Knight’s Health Plan: Six-Man Starting Rotation

Cincinnati Reds manager Ray Knight could have a problem this weekend: six healthy starting pitchers.

He also has a solution: Start them all.

Pete Schourek is scheduled to return from the disabled list by the end of the week, joining Knight’s starting rotation of Kent Mercker, Mike Morgan, John Smiley, Brett Tomko and Dave Burba.

Instead of deciding which players to use in a traditional five-man rotation, Knight will start all six and spend the next month appraising each one.

“We felt that it was very equitable,” Knight said. “I asked them all, and everyone on the staff has embraced the idea.”

Knight said that there was no specific timetable for the six-man experiment, although he would give each pitcher at least three or four starts.

Don’t be my Valentine

A day after replacing Joe McIlvaine as general manager of the New York Mets, Steve Phillips said he was surprised by speculation that manager Bobby Valentine was behind the move.

“The one thing I didn’t anticipate was the backlash on Bobby,” said Phillips, who was McIlvaine’s assistant. “I guess I’m shocked that people have attached any part of the decision to Bobby.”

McIlvaine was against firing Dallas Green last year and replacing him with Valentine.

Phillips, 34, is the second-youngest GM in the majors, just a month older than Detroit’s Randy Smith. He had to make his first roster move Thursday, putting pitcher Armando Reynoso on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder and recalling infielder Shawn Gilbert from Norfolk.

Harvey works out for Marlins

Former Florida Marlins right-hander Bryan Harvey is working out for management in the hope of rejoining the club.

The 34-year-old Harvey, who hasn’t pitched regularly in the major leagues since 1994, has 177 saves in an eight-year major-league career with Florida and the California Angels.

Pirates recall Wagner

The Pittsburgh Pirates, a team of surprises this season, pulled off another one by unexpectedly recalling right-hander Paul Wagner from Double-A Carolina.

Wagner, the Pirates’ opening-day starter in 1996, was seemingly making little progress in the minors while recovering from reconstructive elbow surgery in August.

The 29-year-old Wagner was 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA in 12 appearances at Carolina.

1, 2, 3 strikes you’re out

Jose Canseco, who tied a major league record by striking out eight times in his last two games, was scratched from the Oakland lineup Thursday to have an eye examination.

The eight strikeouts in consecutive games tied a major league record held by five others.

On the shelf

The Toronto Blue Jays placed pitcher Juan Guzman on the 15-day disabled list with a strained muscle in his right shoulder.