Wednesday, August 04, 1999LaRue's return to minors may be short
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerThe Reds sounded as if they'll try to keep Jason LaRue's absence as brief as possible.
LaRue, who was optioned Tuesday to Triple-A Indianapolis upon right-hander Juan Guzman's arrival, reinforced his status as the organization's top catching prospect in his 19 games, which included 16 starts.
“He certainly deserves to be here,” said Reds General Manager Jim Bowden, noting that LaRue's remaining minor-league option left him vulnerable. “It's unfortunate we can't structure the roster so that he can stay here.”
Bowden indicated that Guzman's arrival, which forced the Reds to increase their payroll, could suppress the number of minor-leaguers promoted to Cincinnati in September. But that might not necessarily affect LaRue. Said Bowden, “A lot can happen between now and September 1.”
Though LaRue hit only .154 with one homer and three RBI, his defense and ability to work with pitchers impressed club management. The Reds were 11-5 in his starts, as pitchers recorded a 3.56 ERA, compared to 4.03 overall.
“Although his batting average didn't reflect it, I think he learned a lot offensively,” Bowden said. “I've said all along that I really believe he's going to be a solid hitter in the major leagues, and I still believe that. The way he threw runners out (5-for-12), called a game and took charge, I think he demonstrated why he's one of our catchers of the future.”
LaRue, 25, made the most of his Reds stint.
“I learned more by being here than I probably could ever learn being in Triple-A,” he said. “The difference here is, the players produce day in and day out, and if they get in a slump, they know how to come out of it quicker. They make adjustments. And if you're able to make the adjustments, you're going to stay here.”
LaRue's Reds tenure was endangered once Brian Johnson's right knee healed. Nevertheless, the inevitability of LaRue's return to the minors didn't ease his demotion.
“It's difficult in a sense,” he said. “Probably any time anyone gets a call-up, they don't want to go back to the minor leagues. Everything's better here. There's no comparison.”
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