Homer on Homer

It was interesting what Homer Bailey had to say after his one inning of work in the intrasquad game. (He walked one and gave up a bloop hit). Basically he said he threw his off-speed stuff to show the Reds' brass he'd worked on it in the offseason.

In other words, Homer's plan is to make the team.

Some Bailey quotes from it:

"I could have (pitched) first or last. They let me go first so I could do a starter’s routine. That was one benefit of it. I think that was kind of in their plan. But I don’t see it as a sign. Maybe they went alphabetical order -- Arroyo, then me.”

"I have to make sure I can show them I am ready and that I worked hard on the things they wanted me to.”

Bailey on difference between his spring and Arroyo's: “Those guys have spots locked. I know coming into the spring that one of the things they wanted to see from me was how I could control my off-speed stuff – that it was improved. If I had been in Arroyo’s place, I probably would have thrown nothing but fastballs, just get my work in.”

On his improved off-speed pitches: “I told you guys that’s something I worked in the offseason. I think all my off-speed pitches were either hit or strikes. I wasn't quite locating my fastball. I left a few up.”

Bronson Arroyo on Bailey: “It’s tough being in his shoes. It’s like walking into a basketball camp and you’re going to make the team or not by shooting 10 free throws. You’re like I got to hit seven or eight. If you’re John Stockton, you can clank eight of them and doesn't matter because they know what you can do in a game. It’s definitely more nerve-wracking for the young guys.”

Adam Dunn, who faced Bailey and walked: “He looked good. “I’m on the bandwagon. He's so smooth. It gets on you a lot quicker than you expect.”

Javier Valentin, who caught on Bailey: “He knows what he’s doing. He looks like he belongs here.”

Here's Rob Butcher's release on the game. The writers missed half of it, waiting to talk to Bailey and Arroyo:

Ed’s Reds beat Russell’s Muscles, 1-0, on an unearned run in this afternoon’s intrasquad scrimmage at Sarasota’s Ed Smith Stadium… the crowd of 894 generated $4,470 to be donated to the local chapter of the American Cancer Society...2B Brandon Phillips drove in the game’s only run with a sacrifice fly in the third inning off RHP Jared Burton…1B Joey Votto produced 2 of the game’s 6 hits, a double off RHP Kerry Ligtenberg and a single off LHP Jon Coutlangus…LF Chris Denorfia, SS Alex Gonzalez, C Chad Moeller (double) and 3B Juan Castro also had hits…pitchers for the Reds included starters RHP Bronson Arroyo (1ip, 1h) and RHP Homer Bailey (1ip, 1h, 1bb) along with Ligtenberg (1ip, 1h, 1k), RHP Tom Shearn (1ip), LHP Michael Gosling (1ip, 3k), Coutlangus (1ip, 1h), LHP Phil Dumatrait (1ip, 1h, 1bb, 1k), Burton (1ip, 1r, 0er), LHP Jason Kershner (1ip, 1h, 1k) and RHP Calvin Medlock (1ip)…LF Chris Dickerson left the game with a mild sprain of his right ankle, suffered when he stepped on C Javier Valentin’s foot while scoring the game’s only run…he will be re-evaluated tomorrow.