Mercker to the DL, Burns recalled

[Reds Fanatic]

Kent Mercker has been put on the DL this morning and this is the really bad part Mike Burns has been recalled from AAA.

[captainmorgan07]

why mike burns there has to be somebody else that we coulda called up

[RedRage]

Ok, dumb question. Who decides who comes up? Narron or Krivsky?

[Matt700wlw]

You guys are fast....I just heard it...literally

[CTA513]

I wonder how long they knew he was hurt...

[Chip R]

I would think Krivsky makes that call but I believe he would consult with Narron beforehand along with the minor league people.

[GOREDSGO32]

Who the heck else do we have really? Lets take a look ... Burns has a 2.13 ERA at Triple A. Josh Hall a 3.38 but just got completely ROCKED the other day. Wagner has a cool ERA of nine. Burns is about the best option we have at this point. It's not like we have the next dominant reliever to just call up.

[2001MUgrad]

I was looking at the Bats minor league pitching staff yesterday and Burns along with Venafro appear to be the only ones that get anyone out.
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/external/brandedstats/t998.html?cid=416&lid=117&t=t_ibp&sid=milb

The real question is what in the heck is wrong with Ryan Wagner?? They may have screwed this kid up by bringing him to the bigs way to quick

[captainmorgan07]

now that i look at the stats burns is the only one worth the call up other than venafro

[GOREDSGO32]

Venafro has only pitched 7 innings though.

[Matt700wlw]

This is probably only temporay considering Milton will most likely be back next week...

[Kc61]

This is probably only temporay considering Milton will most likely be back next week...

Good point. When Milton comes back I hope Lizard stays up in Cincy. If there is no room for him in the rotation, let EZ work two inning stints in the bullpen. This could help the pen and give Lizard more exposure to major league hitters.

Burns or Rick White would depart as the move for Milton.

[icehole3]

Lizard is major league ready IMO.

[KronoRed]

Burns? :dunno:

[djsauter]

What A Joke

[2001MUgrad]

I know that Clausen pitched well today and thats great!!! But, they put up a stat about him on TV BA first time, second time, and third time around the lineup. He has been really good this year first time around. If memory serves me right I think the second time around it was about .340 and third time around was about .370. Seems to me that he may be a natural fit to move to the pen since statistically speaking it looks like he is remarkably better the first time facing batters.

[Caveat Emperor]

I'm a message board contributor, not a GM...but if I'm running this team David Shafer and Carlos Guevara get a seriously hard look before I ever consider bringing Mike Burns up or trotting Rick White or Chris Hammond out to the mound again

[captainmorgan07]

whoever doesn't make it in the rotation put them in the pen not in long relief but in middle relief where we need it the most

[Larry Schuler]

Boo-urns!

[edabbs44]

Burns could have struck out every batter he faced in AAA and I would have let him rot down there.

[TeamBoone]

I don't remember knowing about the brain aneurysm in 2000, though I'm sure it must have been well publicized.


05.14.2006, 02:31 PM

Reds' Mercker Goes on DL With Sore Elbow
By JOE KAY / Associated Press

Left-hander Kent Mercker went on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a sore elbow, forcing the Cincinnati Reds to shuffle their bullpen.

The Reds had planned to use the 38-year-old reliever as a set-up man and part-time closer, sharing the job with David Weathers. Mercker developed a sore back in spring training that may have led to the sore elbow.

"He just really needs some time to see if he can get 100 percent healthy," manager Jerry Narron said. "I think he's pitched through a couple of different things this year. It's not fair for him to go out there and not be even close to 100 percent."

Mercker has made 12 appearances this season, compiling a 3.52 ERA. He expects to have tests on the elbow Monday.

"I don't think it's anything major," he said before the final game of a series against Philadelphia. "And really, if it is at my age, what am I going to do? Have surgery and rehab for '08? No."

Mercker is making $1.35 million in the final year of his contract. He's hoping that the tests find nothing serious, and two weeks of rest get rid of the pain. He didn't want to keep inconveniencing Narron, who didn't know from one day to the next whether Mercker would be available to pitch.

"That's the one thing if anything that I've done in my life, is be available," Mercker said. "It may not be pretty when I go out there. I feel I can just nip it in the bud right now and be full-throttle for the last four months."

The Reds called up right-hander Mike Burns from Triple-A Louisville to take Mercker's place. Burns had a 7.56 ERA in seven appearances for the Reds before he was demoted to Louisville on April 19.

With Mercker sidelined, left-hander Chris Hammond will get an expanded role. The 40-year-old reliever has an 8.38 ERA in 11 appearances covering 9 2-3 innings. He usually only faces a few batters at a time.

It's the ninth time in Mercker's 16-year career that he's gone on the disabled list. He was sidelined by a strained lower back in 2003 and 2004. He had a brain aneurysm when he was with Anaheim in 2000 and missed the next season as well.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/05/14/ap2744522.html

[flyer85]

Kent Mercker has been put on the DL this morning and this is the really bad part Mike Burns has been recalled from AAA.I speculated after Thursday/Friday that he could be headed there because he was the only pitcher not used and if healthy he would certainly have been out there. He has only pitched 7 innings to this point in the season.

[flyer85]

With Mercker sidelined, left-hander Chris Hammond will get an expanded role.that went well today

[LoganBuck]

Aren't several AA relievers coming up for tomorrow's exhibition game in Cooperstown. Maybe it is really more of an audition.

[KronoRed]

that went well today
Hey..his era isn't infinity anymore? ;)