Sunday, February 06, 2000
REDS INSIDER
Williamson hopes against trade
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When Scott Williamson emerged into prominence last year, among the first things everyone wondered about him was how such a relatively small guy could throw so hard. Williamson looks a little more like a hard thrower now.
The reigning National League Rookie of the Year arrived at Redsfest last weekend with a noticeably sturdier upper body, the product of frequent workouts at Nick Bolletieri's tennis and fitness academy in Bradenton, Fla. Williamson secured a spot in the facility through his agent, Brian Peters, and International Management Group.
It's a convenient arrangement for Williamson, since Bradenton borders on the Reds' spring training headquarters in Sarasota, Fla.
“Hopefully I don't get traded,” Williamson said. “Everything's right there.”
The potential for a Ken Griffey Jr. deal with Seattle has left Williamson wondering where he'll be playing this year, an unusual mindset for a 23-year-old who finished 12-7 with 19 saves last year. Williamson said all the right things about the possibility of switching teams — “It would be an honor to be traded for a guy like that,” he said — but he'd plainly prefer to stay with the Reds.
Whoever gets Williamson will find that the right-hander is better suited to avoid the shoulder tendinitis that nagged him toward the end of last season. Williamson, who's generously listed at 6 feet, has grown around his shoulders, owing to his offseason conditioning program.
Williamson said he was exercising before he went to Bradenton, but he has intensified his workouts since arriving there in mid-January. Four times a week he lifts weights and stretches extensively in the mornings and afternoons, mixing throwing sessions in between.
Williamson also visited Bolletieri's before last season.
“Last year I was kind of weak in certain muscle groups,” said Williamson, who struck out 107 batters in 93ô innings a year ago. “This year they were very surprised. I came in outstanding in every aspect — legs, shoulders. So this year, I better not have any arm problems. My shoulder's really strong right now. And that makes me feel good about myself. I'm not cheating myself.”
BOONE'S OK: Third baseman Aaron Boone's left knee, which bothered him toward the end of last season, shouldn't be a problem now.
“I could play a game today if I had to,” Boone said recently, relishing his recovery from arthroscopic surgery Dec. 8.
Boone said he has been hitting and throwing for more than a month. Taking ground balls and regaining agility is his next step, no pun intended.
“I'm starting to get my strength back,” Boone said.
WHO'S NO. 1: Manager Jack McKeon subscribes to the philosophy that selecting the absolutely, positively most proficient leadoff hitter possible is overrated, since he's guaranteed to bat in that position just once a game.
Most statistics indicate that Mike Cameron is better suited to bat leadoff than Pokey Reese. Injuries and slumps led them to share the leadoff spot in 1999.
Cameron recorded a .366 on-base percentage and .468 slugging percentage in 82 starts hitting first, compared to .316 and .425 for Reese in his 76 games at the top of the order. Their batting averages as leadoff hitters were almost identical (Cameron .273, Reese .272).
Number-crunchers embrace the significance of on-base percentage and slugging percentage, since the sum (referred to as OPS — on base plus slugging) reflects a player's ability to advance as far as possible from home plate. Cameron's 1999 OPS at leadoff, .834, outpaced Reese's .741.
The need to maximize each player's effectiveness also points to Cameron as a logical leadoff choice. He hit only .230 batting anywhere but first, while Reese hit a robust .320 in the eighth position.
The Reds were 46-30 with Reese leading off, compared to 46-36 with Cameron.
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