spring training before the games started up. Hopefully he gets better soon because he's a huge asset to our pitching staff.

[Weasle 25]

I like Ross and I hope he comes back to his 2006 form but, I also think the Paul Bako signing was a good one. I know everyone hates the 3 catcher deal and Im not a big fan either but if all goes well I would keep Bako along with Ross and Javy. Ross would get most of the catching and Bako is a great game caller backup guy. Javy should get all the pitch hitting. If Ross stays hurt then Bako gets all the catching duties. I don't care much for Javy behind the plate at a regular basis.

[bubbachunk]

I like Ross and I hope he comes back to his 2006 form but, I also think the Paul Bako signing was a good one. I know everyone hates the 3 catcher deal and Im not a big fan either but if all goes well I would keep Bako along with Ross and Javy. Ross would get most of the catching and Bako is a great game caller backup guy. Javy should get all the pitch hitting. If Ross stays hurt then Bako gets all the catching duties. I don't care much for Javy behind the plate at a regular basis.

Well said the 3 catchers also benefits for the fact that you do not have to worry pinch hitting javy and not still having a catcher to come off the bench, because lets face it javy was the best pinch hitter we had last year.

[gedred69]

Sad fact is, the Reds have no better option. Ross's defense is non-pariell. Too bad he can't hit like Valentin, or vice versa. If this team is going to give the ball to the young pitching lions, Ross is the guy to be behind the plate. Not only can he call a game, his arm keeps base-runners hesitant to try him. I would hope there was someone to surpass him, but I don't see who. Bako can catch and call a game, but does he have Ross's arm? Nah. And he won't hit any better either.

[BEETTLEBUG]

What would it take to get Ramon Hernendez from Orioles

[captainmorgan07]

Bako is basically just another ross without ross's arm. Oh how we wish ross couldn't have javy's offensive skills. Seriously though we need to either develop a catcher in the next few years or open bobs wallet and go get one.

[AmarilloRed]

Ross slowly progressing in camp
Catcher participates in 'pen session, looks to swing on Friday
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com


SARASOTA, Fla. -- Catcher David Ross, who has yet to play in an exhibition game because of lower back spasms, is making incremental progress.

Ross caught a bullpen session for the first time on Wednesday and was scheduled to catch another one late Thursday afternoon.

"I felt really good," Ross said on Thursday about catching again. "It was pain-free, no problems."

Last week, after a couple of setbacks from trying to come back too soon, Ross' rehab program was limited to running and lifting in a local pool. He has since transitioned out of the water and on to a stationary bike.

Ross, who hasn't been allowed to run or swing, said he hoped to start swinging a bat again on Friday.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...=.jsp&c_id=cin



Some good news about Ross. We may yet seem him in the Opening Day lineup.

[Jerry Narron]

What would it take to get Ramon Hernendez from Orioles

Knowing Wayne he'll probably trade a PTBNL for Chad Moeller.

[mlbfan30]

I'm really annoyed when people say Ross can't hit but Valentine can.
OPS last year... then career
V - .715 - .709
R - .670 - .747
B - .533 - .621

Ross did worse than Valentine last year, but not by much. This kind of proves Bako just can't hit. Also Bako is not a good defensive catcher. He can't throw anymore at all. The only way we keep Bako is if Ross is on the DL. There is NO possible circumstance where we should have 3 catchers.

[Krawhitham]

0.760 OPS as a red for Valentine

[JBChance]

Defense-wise, we need Ross back ASAP.

Watching the game threads, a consistent happening is "Bako throws one into center". It's becoming his mantra.

Ross may not be great shakes offensively (see: last year), but defense/ pitcher handling seems to be at least average or better.

Valentin has that pinch-hitter aura that keeps him valuable, so he's here to stay, but I think that Bako must go (and not be replaced). That gives us an extra arm or maybe one of those CF's for a speed/ defensive sub.