2010 Spring Training updates

[OnBaseMachine]

It's that time again folks! Spring Training begins tomorrow! Just like last year, I'm starting a thread where we can post all the non-thread worthy ST news in this one thread.

From Mark Sheldon's twitter:

On the ground in Goodyear...

First, a sorry for the next sentence to those folks snowbound in Cincinnati and other areas of the country. I must say the weather is spectacular here in Arizona. Mid 70's during the day and 50's at night and that's the forecast for the rest of the week too, with nary a cloud in sight. Humidity is low. In other words -- perfect.

The first person I saw when I exited the airport was Charles Barkley. Of course, he's a hard guy to miss. The taxi stand guy and a few fans posed with him for pictures. His cab driver shook his hand with excitement. I thought that was the official Arizona welcome to all -- but that was reserved only for Sir Charles.

I'm still settling in but I took a brief gander of the new Reds facility in Goodyear. For those who care purely about the baseball, this place will make you forget all about what they had in Sarasota. There is no comparison, at all. I will try to provide more details and description in the days and weeks ahead. Let me know in the comments section if there is any question you want answered about the place. The last time I was out here, it was under construction but the finished product is good stuff.

The Reds have been shooting video of the complex. Here is a link to the weight room tour:

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/media...=cin&topic_id=

I'm staying in Goodyear about 10 minutes from the yard and it seems to be a nice town so far. Obviously, there's no beach nearby and many of the restaurants you'll find are familiar chains -- which will frustrate the adventurous eater -- but I think anyone that comes out here will be pleasantly surprised. Scottsdale and Tempe are about 30-40 minutes away and both are worth seeing. And with 13 of the 15 Cactus League teams all in the metro Phoenix area, you can take in a lot of baseball.

I will be at the camp Wednesday to get started. Things begin in earnest on Thursday when camp opens.

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

[Homer Bailey]

Ok. The preseason bug has bit me. Let's go Reds!

[membengal]

Man am I pumped about spring training getting underway. Just signed up for Sheldon, cnati's and Fay's twitter feeds. Let news commence!

[SirFelixCat]

Ok. The preseason bug has bit me. Let's go Reds!

Yeah, me too. It actually hit about 4 days ago, but now it's chomping at the bit!

[OnBaseMachine]

I was ready for spring training a week after the season ended but the bug really hit me the day Aroldis Chapman signed.

[Tommyjohn25]

Is it bad if they were to have a live feed from Goodyear 24 hours a day, I would watch it constantly? Even if there was nothing going on at the time?

[redsfan30]

Is it bad if they were to have a live feed from Goodyear 24 hours a day, I would watch it constantly? Even if there was nothing going on at the time?

I'd be right there with ya.

[Tommyjohn25]

I'd be right there with ya.

Good. I made that statement at work today and I got some strange looks.

[OnBaseMachine]

Early arrivals

If you're the Reds front office, you have to like the early turnout. Each year, many players arrive ahead of the report date but there seemed to be more than usual.

The fresh new facility in Goodyear might have something to do with that. But there were lots of players already working out for several days. The report date for pitchers and catchers is Thursday.

The clubhouse is beyond belief, especially coming from Sarasota, and offered a very good first impression. I didn't get to see it the other day. This one is as good as the one in GABP and just as massive. Over the middle of the room are four 60-inch flat screen TVs that are connected and hang like an arena scoreboard. Nice touch.

Among the early arrivals: Aaron Harang, Aroldis Chapman, Nick Masset, Daniel Herrera, Jared Burton, Ryan Hanigan, Homer Bailey, Micah Owings, Corky Miller, Edinson Volquez, Mike Leake and several others.

"This place is great," Masset said. "They did a really good job. I'm excited. This is by far the best complex I've ever played at. It's awesome, inside and outside, the fields, the mounds. You get that feeling coming to camp, you're always excited to get in and get started. When you come into a clubhouse like this, it makes it 10 times better."

I saw guys long toss. Chapman was throwing BBs from right-center field to the right field foul line. There were guys conditioning on "Mount Krause." the grassy hill built here for drills.

There is a good, quiet work room here for the media, aka the Goodyear News Bureau. Before, we shared our work space with the media/scouts lunchroom, where it would get loud and distracting before games. Now I have one less excuse not to write well.

Back at you Thursday for the first workout.

http://marksheldon.mlblogs.com/

[OnBaseMachine]

Volquez brings sunny disposition to camp
Reds hurler arrives early, aims to return after All-Star break
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

02/17/10 2:35 PM EST

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Even though he knows he won't be preparing for Opening Day with the rest of the Reds, pitcher Edinson Volquez never stops smiling, never stops being in a good mood.

Volquez is rehabilitating from the Tommy John reconstructive surgery he had on his elbow in August. He has the familiar L-shaped scar on his inner elbow to prove it.

"It's my tattoo," Volquez said from a chair in the Reds' clubhouse on Wednesday.

