Belisle has a sore right forearm

[AmarilloRed]

Belisle sidelined with sore right forearm
Competing for rotation spot, right-hander's prognosis uncertain
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com


FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Reds starting pitcher Matt Belisle has been shut down from throwing because of a sore right forearm, the Reds announced on Thursday.

How did Belisle get hurt?

"He was overpracticing his changeup," manager Dusty Baker said.

Baker did not know how long Belisle would be out of action. He hasn't pitched in a game since last Friday against the Yankees.

"We skipped him a turn and we'll see," Baker said. "From there, it's getting a little tougher to get the endurance back. That kind of set him backwards."

Belisle's injury could end up cementing the makeup of the Reds' rotation with just over a week left in camp. With Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez closing in on earning two of the three open spots, one spot seemed left for battle among Belisle, Josh Fogg and Homer Bailey.

Of the three candidates, Fogg has pitched best in camp. Belisle and Bailey have often struggled.

Belisle is 2-0 with a 9.00 ERA in 10 innings over four starts with 16 hits allowed. He has walked five with only three strikeouts.

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


I didn't see anything about this, so I mentioned it. Belisle may now be on the DL to start the season. It is now up to Bailey and Fogg to see who will be the last one in the rotation.

[Stephenk29]

tommy john on the way? seems to start that way a lot.

[mound_patrol]

tommy john on the way? seems to start that way a lot.

Definitly not what you want to hear about an injury to a pitcher's arm. Hopefully this is something they say to justify moving him to the pen or AAA. If he is really injured I expect him to be having surgery sometime this spring.

[AmarilloRed]

From Rotoworld:

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Matt Belisle was able to throw at "100 percent" on Sunday.
Belisle had hurt his arm throwing too many changeups, but now appears to be fine. He's expected to pitch in a minor league game in the next couple of days.
Source: Cincinnati Enquirer

It seems like Belisle will be healthy on Opening Day, if not before. Good news all around.

[UPRedsFan]

If he's healthy on opening day I think this makes him the long man out of the bullpen and insurance against Volquez/Cueto.

That would make a bullpen of:

Cordero
Weathers
Bray
Coffey
Affeldt
Stanton
Belisle

[BLEEDS]

If he's healthy on opening day I think this makes him the long man out of the bullpen and insurance against Volquez/Cueto.

That would make a bullpen of:

Cordero
Weathers
Bray
Coffey
Affeldt
Stanton
Belisle

You are missing Burton. I'm pretty sure he's a lock for the pen. You don't want your only RH arms not earmarked for the 8th/9th being Coffey all by himself.

I like your line of thinking with Belisle the long-man, but IMO we'd have to carry 13 pitchers for that, because Burton is making the team laong with the other 6 you mentioned. Not sure we are going to do that, leaving only 4 bench position players - although the odd man out there would be Castro which is a good thing.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[UPRedsFan]

I had left Burton out because he's looked so bad - better tonight though.

What do you do with Belisle then?

[BLEEDS]

I had left Burton out because he's looked so bad - better tonight though.

What do you do with Belisle then?

AAA

I do think there is a slight chance he sticks, for the reason you mentioned - long relief, and we have TWO days off until May. IMO we'd have to cut our bench short in order to do it and carry 13 pitchers. If Freel/Hopper aren't traded for a catcher, we could do it, and as AGon/Ross come back, we drop one position player and then one pitcher.

PEACE

-BLEEDS