Wednesday, April 22, 1998

BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHILADELPHIA -- It has been more than a week since the Reds left Colorado, and several of their hitters (Bret Boone, Eddie Taubensee, Chris Stynes) have continued their hot streaks, even if the team isn't scoring as much. But two Reds in particular are still struggling mightily: center fielder Reggie Sanders and first baseman Eduardo Perez.

Sanders was scratched from Tuesday's lineup just before game time after he slipped on the dugout steps and injured an ankle. He's listed as day-to-day.

Sanders has been starting regularly, but the at-bats haven't helped. He's hitting .224 with 18 strikeouts in 49 at-bats. He was 3-for-18 (.166) on the homestand.

Perez has seen his playing time diminish in the last few weeks, beginning with no starts in the Colorado series as Dmitri Young got hot. Perez started Sunday's loss to the Mets and was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He was 1-for-14 on the homestand and was hitless in his last 13 at-bats entering Tuesday's game.

For the season, Perez is hitting just .174 with 15 strikeouts in 46 at-bats, numbers which don't bode well for continued playing time when Sean Casey returns in a couple weeks.

"He's got to relax a little and quit pressing," manager Jack McKeon said of Perez. "He wants to get four hits and win the game in one at-bat. You go up there swinging wildly because you want to get a hit."

Rotation juggling

The Reds' starting rotation is in a state of flux, beginning with tonight's starter.

Right-hander David Weathers was scheduled to pitch against Phillies' right-hander Tyler Green. But Weathers' father, Thomas Rual Weathers, died of a heart attack Tuesday in Five Points, Tenn., at age 56, and Weathers left the team to attend to funeral matters. Right-hander Mark Hutton will start instead.

In addition, left-hander Mike Remlinger has a slight bone bruise on his left foot, so he'll move his scheduled start back one day, from Thursday in Philadelphia to Friday on New York. Pete Harnisch moves up one day and will go Thursday against the Phillies' Garrett Stephenson.

Short rest

Hutton threw 42 pitches in 2 1/3 innings Sunday, so he'll be starting today on just two days' rest.

Hutton had been on the disabled list with a groin injury all month until coming off Thursday. He has made two appearances and is 0-0 with a 5.40 ERA in five innings.

Pitching coach Don Gullett says physically, Hutton is fully recovered after three weeks on the DL. But he may struggle as he gets back his "A' game. "Overall, his command isn't there," Gullett said.

Art connoisseur

The Reds' hotel in Philadelphia is in the heart of the city's impressive historical district, but McKeon wouldn't know it. In all his trips to the city during his managerial career, he hasn't been to Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence was signed, or the Liberty Bell, just blocks from the hotel.

McKeon, of course, joked about it. "I never was much into the arts," he said, then dropped the punch-line, "Unless it was (former players) Art Fowler or Art Houtteman.

"In New York, I've never seen the Statue of Liberty, but I've seen the Polo Grounds, Ebbetts Field, Yankee Stadium," McKeon said. "I never got to the Capitol in Washington but I got to Griffith Stadium."

Good start

Outfielder Melvin Nieves began his rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis Monday by hitting a three-run homer. He was 1-for-4.

Up next

Reds' right-hander Mark Hutton, who came off the disabled list six days ago, makes an emergency start against the Phillies' Tyler Greene (1-1, 5.54) in a 7:05 p.m. start at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.

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