Red Reposter - 3/26/09

• Mark Sheldon gives us some updates on injuries: Edwin Encarnacion remained out of the lineup with his sore shoulder, but Dusty Baker said he was feeling better and they were hoping he'd be able to play on Friday.  Jerry Hairston Jr.  is going to DH in a Minor League game today. It'll be one of those deals where he'll lead off every inning so he can get a bunch of at-bats. He could see big-league action tomorrow, at least for a few innings. Look for a story about Hairston over on Reds.com later today.  Baker was waiting to hear an update on Alex Gonzalez and his hamstring. He went home to Miami to see his therapist. Trainer Mark Mann said it was just a little spot and not too bad. He is the proverbial "day-to-day." Baker: "More than anything, it scares him. He's thinking, 'Oh no, not again.' (in terms of getting injured). I'm glad he stopped when he did."

• Hall o' Famer Hal thinks Billy Bray will not make the Opening Day roster with the spring he's had.

• Instead, he believes the spot will go to Danny Ray Herrera.  Dusty Baker wasn't completely glowing in his assessment though:

"He just keeps getting people out," said manager Dusty Baker about Herrera. "Guys like him are real effective in the spring. He is effective most of the time, but very effective in the spring because of his offspeed stuff and hitters don't have their timing yet.  Not taking anything away from him, you understand," said Baker. "I wouldn't do that at all."

The bullpen looks like it will be pretty fungible throughout this season, so who starts where when isn't the biggest of deals.  The long and short of it is that all of these guys will throw Big League innings this year, so there's really no need to get short about it.

• Here's a great interview with Jay Bruce from Big League Stew.  Apparently his middle name is "Allen" and not "Anderson" as was reported in the Red Report.  Lots of funny stuff in here though.