Saturday, February 19, 2000

What a relief for Williamson

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Rookie of Year happy he's still with Reds

BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Scott Williamson is glad to still be with the Reds. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        SARASOTA, Fla. — Scott Williamson participated in the Reds' opening workout for pitchers and catchers Friday. Imagine that.

        “I'm very surprised to be here, actually,” Williamson said.

        Williamson was mentioned in virtually every trade rumor involving Ken Griffey Jr., creating the impression that the reigning National League Rookie of the Year would begin this season with the Seattle Mariners.

        Only in the final days before the Feb.10 deal did Williamson's name stop appearing regularly in reported Reds proposals. When the trade was announced and Williamson wasn't among the four players Cincinnati sent Seattle for Griffey, he rejoiced.

        “I was so happy because it was over and I was still a Cincinnati Red,” said Williamson, who will share the closer's role with Danny Graves.

Williamson feigns exhaustion as he 'collapses' on Ken Griffey Sr. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Williamson remained, but his innocence was gone. If he seemed more poised than most rookies last year — “He got two years of actual experience in one year's time,” Reds pitching coach Don Gullett said — he also became a veteran this winter in his off-the-field approach to baseball. Being bandied about in trade talk will do that to a player.

        Williamson, 24, wasn't bitter toward the Reds for offering him to the Mariners. But he said the rumors affected him.

        “At the end, I was kind of like, "If you want to trade me, trade me,'” Williamson said. “I'm sick of hearing my name and listening to (ESPN's) Peter Gammons talk about me. Just get it over with ...

        “As a young guy, you don't really know the business aspect of the game yet. When you do so much to help your team and fight so hard and all of a sudden you're in every trade (rumor), you kind of feel like, "Did I do something wrong?' But my dad and my agent (Brian Peters) told me it's a business. (The Reds) want to get the best team possible, and bringing (Griffey) here would be a big-time plus. You're probably going to get traded for the best player in the game; you have to take that as a positive.”

        At a glance, it seemed strange for a major award winner to be offered in a trade, even in one involving a premier player such as Griffey. Williamson's emergence was nothing short of sensational. After making the Reds as a non-roster invitee, the former starter stabilized an initially shaky bullpen by posting a 12-7 record with 19 saves and a 2.41 ERA. His fastball and split-fingered delivery helped him strike out 107 batters in 93ô innings. The right-hander's reputation grew so quickly that he was named to the NL All-Star team.

        But the shoulder tendinitis Williamson suffered in September cast doubt upon his durability. Few pitchers with Williamson's smallish stature (he's listed at 6 feet) throw as hard as he does. Insiders believe that his tendency to put maximum effort into each pitch leaves him susceptible to injury, thus making him expendable. The Reds briefly considered moving Williamson back into the rotation, thinking it might prolong his career.

        To prevent a premature flameout, Williamson intensified his offseason conditioning program. He gained 10 pounds while shedding more than one- fourth of his body fat. He intends to keep exercising his shoulder during the season.

        “I felt like I let the team down at the end when I wasn't able to pitch,” said Williamson, who posted an ugly 6.55 ERA in the season's final month. “I don't want to let that happen again.”

        Nor do the Reds want to exhaust Williamson as they did last year — particularly early in the season, when he repeatedly pitched multiple innings.

        “Obviously, we'd like to get a situation where he may go two innings one day and we wouldn't necessarily bring him back the next day,” Gullett said. “We'd really like to keep everybody stronger for a longer period of time.”

        That's fine with Williamson, especially since that time appears to be with the Reds.

        “God worked it out for me,” Williamson said. “I'm here in the clubhouse with the best player in baseball and Barry Larkin and the team I love.”

        Spring training schedule

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