The Cincinnati Reds begin their search for a center fielder

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GOODYEAR , Ariz. (AP) — d when they open spring training play. They have some intriguing options to replace Billy Hamilton, including the rare combination of a reliever who also plays the outfield.Hamilton, who was among the NL’s top defensive center fielders, struggled to hit and has signed with the Royals. Right fielder Scott Schebler is the leading candidate to move to center, where he played 16 games last season, but first-year manager David Bell is exploring some other options. He could try rookie Nick Senzel at the spot, or let newcomers Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp get some time there.He’s also getting reliever Michael Lorenzen ready to both pitch and play center field during spring training games, an unusual arrangement that has required changing his daily workout routine.Lorenzen was accustomed to it at Cal State Fullerton , where he played center and sometimes closed games. The Reds drafted him as a pitcher in 2013. He has lobbied for a dual role in the major leagues.“Just pitching doesn’t seem natural to me,” Lorenzen said.Bell wants Lorenzen to get ready to pitch during the first half of camp, then will use him in the outfield in the later games and see what happens.“We will have him pitch an inning and stay in the game (in the outfield),” Bell said. “It’s exciting. I have to slow myself down. I think it’s cool that he’s preparing himself the way he is.”Instead of doing conditioning work with the other pitchers, Lorenzen will be working out with the outfielders more often.“We’ve come up with a pretty good plan,” Lorenzen said. “It’s them trusting that I’m a good enough athlete to maybe not do all the (pitchers’) conditioning. Running down balls in the outfield is conditioning.”Bell’s other intriguing option is Senzel, who played third base at Tennessee. The Reds had him work out in the outfield in the offseason, getting the 23-year-old ready to try a new position.“It is a challenging position ,” Senzel said “You’re covering a lot of ground. You have to cover the gaps.”Bell thinks that Senzel’s speed will give him good range in the outfield. The challenge will be learning the nuances of the position. One of Senzel’s biggest challenges will be learning to communicate with the other outfielders when the ball’s in the air, something he’s never done in his career.“I’m going to be learning it in the big leagues,” he said. “I think that puts a more challenging aspect on it.”GRAY SCRATCHEDSonny Gray was scratched from his planned start against the Indians on Saturday because of a sore pitching elbow. He expects to resume throwing next week and Tanner Roark, acquired from Washington, will start in his place.“It is nothing I’m overly worried about. I’ve dealt with this in the past,” Gray said Friday. “I’ll start throwing in a couple of days. I wanted to go out there and throw the first game of spring but it was everyone’s decision not to push it.”Gray, a 29-year-old right-hander, was acquired from the New York Yankees last month and agreed to a $38 million , four-year contract with the Reds. MESA, Ariz. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics will take a look at Robbie Grossman as a potential leadoff man when they open spring play.The Athletics host the Seattle Mariners on Thursday as the teams get a head start on spring training games. Both teams will also open the regular season ahead of the rest of the league when they face each other in Japan on March 20-21.Oakland manager Bob Melvin wanted to get Grossman in the leadoff spot as soon as he could. The A’s signed the free agent outfielder last Friday.“It’s one of the reasons we picked him up, he has a history of getting on base,” Melvin said. “He’s a guy who’s been tough on us as well. He’ll probably get some time there, break him in quickly.”Last year, the A’s used Matthew Joyce, Marcus Semien and Nick Martini in the leadoff spot.The Athletics’ lineup for Thursday also has Stephen Piscotty batting third, something Melvin said they may experiment with. Other candidates include Khris Davis , who batted fourth most of last season, and Matt Olson, who mostly batted fifth.“You look at Stephen’s numbers and he’s certainly an option for it,” Melvin said. “Last year, we were pretty consistent with our 3-4-5 spots so it may change a little bit more this year.”Third baseman Matt Chapman, who is coming off surgery on his left non-throwing shoulder, is not in Thursday’s lineup. Chapman has been taking batting practice but he’s about one week behind, Melvin said.Something else to watch as the A’s get started is how Semien and new second baseman Jurickson Profar work together. The Athletics acquired Profar from the Rangers in December.“It’s been going just fine ,” Semien said. “We’ve been getting our work in on the same field every day and hitting together and taking ground balls together. He’s fitting in nicely with the group. I know he can hit and he gets to play second base every day now instead of moving around so that will be exciting to watch.”NOTES: Paul Blackburn was scheduled to start for the A’s on Thursday. If the game is canceled because of rain, Melvin said they would likely have the right-hander throw a simulated game. .. Former A’s outfielder Coco Crisp has joined the radio broadcast team as an analyst. Crisp, who played seven seasons with Oakland from 2010-16, will be in the radio booth for 33 games during the regular season. He’ll make his debut when the A’s face the San Francisco Giants on March 10 in a spring training game.

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