Until Tuesday, Barry Larkin was prepared to abandon the Reds' ship. But the acquisition of Greg Vaughn left the team captain enthusiastic about this season.

        Larkin, whose desire to be traded to a contender increased this offseason, felt great to be a Red after Cincinnati acquired Vaughn from the San Diego Padres in a five-player trade.

        “Barry said he was trying to get out of there until he found out I was coming,” a chuckling Vaughn told reporters after speaking to Larkin.

        Larkin compared Vaughn's potential impact to the influence Kevin Mitchell had on the Reds' lineup when he was slugging away from the cleanup spot, particularly in 1994.

        “The team was that much more confident and that much better when Kevin was just in the lineup,” Larkin said. “That's the type of effect I see (Vaughn) having.”

        Larkin and his teammates are well aware of the havoc Vaughn can wreak. He homered six times against Cincinnati last year, more than any other opponent except Atlanta's Andruw Jones and Pittsburgh's Kevin Young, who had seven each.

        “There's always a guy (about whom) you say you're not going to let beat you,” Larkin said. “Invariably, last year, he beat us.”

        Reds General Manager Jim Bowden and manager Jack McKeon agreed Vaughn can enhance the skills of the team's promising younger hitters by relieving them of pressure. This, Larkin noted, also is true for a 13-year veteran such as himself.

        “Everybody has a role,” Larkin said. “After I had my 30 homers (33, in 1996), we didn't have a power hitter. I was expected to drive in runs and hit home runs and that's not my game... When you don't have a power hitter in the middle of the lineup, everybody has to put a litle more on his shoulder.

        “Now (with Vaughn), you just have to worry about doing what comes naturally. I think that goes down the line.. They've been talking about Aaron Boone producing more and getting more power at third base.

        “OK, now you don't have to try to go out and hit 20 home runs. Aaron Boone, Sean Casey, Dmitri Young, Barry Larkin — just get on base in front of this guy.”

Other Sports Stories

Chargers' contact with Esiason 'a mistake'
Bearcats set sights on No. 1 seed
UC's 1999 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
UC defense needs help fast
XU in hunt for prep forward
OSU recruits guarantee bright future
Miami gets only shot at Bobcats
Payton, battling disease, needs new liver
Springboro wins battle of unbeatens