Saturday, August 15, 1998

BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds manager Jack McKeon and pitching coach Don Gullett were half surprised to hear that Scott Winchester was having arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

They were surprised because they asked Winchester a number of times whether he was OK; they were not surprised because Winchester was pitching like he had health problems.

"I always ask them if they're OK," Gullett said. "That's a given."

But Winchester continually said he was fine, although he wasn't. "Apparently, it was bothering him for a while," McKeon said. "But he didn't say anything. You've got to have common sense." The Reds went through a similar situation with Jim Crowell in spring training. Crowell had shoulder problems but kept it quiet. "He said he was trying to make the club," McKeon said. "Well, that ain't the way to make the club."

Crowell had surgery and has spent most of the season, rehabbing the shoulder. Winchester is in a better spot because his rehab will go through the off-season.

The first sign of trouble with Winchester was a loss of velocity after his conversion to a starter from the bullpen.

"You expect more velocity," Gullett said. "But he went the other way."

Winchester is scheduled to go to Birmingham, Ala., to be examined by Dr. James Andrews. It's expected that Winchester will have the surgery early next week. No talks

McKeon hasn't had any further talks about his contract extension since meeting with General Manager Jim Bowden and Managing Executive John Allen on Monday.

No more talks are scheduled.

"There's really no urgency to it," Allen said. Second choice Sean Casey was back Friday in the lineup and batting second after a day off Thursday. Casey had been hitting third recently.

Casey entered Friday's game on an 0-for-13 skid and has two hits in his past 22 at-bats. His average is down to .239 after being as high as .252.

Beanie Baby mania

Reds publicity director Rob Butcher was showing off Beanie Baby Rover Friday before the game.

Rover will be given away Sunday to the first 15,000 fans age 14 and under. . The Rover that Butcher used took a beating. It was passed around, and bullpen coach Tom Hume hit it with a fungo at one point. Sean Casey asked Butcher whether players would be getting Rovers. "That's it," Danny Graves said. "You're gone. Guys in the Wolfpack don't collect Beanie Babies."

The Wolfpack is a group of Reds who are fans of the New World Order of wrestling fame.

One other Beanie Baby fact: Apparently, Marge Schott tried to get her stash in advance. But the request was nixed by Allen.

Walk on

Roberto Petagine's first start for the Reds resulted in a 1-1-0-0 line. Petagine walked three times Thursday.

"Better to walk three times than strikeout on three bad pitches," Petagine said.

Petagine does have a good eye. He led Indianapolis with 70 walks when he was called up.

Playing the numbers

McKeon was studying the results of the lotteries around the country in USA Today Friday.

"If I get lucky enough, maybe I can buy a player," he said, "sign a free agent."

Up next

Steve Parris (1-3, 4.94), one of two men on the starting rotation bubble, goes against Pittsburgh right-hander Mike Thurman (2-0, 4.18) at 7:05 tonight. Parris has come close to being good in the majority of his eight starts, but a bad inning has cost him in each of them.

More troubling is 14 of the past 18 runs he has allowed have come with two outs.

He is 0-3 with a 6.03 ERA since getting the victory in his first start June 28.

Jason Bere, meanwhile, awaits a spot in the rotation. Bere will likely take Parris' or Mike Remlinger's place in the rotation.