Thursday, September 24, 1998

BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Interviews have begun in Baltimore for the Orioles general manager's job, with candidates, including Reds GM Jim Bowden, set to interview today and Friday. Bowden won't comment, but various reports say he'll be there today on the Reds' off day.

The Baltimore Sun reported Wednesday that the Orioles have accelerated their pace and will complete all preliminary interviews this week. The four leading candidates -- Bowden, Cleveland assistant GM Dan O'Dowd, Florida Marlins assistant Fran Wren and Atlanta Braves assistant Dean Taylor -- will be paired to finalists for a second interview with Orioles owner Peter Angelos and field manager Ray Miller.

Orioles vice chairman Joe Foss, who is coordinating the interview process, did not return phone calls.

Better to be lucky ...

With his sore back bothering him Sunday, Bret Boone thought about taking the day off. But when he saw Barry Larkin was a late scratch because of ankle soreness, Boone decided to play because "I didn't want us to be out at the same time."

Boone, sore back and all, then clubbed a career-high three homers. "I'm lucky. I'm lucky," Boone repeated.

None of this came to light until Wednesday, when Boone did take a day off to rest his back.

"I've played with it the last four or five days. It's no big deal," Boone said. "I can play, but it bothers me, especially late in the game."

Sammy, too

Don't forget Sammy -- Ellis, not Sosa. Ellis, who made his major league debut with the Reds in 1962, was hired Wednesday as the team's minor league pitching coordinator.

Ellis' appointment was overshadowed by the hiring of former Red Buddy Bell as minor league field coordinator. Ellis went 63-58 with a 4.15 ERA with the Reds, Angels and White Sox from 1962-69 and spent the last four seasons as the primary pitching coach in the Red Sox organization. The Reds will be his sixth organization as a coach.

Reds director of player development Muzzy Jackson said the organization's former minor league pitching coordinator, Mike Griffin, will work at their complex in Sarasota, Fla., with the new Gulf Coast rookie league Reds and with major league players on rehab assignments.

Bell takes the place of Donnie Scott, who moves over to become manager of the Reds' new entrant in the Gulf Coast League. Jackson said the Reds aren't eliminating any minor league teams to offset the new one, and that they hope to add a team in the Venezuelan summer league next year.

Who's on first?

Reds manager Jack McKeon sent a shock wave of panic through media relations director Rob Butcher in the 10th inning of Tuesday's 10-8 loss to the Phillies when he used the injured Jeffrey Hammonds, who was scheduled for wrist surgery the next day, as a pinch-runner. Big deal, right? It turned out not to be, but Butcher was shocked. He thought Hammonds was on the 60-day disabled list and listed him as such in the media notes. Hammonds, however, was active.

Butcher, who erupted in an embarrassed laugh, had to take a good deal of ribbing from writers and coaches Wednesday. When McKeon saw him, the first thing he said was, "Anybody on the DL I ought to know about?"

Short hops

The Reds clubhouse boiled over with cheers Wednesday afternoon when Sammy Sosa clubbed his 65th homer to tie Mark McGwire. . . . Former Reds manager Davey Johnson, scouting for Japanese teams, was at Cinergy Field on Wednesday to watch the Reds-Phillies game. . . . Pete Harnisch turned 32 Wednesday.

Up next

The Reds have Thursday off before beginning their final series of the season with a 7:05 p.m. start against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Cinergy Field. Right-hander Jason Bere (2-2, 4.95) starts for the Reds against right-hander Francisco Cordova (13-13, 3.23). Bere is coming off two good outings, allowing only four runs combined in 14 innings. He allowed two runs in eight innings last Saturday in earning a victory in Chicago.