Sunday, October 03, 1999
Dodgers doing Reds no favors
REDS NOTEBOOK
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MILWAUKEE — It's easy to imagine that Los Angeles Dodgers manager Davey Johnson was exacting revenge upon his former employers. Of course, Johnson himself indicated no such thing.
Regardless of Johnson's motivation, nothing would change his plans to rest left fielder Gary Sheffield for the Dodgers' final two games at Houston and to scratch ace right-hander Kevin Brown from his scheduled start today.
Baseball protocol demands that non-contending teams use their best players against opponents pursuing a postseason berth. But Johnson wanted to preserve Sheffield's .301 batting average, which made him only the second Dodger in history besides Duke Snider to bat .300 with at least 30 homers and 100 RBI.
“We don't care who's in (the playoff race), who's not, who we help and who we don't,” Sheffield told the Los Angeles Daily News.
Johnson also told the Associated Press that were Brown to pitch today, he'd do so on three days' rest, one less than usual.
“I'm sure the Mets or the Reds would like to see him pitch,” said Johnson, who formerly managed New York (1984-90) and the Reds (1993-95), who are in a three-way battle with Houston for the NL's two remaining postseason berths. “But I don't work for them. I don't feel comfortable bringing our ace back on three days' rest with the kind of year he's had.”
Reds manager Jack McKeon remained calm when presented with this news, though he clearly took a dim view of Johnson's approach.
“Aren't you supposed to play your best team against clubs that are fighting for a division title?” said McKeon, noting that he has received letters from league presidents earlier in his managerial career urging him to do exactly this.
Added McKeon, “What goes around comes around. They'll be in a similar position.”
At the same time, McKeon knew that the Reds could negate anything the Dodgers, Mets or Astros did.
“By winning,” McKeon said. “We can't worry about what they do.”
Cameron injured
Unless the Reds qualify for the League Championship Series or even the World Series, Mike Cameron's season could be over.
The fleet center fielder suffered a strained left hamstring in the top of the fourth inning when he moved from his position to follow Mark Loretta's fly ball to right field.
Trainer Greg Lynn and McKeon rated Cameron's chances of playing today as “doubtful.”
With right-hander Cal Eldred starting for Milwaukee, Michael Tucker, a left-handed hitter, would start in center field for the Reds if McKeon wants to play lefty-righty percentages. But Jeffrey Hammonds, who's outhitting Tucker .278-.250, might get the call instead.
Cameron missed 10 games after he suffered a similar injury in the same leg on Aug. 27 at Montreal. He needed a crutch to help him walk in the Reds' clubhouse after the game.
“It hurts more (than the previous injury). I don't know why,” Cameron said. “The last time I did it, I could walk. I tried to walk it off and stretch it out but it didn't happen for me. It's very disappointing.”
Reese survives
The Reds received a third-inning scare when Pokey Reese was hit by a Kyle Peterson pitch in the left wrist — the same wrist, though in a slightly different area, where he was struck by Ismael Valdes on July 26 in Los Angeles.
That time, Reese missed a week. This time, he stayed in the game. “It didn't matter if it was broken,” he said with grim determination.
“Pokey's a little beat up,” Lynn said. “But I don't worry about him. He'll be ready to go.”
September's best
Left fielder Greg Vaughn and left-hander Denny Neagle were named the National League's player and pitcher of the month, respectively, for September.
The last Red to earn either award was reliever Jeff Shaw in September, 1997. A Cincinnati player-pitcher tandem hadn't accomplished this feat since Barry Larkin and Rob Dibble in June, 1991.
Vaughn equaled Frank Robinson's one-month club record with 14 homers. He also drove in 33 runs, scored 28, recorded a slugging percentage of .713 and hit .287.
Neagle was 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in September, extending his winning streak to six games.
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