Bullpen help sought

 

BY KEVIN BAXTER

 

kbaxter@herald.com

 

 

The loss of setup man Chad Fox until at least mid-June has weakened what was already a shaky bullpen and sent the Marlins searching for help.

 

A team official said Tuesday the Marlins remain interested in Cincinnati's John Riedling, who is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 games, though the Reds have been reluctant to part with him. That could change today, however. Reds general manager Dan O'Brien, who tried all spring to get the Marlins to trade reserve outfielder Abraham Nu?ez, has scheduled a staff meeting for today to discuss his team's options in the wake of injuries to outfielders Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr. and may be willing to consider a Nu?ez-Riedling swap.

 

''I think it's something you evaluate every day,'' Marlins general manager Admin Beinfest said about the possibility of a trade.

 

O'Brien was not available for comment Tuesday, but Riedling said he's aware of the trade talk.

 

''I've heard it,'' he said. ``You always hear stuff like this, more so toward the [trade]deadline. I'm not worried about it.''

 

Orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, who examined Fox in Birmingham, Ala., on Monday, said the right-hander has an inflamed nerve in his surgically repaired right elbow and told him not to throw for four weeks. That was considered good news for Fox, 33, who feared for his career when he went on the disabled list six days ago.

 

''There's still some concern,'' he said Tuesday. ``But there's definitely a huge sigh of relief. We can move forward.''

 

In the meantime, Beinfest and manager Jack McKeon plan to audition the pitchers they have in the bullpen for Fox's setup role, with right-handers Justin Wayne and Nate Bump likely to get the first chances.

 

''Wayne's pitched very well. Bump's pitched well at times,'' McKeon said. ``We're not giving up on our guys. It's not a panic situation where we're going to give up the club to get a guy.''

 

However the team did acquire a pitcher Tuesday, signing free agent Josias Manzanillo, a right-hander with 10 years of big-league experience, to a minor-league contract and assigning him to Albuquerque, N.M. Beinfest said Manzanillo was signed to bolster the injury-plagued Albuquerque staff, although he could be called up.

 

Manzanillo, 36, appeared in nine games for Cincinnati last season, going 0-2 with a 12.66 ERA in 10 2/3 innings.

 

BURNETT TO THROW

 

Right-hander A.J. Burnett will throw to live hitters for the first time in more than a year today when he pitches batting practice to his teammates. Burnett, who led the majors with five shutouts in 2002, underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2003. He hopes to return to the Marlins rotation by mid-June, or about the time Fox is expected back.

 

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/sport...mmmmmmm|Trent|Y

 

 

My gut feeling is that any moves we plan on making from outside of our organization will be made by this weekend. After that, we're done until around the deadline...

from the Herald today....

 

REDS STAY PUT

 

Cincinnati Reds general manager Dan O'Brien reiterated Wednesday that he has no plans to trade reliever John Riedling, calling a proposed deal with the Marlins for outfielder Abraham Nu?ez dead. A Marlins official said earlier this week the team has asked about Riedling, a Fort Lauderdale native, but the Reds have been unwilling to part with the right-hander.

 

for what it's worth...

I wonder if the Dodgers might be willing to give up a reliever to bolster their OF?

After the whole A-Rod fiasco, no trade is ever "dead"

And from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

 

RUMOR JUST THAT:

 

Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said there is nothing to the trade rumor that has John Riedling going to Florida for outfielder Abraham Nunez.

 

"I can answer that with one word: No," O'Brien said.

 

The Marlins would like to have Riedling apparently, but the Reds have not offered him.

Honestly that trade would make no sense for the Reds.