Volquez came to town on Tuesday and was one of several early arrivals to pour into the team's brand-new complex in Goodyear, Ariz. Pitchers and catchers will hold their first workout at noon local time on Thursday.

As pitchers prepare their arms for April, Volquez's timetable is much longer. He's hoping to return after the All-Star break and is optimistic about his chances. On Wednesday, he had just returned from icing down after a long-toss session that reached a distance of 130 feet.

"They said I would feel something right here [on the forearm], but I don't feel anything there," Volquez said. "Everything has been going great right now.

"I just put it in my mind that I have to take a break to give me the time to be ready to get back to the big leagues. I'm not hurrying right now."

Volquez was last seen on the mound on June 1 in St. Louis, when he lasted only one inning. And that had come right after a two-week stint on the disabled list with back spasms.

A 17-game winner and breakout All-Star for Cincinnati in 2008, Volquez made only nine starts in 2009. In those games, he was 4-2 with a 4.35 ERA.

After the regular season ended, Volquez stayed in Cincinnati for about a month to continue his rehab. Most of the winter was spent at home in the Dominican Republic, where he would drive 30 minutes from the capital city of Santo Domingo to the Reds' Dominican academy for workouts with trainer Carlos Acevedo.

"He rode me all the time, five days a week," Volquez said. "I started at 10 a.m. and finished around 2 p.m. I lost 18 pounds. I was 240 pounds, and now I'm 222. I have to buy new clothes."

On Saturdays and Sundays sometimes, Volquez would go to the beach and swim, or hang out with his family or play dominoes with friends. On three occasions, he did venture out to see some Winter League games.

"But three games only," Volquez said. "I was away from baseball and didn't want to keep it in my mind. I went with my friends.

"One day I was there to see [teammate Francisco Cordero] pitch. I was sitting right behind the dugout and was like, 'Oh man, I want to be there.' I will be there."

Not just yet. At this point, Volquez is long tossing for about 12-13 minutes every other day. There has been no discussion yet of when he will work off of a mound again.

Every day always seemed to be a good day for Volquez when he was healthy. If he's had a bad day during the rehab process, he's not letting on.

"I feel great. I don't feel any pain, nothing," he said. "I'm hoping when I get back, I want to see the team in a good position. I want to help us compete with all the teams. That's what I want."

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

[SirFelixCat]

"He rode me all the time, five days a week," Volquez said. "I started at 10 a.m. and finished around 2 p.m. I lost 18 pounds. I was 240 pounds, and now I'm 222. I have to buy new clothes."

He was really that big? Or just after he got hurt he ballooned? I can't imagine he was as big as I am. He's a tiny guy, right?

[OnBaseMachine]

Live from Goodyear
Posted by jfay February 17th, 2010, 3:49 pm

I’m coming to you from the press room at the Goodyear complex. The facility is beautiful — light years above what the Reds had at Sarasota. The clubhouse is as nice as the one at Great American. The training facilities are first-rate.

The fields look great. Green grass and blue skies are a welcome sight after the winter we had.

I didn’t get out here until about 1 (stopped for lunch at In-n-Out Burger). All the players had cleared out by then, except Drew Stubbs. He’s here early and ready to go.

“I’ve told people all offseason that this is the first time in my pro career that I’ve looked forward to coming spring training,” he said. “The reason being is every year leading up to this one, I felt no matter how well or badly I did, I was slotted for a position at an affiiliate in the system. Now, I come with a purpose . . . to make the team. It’s very exciting or me.”

Stubbs is a virtual lock make the team.

On the subject of outfielders, someone emailed today about the chances of Jay Bruce getting platooned in right field if struggles hitting left-handers. Not very good, I’d say. Stubbs, Wladimir Balentien and Chris Heisey are the only right-handed hitters listed as outfielders in camp. Balentien hit less against lefties than Bruce (.165 to .210).

Of course, Todd Frazier is scheduled to get a look in left. Aaron Miles, who can play outfield, is a switch-hitter.

If Jonny Gomes signs, it changes things. But the lack of right-handed hitters in the outfield mix may help Heisey’s or Fraizer’s chances.

http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/

[Nasty_Boy]

He was really that big? Or just after he got hurt he ballooned? I can't imagine he was as big as I am. He's a tiny guy, right?

I'm pretty sure Volquez is in the 6-4 range... So 240 lbs isn't that overweight. I would say most of that weight came on the weeks following surgery, and his DL time leading up to the TJ surgery.

[OnBaseMachine]

I'm pretty sure Volquez is in the 6-4 range... So 240 lbs isn't that overweight. I would say most of that weight came on the weeks following surgery, and his DL time leading up to the TJ surgery.

Volquez is around 6'0" to 6'1". But he's always been a little thick. Not 240, but probably around 220. I'd say it's fairly normal to gain weight after TJ surgery.

[Homer Bailey]

I don't know what I would have done today had I not known where Fay ate lunch.