Thursday, August 12, 1999
REDS NOTEBOOK
Larkin, Casey sit out
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PITTSBURGH — Manager Jack McKeon rested Barry Larkin on Wednesday, marking only the third start the shortstop has missed. First baseman Sean Casey also got a break for just the 10th time this year.
But it was the first time that both players have been out of the lineup this season.
McKeon was intent not only on resting his stars, but also on finding playing time for his reserves.
Hal Morris, who replaced Casey, had started twice since July 10. “He needs some at-bats,” McKeon said of Morris, whose sixth-inning RBI single gave the Reds a brief 3-2 lead over Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
Michael Tucker, who had accumulated four at-bats since Aug.3 after slipping behind Dmitri Young in the right-field pecking order, hit second. “I'd like to play Dmitri, too, but Tucker has to get in there against a right-hander once in a while,” said McKeon. Tucker went 2-for-5, tripling and scoring in the sixth.
McKeon added that he soon hopes to squeeze in third baseman Mark Lewis, who stroked a pinch-hit single Tuesday in his first at-bat of the month. That probably will happen Saturday against Philadelphia ace Curt Schilling. Lewis is 2-
for-4 lifetime against Schilling, including 2-for-3 on April 27, and was 3-for-3 off the right-hander in a March 26 exhibition game.
As the recent play of reserve outfielder Jeffrey Hammonds has demonstrated, the Reds' bench has been more than capable. Hammonds is hitting .314 (27-for-86) with seven doubles, six homers and 16 RBI in his last 21 starts.
“You give guys off days, you don't lose anything,” said Casey, who was intentionally walked in a ninth-inning pinch-hit appearance. “Hal Morris is one of the best hitters in baseball in the last 10 years. Then you give Dmitri a day off and you have Tucker or Hammonds. Our bench could be a big-league team itself. That has been huge for us.”
Homecoming
The Reds' 10-game homestand beginning Friday against Philadelphia marks their last extended stretch of games at Cinergy Field before most schools reopen.
It's a good time for the Reds, whose per-game average of 24,492 ranks 10th in the league, to draw some big crowds. Or is it?
“Sometimes I don't think a 10-game homestand is the thing for getting really good crowds,” said McKeon, who has seen all kinds of attendance patterns since signing his first professional contract 50 years ago. “In 10 nights, you're going to get some good crowds and some bad ones. In a six- or seven-game homestand, I think you'll draw considerably.”
McKeon would love to see people storm the turnstiles.
“The fans should come out because we're playing good, entertaining baseball,” he said.
Williamson's bid
Should Scott Williamson forge into the team lead in victories and saves, he would record a twin achievement reached by only 11 Reds pitchers since 1900.
The last pitcher to top the Reds in wins and saves was Ewell Blackwell in 1950 (17 wins, tied for the team-best with four saves). The last to lead in both categories outright was left-hander Lee Grissom in 1937 (12 wins, six saves). Paul Derringer was the last right-hander, like Williamson, to hit this milestone all alone (15 wins, four saves).
At 10-5 with 16 saves, Williamson is one behind Pete Harnisch (11-6) in victories and shares the team lead in saves with Danny Graves.
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