Wednesday, June 17, 1998

BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Eduardo Perez argues a strike called by home plate umpire Greg Bonin that ended the fifth. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

You probably haven't heard much about Keith Glauber or his arthroscopically repaired right rotator cuff, but he's getting closer to pitching for the Reds.

Glauber, the injured 26-year-old relief pitcher the Reds got from St. Louis last winter in the Rule 5 draft, will begin his rehabilitation assignment Friday at Single-A Burlington (Iowa).

He'll throw 15-to-20 pitches in his first three or four outings, then increase from there, on a program prescribed by Reds pitching coach Don Gullett.

"We'll take him slow," Reds General Manager Jim Bowden said. "He's throwing free and easy, and he looks like he's healthy. We'll go with Don's program and do it right. Hopefully we'll have a good, quality pitcher."

Glauber, who had rotator cuff surgery last October, threw batting practice against the Reds pitchers Tuesday at Cinergy Field in his final tuneup before leaving for rehab. He also threw to hitters Sunday and said waking up with sore muscles the next morning helped him realize he's on track.

"I felt sore in good places," he said. "My back, my legs. That means my muscles are going, and I'm working. My arm and shoulder felt fine."

Glauber is currently on the disabled list, but as a Rule 5 draft pick, he must stay on the Reds' 25-man roster when he returns or they must offer him back to the Cardinals for $25,000. He has four years of minor-league experience, mostly as a reliever, but never has pitched in the majors.

Reggie to right

Reggie Sanders found himself in familiar but unfamiliar territory Tuesday -- right field. The one-time right fielder, who had made all his starts in center field this year before Tuesday, was moved back to right because manager Jack McKeon wanted Pat Watkins in center.

"Watty seems to play better in center than any other place," McKeon said. "If Watty doesn't play, Reggie's in center."

Which means Sanders' move to right isn't permanent.

Sanders left Tuesday's game after the second inning with a mild strain of his right hamstring and is listed as day-to-day.

Pat Watkins tosses his helmet after getting caught in a rundown between first and second in the second inning. (Craig Ruttle photo) | ZOOM |

Peace pipe

Apparently, Arizona manager Buck Showalter doesn't hate cigars after all.

There had been a mild controversy brewing over McKeon smoking cigars in the visiting manager's office in San Diego. Showalter allegedly complained of the smell when the Diamondbacks followed the Reds into town in April.

But that, it seems, was a bogus story that someone told McKeon when the Reds were in San Diego last week. Tuesday, before the first game of the Reds-Diamondbacks series at Cinergy, Showalter sent McKeon a box of Dominican La Aurora cigars.

"He said he wasn't complaining," McKeon said. "He said he smoked one too." Air Pokey

If you were watching closely enough, you could have seen Reds shortstop Pokey Reese getting an autograph from Michael Jordan in some old news footage that was shown many times Sunday as Jordan and the Bulls won their sixth NBA title.

The clip showed Reese, who was then playing shortstop for Double-A Chattanooga, with minor-league teammates Chad Mottola and Eric Owens talking with Jordan when he played baseball for the Birmingham Barons.

"You're about the 50th person who's told me they saw it," Reese said. "He's cool. Very cool."

Up next

Reds left-hander Mike Remlinger (4-7, 4.46), coming off his best start of the year, will try to duplicate it against Arizona right-hander Andy Benes (4-7, 5.24) in a 7:05 p.m. start today at Cinergy.

Remlinger had struggled in May and June until last Friday, when he went eight strong innings against the Astros. He credited his performance to going back to believing in his stuff and not nibbling at the corners of the plate.