Monday, March 06, 2000
New sliding style challenges Reese
REDS NOTEBOOK
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SARASOTA, Fla. — Second baseman Pokey Reese said he might struggle to adjust his sliding style, though a change might help him avoid more hand injuries like the one that has him sidelined.
Though Reese's mildly sprained right ring finger improved Sunday, he rested for the second straight day and isn't expected to try to resume playing until Tuesday, when the Reds play split-squad games against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I need the at-bats, but I'll get my extra work in and catch up,” Reese said. “It's better that it happened early than late.”
Reese hurt himself Friday against Minnesota when he slid head-first on a steal of second base. Had Reese gone into the bag feet-first, he might have emerged unharmed.
Realizing this, Reese said he would try to kick the head-first habit. But, he said: “It's hard. When I'm stealing, my momentum carries me forward.”
First base coach Dave Collins, the Reds' baserunning instructor, explained that sliding feet-first has numerous advantages.
“If you slide head-first, there's always a chance you can jam your shoulder or fingers going into a base,” Collins said. “Or if the ball's overthrown, you can't pop up and go to the next base. That's why they call it the pop-up slide. And middle infielders have told me they don't like guys coming in feet-first. They're ready to get out of there. Your spikes are coming in right at their hands.”
Collins didn't question Reese's dedication. He also knows that habits are hard to break.
“Pokey's one of the most coachable kids I've ever known,” Collins said. “He's great at listening to suggestions. But the bottom line is, he has to be the one to decide what's best for him.”
Trainer Greg Lynn said Reese's finger “has better range of motion and function, and the swelling is decreasing.” Reese is being treated with alternating warm and cold applications and galvanic stimulation with his right hand thrust in a bucket of water.
MAIL CALL: Players who have been released or traded often continue to receive mail sent to their previous club. But one letter that required forwarding from the Reds' headquarters beat all.
It was addressed to Eugene “Motorboat” Jones, the minor-league outfielder who served as a strike replacement player in the spring of 1995.
Also, McKeon was honored as manager of the year for 1999 by The Touchdown Club of Columbus. Unfortunately, he received the letter informing him of this honor this past weekend. Dated Nov.15, it was mislaid at Cinergy Field. “It went Pony Express,” McKeon joked.
ETC.: Texas catcher Ivan Rodriguez lost his grip on his bat on two consecutive swings as he swung and missed while facing Denny Neagle leading off the fourth inning. The bat landed behind third base in foul territory on Rodriguez's first fling. The second carried into the stands and struck the right arm of a female spectator, who was examined but was not seriously injured.
• Only in spring training: A security guard at Ed Smith Stadium denied Joe Nuxhall access to the press box. Nuxhall, who had left his media credential in his car, reached the broadcast booth through an alternate entrance.
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