The Cincinnati Reds begin their search for a center fielder this weekend.

GOODYEAR Adam Ottavino Jersey , Ariz. (AP) — 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 Pat Valaika Jersey , 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 Daniel Castro Jersey , 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. JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — New York manager Aaron Boone sent Greg Bird back to the Yankees complex in Tampa on Thursday after the first baseman developed stiffness in the elbow hit by a pitch a day earlier.“He probably could have played,” Boone said. “It was me saying, ‘Go home.'”Bird took Wade Miley’s offering off his right elbow during the first inning of Wednesday’s loss to Houston but remained in the game. In the midst of a two-game spring road trip, the Yankees spent the night in the West Palm Beach area before playing St. Louis in Jupiter on Thursday.Bird hit 11 homers in 46 games during his 2015 debut season. Various injuries and ineffectiveness prevented Bird from playing more than 82 games in any year since then.Throughout the spring he’s battled Luke Voit for the starting first baseman job, hitting .333 with three homers in 51 plate appearances. Voit has four homers while hitting .316 in Grapefruit League play.“I don’t know that anyone’s won or lost it http://www.rockiesfanproshop.com/authentic-chad-bettis-jersey ,” Boone said. “Both guys are good players in my eyes. At a certain point we may be up against making a very difficult decision.”The Yankees will have more time than originally expected to make that decision. With center fielder Aaron Hicks expected to open the season on the injured list with a back injury, there’s room for both Bird and Voit on the opening day roster.“I’d say there’s a very good possibility,” Boone said.Back in Tampa, pitcher Luis Severino played catch on consecutive days for the first time since being shut down because of rotator cuff inflammation, throwing 50 times off flat ground.“It went well,” Boone said. “It felt even better because I think he was more comfortable now, second day playing catch, letting it go. But no pain, so another positive day for him.”Severino will not throw on Friday and Boone is uncertain as to when the Yankees’ ace will progress to throwing off a mound.The righty will begin the season on the injured list, with the Yankees asking him to complete a full spring training program before returning to the majors.“He’s moving Kyle Freeland Jersey , at least, in the right direction now that he’s playing catch,” Boone said.New York also expects to get its first look at newly signed pitcher Gio Gonzalez in game action before leaving Florida on Sunday, but Boone isn’t certain whether it will be in a Grapefruit League or minor league game.“Right now I think we’re tentatively counting on him pitching Saturday somewhere and we’ll start kind of evaluating where he is,” Boone said.New York signed the 33-year-old lefty to a minor league contract earlier this week.