Jack McKeon: Brad Penny's outing "brought back a lot of memories"

[Update on item below: Mike Redmond announced following today's game that he would use six different starters over the coming six days: Tom Koehler (Monday), Jarred Cosart (Tuesday), Nathan Eovaldi (Wedneday), Brad Penny (Thursday), Brad Hand (Friday) and Henderson Alvarez (Saturday). But there are no plans to stick with a 6-man rotation beyond this first go-around.]

 

CINCINNATI -- Other than Brad Penny himself, perhaps no one was happier with the pitcher’s winning performance Saturday than his former Marlins manager, Jack McKeon.

“I was really proud of him,” said McKeon, who watched the telecast of Penny’s first Marlins outing in 10 years from his home in North Carolina. “He was one of my favorite guys.”

Penny, of course, was a key member of the 2003 Marlins, going 14-10 that season and winning two games for them in the World Series.

“It brought back a lot of memories,” McKeon said of Penny’s comeback outing Saturday. “He was like the old Penny. He was a bulldog like he used to be. He knows how to pitch. He doesn’t give in.”
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With both Jarred Cosart and Henderson Alvarez rejoining the rotation this week, the Marlins will have a decision to make with their starting staff, and Penny figures to be the odd man out.

The Marlins will have six starters, and Penny could be moved to the bullpen as a long reliever.

Cosart missed his last start due to an oblique strain but is set to pitch Tuesday in Miami. Alvarez, who is on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, said his bullpen throwing session on Sunday went well. He can come off the DL on Thursday and pitch that night.

The Giants used Penny as a reliever in 2012, his last previous big-league season.

But, Redmond hasn't yet indicated how his rotation will line up, other than to say he would prefer not to go with a six-man rotation.

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Steve Cishek couldn’t have picked a much better spot in which to record his first major league pickoff.

With the Marlins clinging to a 4-3 lead in the ninth inning on Saturday, a runner on first with no outs for the Reds, and a full count on Billy Hamilton, Mike Redmond signaled from the dugout for Cishek to throw over to first.

“In that situation, we knew (Chris Heisey) was going to go, and we hadn’t thrown over at all, and it seemed like the right time to throw over there,” Redmond said. “It was just a perfect time. We fired over there and it worked.”

Heisey was caught leaning when Cishek threw to first, and ended up being tagged out in the ensuing rundown. Cishek promptly retired the next two batters to close out the win.

“Pickoff is probably the last way I think I’d ever get someone out, but it worked out great,” Cishek said. “(Heisey) was going for sure. A 3-2 count with a decent contact hitter up there, he was probably going to go. The dugout picked up on it and it worked out great.”