He hopes to change all that this year with the Cincinnati Reds , but Micah Owings and Homer Bailey could make him a V.C. again.

At least he is getting the chance this spring, one of several candidates for the No. 5 starting spot, and he is as happy as a robin sitting on eggs.

Masset, 26, was acquired last July 31 as part of the Ken Griffey Jr. trade and was ensconced in the bullpen because that's what he was doing with the White Sox.

But the Reds knew his track record - 113 minorleague starts.

"He's always been a starter, but what happens is that sometimes when you get to the big leagues there is no room for a starter," said manager Dusty Baker. "That leaves long relief and in the American League you don't get much action there."

That's what happened with Masset, first with Texas and then with the White Sox.

"Before we got him, he was in competition for the fifth spot with Gavin Floyd and Floyd won that battle with pretty good stuff," said Baker.

But Masset gets his chance now and will start the team's fourth exhibition game, Saturday against the Boston Red Sox.

"After last season, we told him to condition himself in the offseason as a starter," said Baker. "If it doesn't work, we can always make him a relief pitcher again, like Jeremy Affeldt last year."

As for starters, Baker said, "Better too many than too few."

That's all Masset wants. Opportunity.

"I'm pumped and I trained really hard this offseason to make sure I was stretched out," he said. "I made sure I was fully prepared."

More than one hitter this spring who stepped in against Masset has pronounced him nasty and filthy - and those are Baseball compliments.

"So far, things are going well and I think I'm doing pretty good," he said. "You have to do whatever works for you.

"You compete and everything else is out of your control."

How well he knows that.

He came to camp with the White Sox in 2007 competing for a fifth spot with Floyd and John Danks, "But I turned out to be the long man. I did get one start and got my first win in Wrigley Field against the Cubs.

"I've been a starter my whole life and it's up to me to get back to where I was when I started," he said. "That's what I'm accustomed to and what I feel most comfortable doing."