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Cincinnat Reds ace
Johnny Cueto is fully recovered from strained muscle.
Cincinnati Reds
Cueto's oblique
feels fine after offseason
Rolen not with club in Arizona
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Reds ace Johnny Cueto is fully recovered from the
strained right oblique injury that marred his and the team's postseason.
"I don't feel anything. I feel good," Cueto said Tuesday after Reds
pitchers and catchers completed their first workout of Spring Training.
"I've been throwing and working since October."
Cueto has not been named to represent the Dominican Republic in the
World Baseball Classic.
"I don't know yet," Cueto said of his status. "I want to."
Cueto went a career-best 19-9 with a 2.78 ERA in 33 starts and 217
innings last season to lead the Reds. He finished fourth in National
League Cy Young Award balloting after finishing the season ranked third
in wins and ERA, and tied for first in starts.
But Cueto had to exit Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the
Giants after only eight pitches when he felt pain in his side and back.
There was no concern that Cueto would not be ready for Spring Training
or the 2013 season.
"He had all winter," said manager Dusty Baker. "It's not like he had
arm surgery or something."
Rolen not in camp
While not definitively announcing his retirement, third baseman Scott
Rolen and the Reds revealed Tuesday that he would not return to the
club for Spring Training.
"Right now I'm simply not ready to make a commitment," Rolen said in a
statement released via the club. "I would like to leave my options
open, without closing any doors. I am looking forward to all of the
challenges, both personally and professionally, I will face in the
future."
Rolen, who will turn 38 on April 4, hit .245 with eight home runs and
39 RBIs in 92 games last season. He missed 34 games with a left
shoulder injury and several more with back problems. He earned $6.5
million in 2012 during the final season of a three-year contract and
was widely expected to retire because of the toll on his body and his
desire to be close to his family in Bloomington, Ind.
That's why the Reds had in essence already moved on from Rolen by
naming Todd Frazier the everyday third baseman early in the offseason.
The club also signed free agent Jack Hannahan as a backup third baseman
and infielder.
"A big part of our family is gone," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
"Like always, you pick up new leaders. New leaders are born or acquired
when one leader leaves. You don't know who it's going to be. Most
leaders are kind of watered in their growth by the previous leader."
Rolen, a seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner, is a
career .281 hitter with 316 home runs and 1,287 RBIs in his 17 seasons.
Cincinnati acquired Rolen from the Blue Jays for third baseman Edwin
Encarnacion and reliever Josh Roenicke at the Trade Deadline in 2009,
despite being out of contention. Reds general manager Walt Jocketty,
who had Rolen while with the Cardinals, valued his leadership that much
and felt it was important toward taking the next step as a team.
"Scott made significant contributions to our team's recent success, and
it isn't a coincidence we made the playoffs in two of his three full
seasons here," Jocketty said. "He made a huge impact in Cincinnati with
his work ethic and leadership on the field, in the clubhouse and in our
community."
Read this and other articles at Cincinatti Reds
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