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Pitcher News

Kevin Gregg relishes the opportunity to become the closer.

"I would love the opportunity to close," said Gregg, who was obtained from the Los Angeles Angels for Chris Resop.

"I learned a lot watching Troy Percival, Freddy Rodriguez, Brendan Donnelly and Scot Shields pitch on the back end of the bullpen. There just wasn't room for me."

Those are, without a doubt, some good guys to learn from.  But given the way the rotation is shaping up this season, he has even suggested a possible alternative roll for himself.

"I began my career as a starter, and I can give them 30-35 starts if they want," Gregg said.

While that is good to know and his willingness to help the team any way he can is admirable, I hope it doesn't come to that.

Speaking of possible closer candidates, Henry Owens has developed a new technique for delivering his slider.

Owens, the former Barry catcher, was frustrated with his slider, and he has worked on it with pitching coach Rick Kranitz.

"I throwing it from out back instead of out front," Owens said. "I think that I've fixed it."

Keep an eye out for this as the spring progresses.  If he and Kranitz has the pitch working, it could give him a leg up on the closer position.

In other news, Scott Olsen has a temporary eye ailment.

Left-hander Scott Olsen wore glasses during Monday's workout. He has conjunctivitis. "The doctors gave me some medicine and told me not to wear contacts for a few days," he said.

Let me help you with this one - he has "pink eye".  The glasses he is wearing, uh, think Ricky Vaughn in the movie "Major League".  You know, the ones he was wearing before he bought the pair with the skull and crossbones between the lenses.  That's right, Olsen is styling and profiling.