ATLANTA (AP) - One day after tweeting he was "wasting space" in the Reds' bullpen, right-hander Sam LeCure was placed on the disabled list Sunday with a strained right forearm.
The Reds, still recovering from a 19-inning loss at Philadelphia last Wednesday, had their pitching depth stretched again in a 7-6 loss to the Braves in 12 innings Saturday night.
Manager Dusty Baker used six relievers, but not LeCure (Helias High School).
LeCure posted on his (at)mrLeCure Twitter account: "I don't know what to say folks. I desperately want to pitch and I feel like I'm wasting space as I'm sure you all do. Im ready if they call".
Baker said Sunday that LeCure couldn't throw all his pitches and could not be called on.
"Number one, I don't read tweets," Baker said. "And number two, he's available but without all of his weapons, you know what I mean? What I mean by that, with that strained right forearm, he could only throw fastball, changeup. So that's not available to me."
Baker questioned why LeCure "felt the need to tweet it in the first place."
"I like his enthusiasm. I like him," Baker said. "But now is not the time for heroism yet. We've tried to warm him up a number of times."
The roster move with LeCure was made retroactive to May 23. LeCure's last appearance was May 22 when he gave up one hit and one run in 3 1 /3 innings at Cleveland.
Baker said LeCure's arm problem forced him out of the game at Cleveland.
"So we've been very patient trying to wait to see if this thing would subside," Baker said.
LeCure is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 games, including four starts.
Right-hander Carlos Fisher, who threw 95 pitches in relief Wednesday night, took the loss Saturday night when he couldn't record an out in the 12th.
Baker said after the game Fisher was "weary." That caused some to wonder why LeCure, who was rested, was not used in the game. LeCure's tweet only added to the second-guessing.
Baker referred to LeCure's public comment as "one of the perils of tweeting."