GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- There was no way Bryan Price didn't see Sam LeCure being a part of the Reds bullpen when spring training camp began back on Feb. 18. LeCure showed up in Arizona at the end of January determined to get to work early on fixing the issues that plagued the second half of his 2014 season.
That's why it was so hard for Price on Friday to talk about the team's decision not to have LeCure in Cincinnati when Opening Day comes around on Monday.
LeCure was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville on Friday after clearing waivers. He pitched 8 1/3 innings in eight appearances this spring, giving up eight hits against 35 batters faced. His numbers this spring and his history over the past five seasons with the Reds would've suggested he was going to make the roster but Price and Reds decided otherwise.
"I think it breaks all of our hearts that he's not on this ballclub right now," said Price. "We anticipate him being back. I think we feel he's not at his best, where he needs to be able to help us right now. We've got to be able to get him back there because he should be a big part of our team this season. We're all just a wreck about him not being with us at this point in time but I am very confident he will be back with us."
LeCure has appeared in 231 games for the Reds since first coming up from the minor leagues in 2010. While he made 10 starts over the first two seasons, he has been effective out of the bullpen. He was a mainstay in 2012 and 2013, appearing in 111 games and giving up just 96 hits in 118 1/3 innings.
Things started to change last season.
"His velocity is down a little bit but the concern isn't the velocity. The concern simply is fastball command," said Price. "He's a fastball pitcher with a lot of good accessory pitches; curveball, slider and changeup, but his bread-and-butter as we've seen over the last five years is being able to locate that fastball and that off-the-body comebacker on the lefies, and that freeze down-and-away on the right-handers. It's a signature pitch with him and he's been a little erratic with that since the second half of last season. He's a much better pitcher than he's shown recently and we just need to get him back there."
LeCure is one of the more popular Reds. He reacted to the demotion on Twitter with a vow to return.
The Reds are going with 12 pitchers to start the season; five starters and seven relievers. The seven pitchers in the bullpen are: right-handers Burke Badenhop, Jumbo Diaz, Kevin Gregg and J.J. Hoover and left-handers Tony Cingrani, Manny Parra and closer Aroldis Chapman. Gregg came to camp as a non-roster invitee. Hoover is coming off a season in which he went 1-10 with a 5.27 ERA in 46 appearances, including giving up 13 home runs. He was sent to Louisville in August but returned as a September call-up. He had a 2.25 ERA in eight appearances the remainder of the season.
LeCure, 30, is no longer on the Reds 40-man roster but Price said it wouldn't be a problem bringing him back should he work out his issues. When LeCure passed through waivers it gave the Reds an opportunity to create a 40-man spot for one of the four non-roster players who have earned a roster spot without risking losing another player.
Describing the decision in terms of a business transaction didn't make it easier for Price.
"That was definitely the toughest of all of the final decisions to do that with Sam because he just embodies everything that we believe in here with the Reds. He does," said Price. "We really do need him back as a part of our bullpen."
