Monday, December 13, 1999
Reds chase Irabu, Lee
Also interested in an infielder
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Reds closed in on a pair of intriguing deals entering today's final full day of baseball's winter meetings.
Though General Manager Jim Bowden refused to divulge specifics, Cincinnati was said to have progressed in its efforts to acquire Arizona first baseman-outfielder Travis Lee and New York Yankees right-hander Hideki Irabu.
Short-term, Lee would deepen the Reds' outfield corps. Long-term, many scouts still believe he could develop into a .300 hitter who also hovers around the 30-homer/100 RBI level, though he lost his first-base job to Erubiel Durazo this year.
Lee hit .269 with 22 homers and 72 RBI as a rookie in 1998 before sagging to .237 with nine homers and 50 RBI this year. He needs further seasoning defensively, having played 212 major-league games at first base and only two in the outfield.
Arizona covets Cincinnati relievers Danny Graves, Scott Williamson and Scott Sullivan. Naturally, the Reds would resist dealing any of the three.
The Reds don't view Irabu as a potential ace, the expectation he was saddled with when the Yankees acquired his rights from San Diego in 1997. But they think he can contribute as a No. 4 or 5 starter if he can conquer his weight problems.
Irabu, 30, was 11-7 with a 4.84 ERA this year after finishing 13-9 with a 4.06 ERA in 1998. The Yankees are believed to be willing to accept a package of minor-league prospects in return.
In other developments and non-developments:
• The Reds approached Anaheim about outfielder-first baseman Darin Erstad, but backed off when the Angels tried to force Garrett Anderson or Jim Edmonds on them. Both are eligible for free agency after next season.
• Cincinnati is pursuing former Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Elmer Dessens, who pitched in Japan this season. Dessens, who was 2-8 with a 6.12 ERA in 61 appearances (including eight starts) from 1996-98 with Pittsburgh, also has drawn interest from his former club.
• Seeking a defensively adept middle infielder to provide backup help, the Reds have expressed interest at various times about Arizona's Andy Fox and Boston's Donnie Sadler. In Sadler's case, the Red Sox are believed to be asking for too much in return.
• Hoping to select a pitcher in today's Rule V draft, the Reds cleared a spot on their 40-man winter roster by releasing catcher Guillermo Garcia, who hit .291 with Cincinnati's Double-A and Triple-A affiliates. Right-handers Denny Wagner (Oakland) and Robbie Crabtree (San Francisco) and left-hander Dave Maurer (San Diego) are among the minor-leaguers who could be available by the time the Reds' turn arrives with the 24th pick. Reds farmhands left unprotected who could be chosen by other teams for $50,000 include outfielder Dewayne Wise and right-handers Jake Meyer or Bobby Munoz.
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