"What, Aaron Harang worry?

The Reds pitcher was rocked for the second straight start Tuesday, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits in 4 2/3 innings in a 7-5 loss to the San Diego Padres.

That beating came after Harang gave up seven runs on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings in his previous outing.

So is he ready for his Opening Day assignment?

"Yeah," Harang said. "I feel great. This is the best I've felt in spring training. The outcome is not what you want and expect. But it doesn't count. This is about getting ready for the long haul of the season.

"Overall, I feel very comfortable with the new stuff with my mechanics. I feel like the ball is coming out very well. It's a matter of coming in and stretching it out come Monday."

Reds manager Dusty Baker echoed that.

"He threw the ball well," Baker said. "He was 93, 94 (mph). His velocity was good. That's what we want to see. He made one big mistake to (Kyle) Blanks and one to (Scott) Hairston."

Spring training stats are notoriously misleading. Francisco Cordero had a 12.10 ERA last year and a 2.16 ERA during the regular season.

But Harang is coming off back-to-back six-win seasons. So a 1-3 spring with a 9.88 ERA has many in Redsland concerned.

But the team had to put a good spin on the day. He is the Opening Day starter no matter what.

"I look beyond the results," Baker said.

"He's throwing the ball with better velocity. He's throwing the ball inside. He's using his legs. If you don't get the results, you've got to look for a positive. The positive is he's throwing the ball great.""