Saturday, October 31, 1998

Bret Boone

The Reds say they're not shopping second baseman Bret Boone. They're just doing an awful lot of listening at the moment.

General Manager Jim Bowden said he has received numerous telephone calls from teams expressing an interest in Boone, who hit .266 with 24 homers and 95 RBI in 1998.

Boone, 29, made his first career All-Star team and supplanted Houston's Craig Biggio as the National League's Gold Glove second baseman in 1998.

"We're not looking to move Bret," Bowden said. "But we're in a rebuilding mode, and if someone wants to trade us enough good young talent, we have to listen on any player. It doesn't matter if it's Barry Larkin or Babe Ruth."

Depending on what happens on the free-agent market this winter, Atlanta, Baltimore, St. Louis, Cleveland and the New York Mets are among the clubs that could have the money and the need for Boone.

Boone is under contract for two more seasons, with the Reds holding an option for 2001. The total cost of the package is about $11 million. The Reds, who had a payroll of $21 million this year, expect to spend $25 million-$28 million on salaries in 1999, Bowden said.

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