Mat Latos admitted that he let the pressure of his first start in a new uniform before a sellout crowd get to him.
The right-hander, acquired from San Diego for pitcher Edinson Volquez and three highly regarded prospects in December, was roughed up for seven hits and four runs in 4 2/3 innings of Cincinnati's 8-3 loss to Miami on Saturday.
"It was sloppy," Latos said. "Coming to a new ballclub, I wanted to do too much. I felt like, once I got runners on base, I tried to do too much. I tried to throw too much of a perfect pitch. Instead of locating the fastball and making my pitches, I tried to be too fine.
"I was trying to make a good impression. It backfired and went the other way."
Latos' main problem was in controlling his breaking balls, which left him behind in counts and created fastball situations in which hitters such as Giancarlo Stanton could prosper.
"He looked a little over-amped to me," said Baker, who pointed out that Latos had good breaking balls in spring training. "He's harder on himself than anyone."
"No doubt," Latos, scheduled to next pitch Thursday at Washington, said in agreement. "It's really bugging me. I'm sick to my stomach right now."
Rolen's one hit was a winner
--After starting Cincinnati's first two games Thursday and Saturday, 3B Scott Rolen opened Sunday's game against Miami on the bench before delivering the ninth-inning pinch-hit single that gave the Reds a 6-5 win. Rolen, who turned 37 Wednesday and is coming off left shoulder surgery that cost him the second half of last season, led the Reds with a .356 average during spring training and finished with a six-game hitting streak, but he opened the regular season 1-for-7.
--RHP Homer Bailey was scheduled to make his first start of the season today against defending World Series champion St. Louis. Bailey, who missed the first month of 2011 with a right shoulder injury, is 2-5 with a 5.64 ERA in nine starts against the Cardinals.
--Aggressive promotion of the second game of the season, dubbed Opening Night, helped the Reds sell out their first two games for the first time since 1969, when they played at Crosley Field, where seating capacity was less than 30,000.
--2B Brandon Phillips singled in his first two at-bats Sunday to become the 28th player to log at least 1,000 hits as a Red. Phillips, whose agent reportedly is engaged in serious long-term contract talks with Cincinnati, has quietly become the current Red with the second-longest tenure with the team, trailing Bronson Arroyo by mere weeks.
--RF Jay Bruce lost 15 pounds during the offseason, but it doesn't seem to have affected his power. The right fielder hit his second and third home runs Sunday, including one to lead off the ninth inning that tied the score, 5-5. His homers are estimated to have traveled a combined 1,242 feet, an average of 414.
BY THE NUMBERS: 8 -- Hits in 18 career pinch-hit at bats for Scott Rolen after his infield single drove in Drew Stubbs from third base in the ninth inning to give the Reds a 6-5 win over Miami. Rolen is in his 16th major league season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's certainly not easy. Everybody says you come in cold, but believe me, your blood pressure's through the roof. You're not really cold. Your circulation's going crazy." -- Scott Rolen on pinch-hitting after his ninth-inning game-winner on Sunday.
Roster Report
MEDICAL WATCH:
--RHP Logan Ondrusek (sore back) was unavailable at the start of the season, but he threw a bullpen session April 5.
--RHP Nick Masset (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26. He hopes to return as soon as he is eligible.
--RHP Jordan Smith (right elbow soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 26.
--RHP Ryan Madson (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list April 4. He is out for the season.
