Reds' starter Homer Bailey says he should be ready for spring

Homer Bailey flew into Cincinnati on Friday and he was scheduled to fly back home to Texas on Sunday, and for once his offseason visit didn’t include any prodding or poking on his right elbow.

Bailey was in town to participate in the Garth Brooks Teammates Baseball and Football ProCamp at the University of Cincinnati on Saturday along with Brooks, his wife Trisha Yearwood, former Reds pitcher J.J. Hoover and Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz. It’s the type of offseason appearance that players often do in a normal offseason, the type of offseason Bailey is now enjoying.

“It's a foundation I've been involved with the last few years," Bailey said between working with 125 kids from various organizations in Cincinnati. "As soon as I got an email a few months ago that they were going to be in Cincinnati, I knew I had to come to that. And then I'll check out one of Garth's shows.”

Once back in Texas, Bailey will continue throwing and is expected to throw off a mound a couple of times before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, on Feb. 13.

Bailey said he’s already received his tentative schedule for spring from manager Bryan Price, and because of the extra week of spring training due to the World Baseball Classic, he should have plenty of time to be ready for the start of the season.

After flexor mass surgery in September of 2014 and ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery in May of 2015, Bailey has made just eight starts over the last two seasons. Last year his comeback was cut short after six starts with elbow issues.

Last month Bailey began his throwing routine, but he balks at the use of the word “normal” to describe how he’s feeling.

“I don't think there is such a thing as normal anymore, but everything is OK,” he said. “I’m getting ready to play a baseball season. I haven't had a lot of time to think about how things have felt because I've been too busy just working out, throwing and getting in shape.”

For now, that’s what he can do, prepare to be in the best position possible to pitch for a full season, something he hasn’t done since 2013. With the Reds going through another year in their rebuild with Bailey, a pitcher that was signed to a long-term deal to be the anchor of the rotation, a healthy Bailey would certainly benefit the team and its future. But even with the trade of veteran Dan Straily, Bailey said he didn’t feel like there was more on his shoulders entering 2017.

“There's probably more on my elbow than my shoulders,” he said.