Tuesday, June 22, 1999
REDS NOTEBOOK
Idea of sitting Taubensee is benched
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PHOENIX — This promised to be a year in which Eddie Taubensee spent almost as much time on the bench as in the lineup.
It hasn't happened that way.
Taubensee has started 46 of the Reds' 66 games, including Monday night's series opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Though Taubensee combined action with production last year, hitting .278 with 11 homers and 72 RBI in 130 games (including 109 starts), he was expected to share the position with Brian Johnson, signed during the offseason as a free agent.
But two factors will keep Taubensee in the lineup for the next two or three weeks: Johnson's surgically repaired right knee, which will sideline him past the All-Star break, and the Reds' stretch of crucial games against division-leaders Arizona, Houston and Cleveland and NL Central rival St. Louis.
Aware of this, Taubensee has been icing his knees more frequently to keep himself fresh.
“You basically have to suck it up. That's what we're supposed to do,” Taubensee said. “I feel pretty good. I'm not complaining. The more you play, the more you get used to it.”
Good news
Manager Jack McKeon said that his wife, Carol, was ecstatic after learning that doctors succeeded in removing the cancerous tissue from her breast in last Thursday's operation.
“It was like talking to a different person,” said McKeon, who spoke with his wife by telephone after she received the test results.
Lewis in lineup
Mark Lewis started at third base for the second game in a row, the first time that has happened since May 25-26.
His start in Sunday's homestand finale against Milwaukee was his first since June 9. The Hamilton native entered Monday with four hits in 35 at-bats since blasting his third homer of the season on May 21.
“I want to get him some at-bats,” McKeon said. “He hasn't been getting many.”
McKeon also pointed out that Lewis was 4-for-6 lifetime against Arizona starter Brian Anderson. “Which doesn't necessarily mean anything,” said McKeon, who doesn't like to rely too heavily on statistics.
Etc.
Left fielder Greg Vaughn's misplay of Andy Fox's second-inning single was only his second error of the season and his first since May 15.
• With Single-A Rockford observing its first-half break, Mark Wohlers ascended to Double-A Chattanooga and pitched a scoreless inning Monday night. Wohlers continued his rehabilitation assignment by striking out a batter and throwing eight strikes in 14 pitches.
• Though Stan Belinda's one-inning relief appearance Sunday for Triple-A Indianapolis marked the first time he had pitched on back-to-back days, the Reds won't think about recalling him until he can repeat such efforts consistently while proving that his shoulder has recovered. After his fastball was clocked at 90 mph Saturday, Belinda allowed one hit while walking one and striking out one Sunday. He threw 12 strikes in 20 pitches.
• Right-hander Jacobo Sequea is the lone Reds prospect selected to participate in the inaugural All-Star Futures Game on July 11 at Boston's Fenway Park. A native of Venezuela, Sequea was selected for the “World” squad that will face a contingent of American-born minor leaguers. Sequea is 4-4 with a 3.42 ERA for Cincinnati's Single-A Rockford affiliate.
Up next
Pete Harnisch, who has shown signs of developing into the staff leader the team sorely needs, will face Colorado right-hander Armando Reynoso at 10:05p.m. today.
Harnisch (6-6, 3.32 ERA) is 4-2 and 2.61 in his last seven starts. He was 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA in two starts against Arizona last year.
Reynoso (5-1, 4.22) has won his last four decisions, spanning six starts. His winning streak is one shy of the career best he reached in 1995 with the Colorado Rockies.
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