Saturday, August 21, 1999
REDS NOTEBOOK
Outfielders won't react to racial taunts
Outfielders Greg Vaughn and Mike Cameron would not condone what San Diego Chargers quarterback Ryan Leaf did, but they could understand it.
Leaf went after a fan who was heckling him at practice Thursday. The incident came on the same day that Cameron and Vaughn said they have heard racial taunts from fans at Cinergy Field.
“I would never do what he did,” Cameron said. “As long as they don't endanger me, they can say what they want.”
Criticizing a player for the way he's playing is OK.
“That's part of the game,” Vaughn said. “But the racial stuff is over the line.”
That's when a player might feel like pulling a Leaf.
“You're a man,” Vaughn said. “What are you supposed to do? It's hard to stand there and take it.”
Cameron stressed that the racial stuff has come from very few fans, high above center field.
“Everyone's a big man when they're 40 feet up the green wall from the field,” he said. “Put the same person in the front row, and they won't say anything.”
Cameron just rolls with the jabs.
“I laugh at it,” he said. “They get on me about wearing Eric Davis' number, that kind of stuff. That's all in fun.”
Best in baseball
The Reds have the best record in baseball since May 14. They were 14-18 that day and seven games behind Houston in the National League Central. Since then, the Reds are 57-31.
The New York Mets have the second-best record at 54-33, followed by the New York Yankees (53-33), Texas Rangers (52-35) and Atlanta Braves (53-36).
“Sometimes it takes a while to get used to one another,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “You have to blend styles. Since May 15, we've all blended together.”
The Reds are where they are because they've avoided prolonged slumps. They never have lost more than three straight games. They've lost three in a row five times this year but only twice since May 14.
They haven't lost two in a row since July 23 and 24.
“It's hard to say (how we've avoided losing streaks),” McKeon said. “But generally good pitching stops losing streaks.”
Relief work
The downside of the good starting pitching lately is it has been harder to keep the relief corps sharp.
Lately, it's not unusual for a reliever to go five or six days without pitching. Dennys Reyes, for instance, hasn't pitched in six days.
Pitching coach Don Gullett has resisted having relievers throw between outings.
“Not at this stage,” he said. “It's not like they're doing nothing. They're playing catch and throwing in the outfield.”
The 12-6 blowout Wednesday gave the Reds a chance to get work for Scott Sullivan, Gabe White and Stan Belinda.
“The rest won't hurt these guys,” Gullett said. “If they don't get up every third day or so, we'll look at getting them some work.”
Letdown?
With a big series with the Braves in Atlanta coming next week and the Expos — owners of the worst record in the NL — in town, are the Reds ripe for a letdown?
“They're all dangerous,” McKeon said. “We can't take these guys lightly.”
The biggest thing McKeon fears is a pitching performance like the one the Pirates got from Kris Benson Thursday. The Reds won 1-0 behind Pete Harnisch.
“But that guy was tough,” McKeon said. “That's why I had Cameron bunt Harnisch over to third (in the fifth inning). I said, "One run could win this game.'”
Harnisch streak
Harnisch is pitching into rare territory. His eight-game winning streak is the longest by a Red since Tom Browning won eight straight in 1988.
No Reds pitcher has won more than eight straight since John Franco and Browning each won 11 straight in 1985.
No Reds right-hander has won more than eight in a row since Tom Seaver won 11 straight in the 1979.
Feed the hungry
Today is Help Us Feed The Hungry Day at Cinergy Field. Fans donating food, toys, clothing or money will receive a free red reserve ticket to the Reds' Sept.12 game against the Florida Marlins.
Up next
RHP Juan Guzman (2-1, 2.05) faces RHP Mike Thurman (5-8, 4.12).
Guzman has won his last two starts. He beat Pittsburgh 9-2 Monday, going seven innings and allowing five hits and no walks.
In his three starts since coming to the Reds in a trade with Baltimore, Guzman has averaged 7ô innings per outing. Guzman has allowed only 17 hits and five walks in 22 innings as a Red.
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