Friday, November 6, 1998

BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Reds offered salary arbitration to pitcher Jason Bere Thursday, keeping him in the fold for 1999.

It could be a busy few weeks for general manager Jim Bowden. The Reds are expected to go after free agent third baseman Tim Naehring, a Cincinnati native, and one or more second- or third-tier pitchers when the free agency period begins today.

A source said they also may be close to making a couple of trades - they have been talking to other clubs about first basemen Paul Konerko, Sean Casey and Dmitri Young and have had several offers for second baseman Bret Boone - though nothing is definite.

Bere, the 27-year-old right-handed pitcher salvaged in July, had a clause in his contract that the Reds must tender him a contract offer by Nov. 10 or release him by Nov. 16. The offer of arbitration is essentially a contract offer, meaning Bere will be back in Cincinnati in 1999.

The sides were still far apart in negotiations, which is why Bowden offered arbitration. If they can't sign Bere, they could trade him, though Bowden wants to keep him.

"(Arbitration) protects us from him walking," Bowden said. "We felt that based on the way negotiations were going,

we had a better chance of re-signing him by offering him arbitration. We didn't want him to go on the free agent market."

Also Thursday, the Reds declined to offer arbitration to outfielder Melvin Nieves, making him a free agent. It was an expected move after Nieves hit just two home runs in a rough season.

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