Jordan Smith Future Closer

Jodan Smith is 6'4" tall with a natural sinker. Dusty Baker believes that will make him a valuable reliever in the future.

Smith gave up a four run lead against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. The Sox scored four runs in the ninth inning after there were two outs and no one on base.

"I got two quick outs then the wheels of the carriage fell off," Smith said.

Jordan Danks walked. Then Smith allowed a single and three straight doubles. The game was tied and when the Reds didn't score in the bottom of the ninth both teams were out of pitchers and the game ended, 5-5.

"It was like watching one of your kids get beat up," Baker said. "You know he's going to get beat up but you don't want him to get beat up too badly. That's the toughest part. But that's the life of a reliever. They have to forget yesterday. "

Smith has a natural sinker.

"He's got one of the heaviest sinkers in camp," Baker said. "He's working on a better slider and off speed pitch. Every once in a while he tries to overthrow. A pitcher with a good sinker, doesn't give up a lot of home runs and get a lot of ground balls that get you out of trouble."

Smith was a catcher at Pleasan Grove High School in Utah. He went to the Community College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas and became a pitcher.

The Reds picked him in the sixth round of the 2006 draft. They made him a starter. He appeared in 74 minor league games all as a starter.

The big club sees him as a reliever.

"I love coming out of the pen. The pressure, I feed off that," Smith said.

He knows the closer and late inning guys walk a tight rope.

"If you can't handle the pain, you can't play the game," Smith said. "You just got to get back out there and kick somebodies butt."

Baker plans to allow him the chance.

"We didn't rescue him. Like we didn't rescue Homer last," Baker said. "If you don't know them, this is where you find out what a kid's made of. That is how you build a pitcher. Especially, when the games don't count. I was as upset as anybody but I couldn't show my upsetness. He said he's ok. We didn't have anybody warming up, ok it's your game son. We want to get him back out there, maybe tomorrow in Tucson."

The Reds play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Tucson on Tuesday.