Wednesday, March 08, 2000
REDS NOTEBOOK
Larkin could get news Friday
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SARASOTA, Fla. — Shortstop Barry Larkin's agent indicated that he could learn more about the fate of his client's contract extension as soon as Friday, when Reds Chief Operating Officer John Allen is due to arrive for a visit.
“They can review it then,” agent Eric Goldschmidt said Tuesday. “They have our proposal. It's up to them.”
Entering the last year of a contract that will pay him $5.3 million this season, Larkin can become a free agent next winter but has said he would prefer to remain a Red. He's believed to be seeking a deal approximating the three-year, $28 million extension that Houston second baseman Craig Biggio received in the offseason.
Though Reds management has said its $47 million player payroll, which is bound to grow next season, has stretched its budget, the possibility exists that Larkin could be accommodated by deferred payments.
The Reds won't finish paying off center fielder Ken Griffey Jr.'s $116.5 million contract until 2024. Goldschmidt negotiated a four-year, $34 million deal for former Reds outfielder Greg Vaughn with Tampa Bay that features $14 million in deferred payments, not counting interest.
CASEY'S HURT TOO: Now the entire right side of Cincinnati's infield is injured, though not seriously.
First baseman Sean Casey suffered a bruise when he was hit on the outside of his right knee by a Joe Grahe fastball leading off the fourth inning. The impact left the imprint of the ball's seam on Casey's leg. “I had nowhere to go,” Casey said, referring to the inside location of the pitch. “Tom Prince (Philadelphia catcher) said, "Heads up!'”
Casey left the game but wanted to keep playing. His participation in tonight's exhi bition against Pittsburgh is not certain.
“I'll be playing,” Casey said between treatments of ice and electronic stimulation. But, said manager Jack McKeon: “We'll just have to wait and see what develops. He may be a little bit sore.”
REESE UPDATE: X-rays of Pokey Reese's sprained right ring finger showed no damage, but the second baseman remained sidelined for a fourth consecutive game and probably won't play today.
“His progress just kind of stalled,” trainer Greg Lynn said. “We would have hoped he'd have been a little better by today. But we're still confident he'll be all right.”
REGIS FOR PRESIDENT: Many in the crowd of 3,541 at Ed Smith Stadium were much more interested in another spectator: television's Regis Philbin, host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? and Live With Regis and Kathie Lee.
Though Philbin sat in a private area of the press box, he was in full view of fans who stood in the aisles behind home plate to wave, take pictures or even approach him for autographs.
Philbin left in the bottom of the fifth inning and was immediately engulfed by autograph seekers. In a joking attempt to give himself some breathing room, he looked up and pretended to spot the Reds' center fielder, yelling, “Hey — Griffey!”
ON REALIGNMENT: Opinions diverged on baseball's proposed realignment for the 2001 season, which would create four four-team divisions in the National League and put the Reds in a Central Division with Chicago, Houston and Milwaukee.
Left-hander Denny Neagle didn't like the tentative elimination of the NL wild-card playoff representative. The AL, with three divisions, would keep the wild card. “I think even players are fans of the wild card,” Neagle said. “I like it, because it gave us something to look forward to last season.”
Left fielder Dmitri Young empathized with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, who'll have to switch leagues if the plan is approved: “As for Tampa Bay, that will screw up all their chances, because they rely heavily on the designated hitter.”
Since realignment is being proposed largely for geographical reasons, General Manager Jim Bowden pointed out that St.Louis belongs in the Reds' division, and Houston should go to the tentatively named “South East” quartet with Atlanta, Florida and Tampa Bay. Said Bowden, “Isn't Houston closer to Atlanta, Florida and Tampa, and isn't St.Louis closer to Milwaukee and Chicago?”
But Bowden liked the NL's structure of four four-team divisions with only the winners reaching the playoffs. “I think there are too many problems with the wild card,” he said, citing the system of tiebreakers that confronted the Reds when they sought last year's wild-card postseason berth.
Reds Stories
Xavier faces long odds in A-10
Xavier has one last shot to make it in
Miami: One more miracle?
Magloire: More intensity to come
Badin defense stymies Springboro 50-31
Lawrenceburg tops S. Ripley
MAC tourney warms fans to the Madness
Mason advances with 68-19 win
NewCath eliminates CovCath
UC's Martin picks up top defensive honors
C-USA teams look for signs of hope
Bengals await Mitchell's call
Brown: Pickens 'should plan to be back'
Reds page
