Masset is in the long line of candidates competing for the No. 5 spot in the Cincinnati Reds' pitching rotation, along with Homer Bailey, Micah Owings, Ramon Ramirez and Daryl Thompson.

And after Masset's first start this spring, he knew he had to put together a tidier resume this time.

In his opener, he gave up three runs and four hits in one inning against the Boston Red Sox.

The pain from that start and from the line drive quickly dissipated and Masset pitched three scoreless innings Thursday, March 5, against the Pirates, giving up one hit - the line drive off his foot by Andy LaRoche.

The game ended abruptly when outfielder Darnell McDonald hit a grand slam for a walk-off 10-6 victory, the fourth grand slam by the Reds this spring (Jerry Hairston Jr., Jonny Gomes, Craig Tatum, McDonald).

"I was trying to do more than I should have been trying to do my first time, but this time I was more relaxed and in tune with myself," Masset said of his day.

"The line drive stung for a little bit and at first it felt worse than it was and after I started moving around I knew it would be OK.

"I really did say, 'Oh, no,' especially after that first outing and how much I wanted to do good today," he added. "I wanted to do my best, show everybody what I can do."

Masset said he slept all right after the Boston massacre - that it was the night before the Boston game when he was counting sheep.

"I was bitter after the game that night, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. Everyone is going to have those types of outings and it is spring training and it was my first one and I was all worked up. It was the night before when I lost sleep."

After Masset's first try, manager Dusty Baker said Masset appeared too hyper, too pumped.

"That's exactly what it was," said the 26-year-old right-hander. "I felt like it was my debut all over again. You train all offseason for spring training and then you get on the hill and can't calm yourself down. I wasn't prepared in that way."