Ryan

Franklin

“I’m hoping it will be a decent out pitch for me,” Franklin said. “I’ve got other pitches that can be an out pitch, but with the splitter, (the hitter) has got to either swing and miss or swing and hit a grounder.” Or they can take it for a ball. Franklin has a 4.50 ERA in three starts this spring.

Franklin, eligible for arbitration for the first time, would make about $3 million over the two seasons.

Franklin returns that day from his 10-game suspension for violating baseball’s substance abuse policy.

The Angels didn’t mind seeing Franklin’s suspension end while they were in town. He is now 6-12 with a 4.99 ERA this season.

Franklin is serving a 10-game suspension for violating MLB’s steroids policy.

Hargrove wasn’t committing to using Franklin over Jeff Harris until now. Franklin returned from his 10-game suspension tonight.

''[Franklin] was in the dugout, so Bryan told him to relax,’' manager Mike Hargrove said. ''Ryan’s comment back at him was, ‘I just bleeping care.’'' Price apparently took exception to that comment and things went from there.

A trade is a possbility for Franklin, though the Phillies will probably have to pick up a portion of the approx. $900,000 he’s still owed. The 33-year-old right-hander had a 4.58 ERA in 53 innings as a reliever for Philadelphia.

GM Wayne Krivsky keeps collecting arms. It’s possible that one of his most hyped acquisitions, Gary Majewski, will go down to make room for Franklin, who should pitch in middle relief. Franklin had a 4.58 ERA in 53 innings of relief before getting cut by the Phillies last week.

The Phillies will probably pick up most of the rest of the approx. $800,000 owed to Franklin. It’s unlikely that Franklin will be of a lot of use in middle relief, but the Reds aren’t gambling much here. The player to be named is likely to be a lesser prospect.