Friday, April 30, 1999

Neagle, Avery excited about facing Braves

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BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

        PHILADELPHIA — They helped make the Atlanta Braves the National League's most dominant team of this decade. So when Steve Avery and Denny Neagle pitch for the Reds at Atlanta in a three-game series beginning tonight at Turner Field, some of their professional detachment will dissolve.

        “There should be a little extra excitement, I guess,” said Avery, who rose to the majors in the Braves' organization and played for Atlanta from 1990-96. Avery (1-1, 1.88 ERA), who has lasted at least seven innings in each of his four starts, will oppose John Smoltz (3-0, 2.03).

        “You can tell yourself over and over it's just another game,” said Neagle, a Brave from late 1996 through 1998, who faces Odalis Perez in Sunday's finale. “But I think even more so when it's a team like Atlanta, who's been the measure of success in the National League, you're going to be a little more hyped up than normal. I think you're lying to yourself if you don't say you are.”

        The frequently ignored rule against fraternizing with opponents before games will be especially meaningless.

        The Reds obtained Neagle, outfielder Michael Tucker and minor-league pitcher Rob Bell from Atlanta last Nov. 10 for second baseman Bret Boone and left-hander Mike Remlinger. Boone had been an extremely popular member of the Reds since 1994; moreover, his younger brother Aaron is a Cincinnati third baseman. Avery signed with Cincinnati as a free agent on Dec. 11.

        On April 16, the Reds exchanged right-handed relievers with the Braves, sending them John Hudek for Mark Wohlers, who remains on the disabled list with an anxiety disorder and won't pitch in this series.

        Bret Boone started slowly at the plate but recently enjoyed a surge, hitting .314 (11-for-35) during a seven-game hitting streak from April 9-19. He's hitting .267 with three homers and 12 RBI.

        Hudek's struggles with Cincinnati have continued in Atlan ta. He has posted an 18.00 ERA in three Braves appearances, issuing four walks and allowing six hits in three innings. His overall ERA is 20.25.

        Remlinger, last year's Opening Day starter with the Reds, returned April 18 from a stint on the disabled list with a strained back muscle. He's 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in six relief appearances.

        Avery, who pitched for Boston from 1997-98, admitted that playing in Atlanta will be “different.” His only appearance against the Braves while he was with the Red Sox came in Boston during the '97 season, when he allowed five runs in 3ô innings and suffered the loss.

        “Hopefully (tonight) will go a little better than the last time I faced them,” Avery said.

        The oddity of confronting former teammates will tug harder at Neagle, whose departure from Atlanta is more recent than Avery's.

        “When I faced Pittsburgh for the first time after I got traded from there to Atlanta, they had changed half the team already,” Neagle said. “But now, when you face guys who are still on the team, a lot of people you developed good relationships and friendships with, it's more weird.”

       

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