The third base coach for the Cincinnati Reds, Mark Berry, was diagnosed with cancer during spring training. The treatment for the cancer in his left tonsils and lymph nodes was so strong that it forced him to take a leave of absence from his duties with the Reds.

I’d been wondering how the treatment has been going, but there haven’t been many updates. Reds beat writer Mark Sheldon took care of that today with a nice, in-depth profile of Berry’s new life with cancer.

Berry decided against the more invasive surgery and opted for chemo and radiation. He hoped to work home games at night as the bench coach, since he would be getting treatments at University Hospital during the day time. Bench coach Chris Speier moved to the third-base line during camp.

The reality soon set in that it would not be possible for Berry to work at all.

The idea of trying to work in a professional sport while getting chemotherapy seems ridiculous in hind-sight. I’m glad that approach was quickly abandoned, allowing Berry to focus on nothing but getting better. And it sounds like the treatments have been effective.

While the treatments are over, the cloud of cancer is not gone from above Berry’s head. He is scheduled to undergo a final PET scan on Sept. 4 to determine if the cancer is gone. If it’s not, surgery would be a potential option.

Right now, things look good. The feeling of marbles in the lymph nodes is gone and Berry said a scope already showed doctors that the tumor had been greatly reduced. The burnt skin inside his throat is turning into new skin again.

“You want to be positive,” Berry said. “Deep down, I think I’m going to beat it on the first go around, but there’s always that little doubt.”

I would recommend reading the entire article. Berry’s gone through a terrible time, but it looks like things are improving for him. I do hope he gets to return to the third base coaching box later this season and gets to high five Reds players as they round third after a home run.

The Cincinnati Reds signed former Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher Zach Duke today.

Duke is expected to join the AAA Louisville Bats.

As far as the signing goes, I think the key part about it is that Duke is left handed. Currently, the only left-handed relievers in the Reds’ bullpen are Manny Parra and Aroldis Chapman. Chapman is the closer, and in MLB the way it is today, the closer pitches the 9th inning and the 9th inning only. As for Parra, his attempts to fill the role that injured reliever Sean Marshall had has failed spectacularly. His 7.50 is not getting it done.

I have to think that should Parra continue to struggle, we might see Duke. Duke has not done well in limited time with the Washington Nationals this year, but I sure can’t fault the Reds for searching for other options.

Hopefully, though, Marshall will return sooner than later. This team needs him putting up zeros in the late innings.

Before tonight’s game against the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds called up Tony Cingrani to make a start in the place of disabled ace Johnny Cueto. Henry Rodriguez was sent down to Louisville to make room on the active roster.

But this may be just a single game appearance for Cingrani this time. During Cueto’s previous time on the disabled list, Cingrani made six starts and acquitted himself well. The Reds are expecting Cueto to be ready to go the next time his turn comes in the rotation.

“I felt really good,” Cueto said after the throwing session at Wrigley Field. “I feel ready now.”

This is good news. Of course, Cueto’s absence has not been felt strongly at all, thanks to Cingrani. I wonder, though, is there any chance of having Cingrani stay around to shore up the bullpen? The relievers need the help far more than the starters.

You might not remember Ramon Ortiz from his time with the Cincinnati Reds. He was in the starting rotation for the forgettable 2005 team and wasn’t the worst starter–Eric Milton and Luke Hudson were battling for that title. But I do remember his love of cutting the hair of his teammates.

Yesterday, his comeback attempt with the Toronto Blue Jays ended in a spectacularly painful and public fashion, as he felt a tear in his elbow after delivering a pitch.

You can tell Ortiz knows it’s the end. At 40, he’s not likely to come back from an extended rehab.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Rockies (30-28)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
Reds (36-22)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	-	3	9	0

Boxscore

This may not be fair to Bronson Arroyo, but it felt like forever since good-rroyo had shown up to put down the Cincinnati Reds’ opponent. Arroyo did that and then some this time against the Colorado Rockies, throwing 8 innings of shutout baseball to improve his record to 6-5.

In his 8 innings, Arroyo allowed 4 hits and struck out 3. After he was finished, Aroldis Chapman came on to pitch the 9th. Chapman was solid, walking one and recording 3 strikeouts to pick up his 15th save.

On the scoring side, the game was a pitcher’s duel. Until the 4th, the game was a shutout. However, in the fourth with two outs, Jay Bruce singled, continuing his improved May hitting into June. After Bruce stole second base, Todd Frazier singled to drive in the only run the Reds would need for the entire game.

Bruce added some insurance runs in the 8th with his 9th home run, driving in Zach Cozart. After that, there was no doubt about it. The Reds won, erasing that last loss to the Pirates from the fans’ memory and keeping pace with the first place St. Louis Cardinals.

The Reds go for the series win today when they send Homer Bailey out against Juan Nicasio.