Saturday, May 15, 1999
Sanders feels like a kid again
Oft-injured OF gets 'fresh start' with San Diego
BY SCOTT MacGREGOR
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Reggie Sanders
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Reggie Sanders is still bothered by injuries. But upon his first visit to Cinergy Field as an opponent, the former Red said he feels younger and healthier than he has in some time.
The primary reason: being off Cinergy's artificial turf and on the natural grass at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium, his new home park with the Padres.
“I feel like I'm about 9 years old,” the 31-year-old outfielder joked. “My body feels rested after a game. It doesn't feel tired.”
Though he still has missed five games with minor injuries — including a hamstring that caused him to come out of Tuesday's game — Sanders is hitting .295 with seven homers, 12 RBI and eight stolen bases. He was 1-for-4 Friday night.
Sanders, who played his first seven years in Cincinnati, was part of a five-player deal Feb.2 that sent him from the Reds to San Diego for left fielder Greg Vaughn and pinch hitter Mark Sweeney.
Sanders said he doesn't have any misgivings about leaving town, although he did say it felt weird going into the visitors' clubhouse, not the Reds'.
“It's part of baseball,” Sanders said of the trade. “The time I spent here was enjoyable, but it was time to move on. I had a great time here, but now I'm with San Diego and having a great time. I'm happy.”
In fact, Sanders called the trade “a fresh start.” He appeared to have superstar potential after his breakthrough 1995, when he hit .306 with 28 homers, 99 RBI and 36 stolen bases. But injuries and poor =production in the following years made his final season in Cincinnati one long trade rumor. He hit .268 with 14 homers, 59 RBI and 20 steals last year.
“Things are looking up for me,” he said.
This is the final year of Sanders' $3.7 million-per-year contract, but he's not approaching it like a “contract year.”
“Everything's up in the air,” he said. “My whole main objective is to go out there and produce every day. (The contract) always seems to work out.”
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