Tuesday, March 14, 2000REDS NOTEBOOK
Boone to back up Larkin
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati EnquirerFORT MYERS, Fla. — Aaron Boone, the Reds everyday third baseman, also will back up Barry Larkin when the veteran shortstop needs a rest or leaves lopsided games.
This became evident when Boone started at shortstop against the Twins on Monday.
Reds second baseman Chris Stynes catches a pop-up off the bat of Minnesota's Brian Richardson.
(AP photo)
| ZOOM |“That's why I've got him out there,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said.
The Reds would prefer to keep Pokey Reese, a natural shortstop, at second base when Larkin leaves the lineup. Two other reserve infielders, Chris Stynes and Mark Lewis, are primarily second and third basemen, respectively. Travis “Gookie” Dawkins, the Reds' shortstop of the future, will most likely start the season in the minors.
“You have to break (Boone) in, because chances are that Dawkins isn't going to be here,” McKeon said.
Though all of Boone's 129 starts last year came at third base, he made six substitute appearances at shortstop. He also estimated that he played 10-15 games per year at shortstop in the minors.
“It's something I feel like I can do,” Boone said. “It's not weird to me.”
WILLIAMSON PITCHES: Facing mostly an anonymous cast of Minnesota Twins minor-leaguers, Scott Williamson allowed a hit and a run while issuing two walks in the ninth inning.
Williamson, the National League's reigning Rookie of the Year, missed the strike zone with his first six pitches and eight of his first nine. He threw 11 balls in 20 pitches.
Yet Williamson considered the outing a success.
“That's the best I've felt all spring,” said Williamson, making his first appearance since straining his right hamstring last Thursday. “I had a lot of adrenaline pumping all day. I can definitely build on that. That was a plus for me.”
McKeon knows he must maintain his patience with Williamson, who will serve as a primary set-up reliever and occasionally close games.
“Willie was all over the place,” McKeon said. “But he needs to get out there.”
That should happen with regularity as long as Williamson remains healthy.
“It's still a little stiff, but I can work with that,” Williamson said of his leg. “I think it'll loosen up over time.”
INFIELDER ADDED: The Reds' fascination with Pittsburgh Pirates rejects continued as they acquired third baseman Freddy Garcia from the Atlanta Braves for minor-league right-hander Dennis Russo.
Garcia, 27, has a .222 career batting average in parts of four major-league seasons.
“He has some power,” said McKeon, referring to Garcia's 19 homers in 401 lifetime big-league at-bats.
Garcia, who began this spring with Atlanta and was batting .200 (3-for-15) in eight exhibition games, must try to crash a Reds infield that's virtually set, meaning that he seems bound to join first baseman Ron Wright and right-hander Elmer Dessens, other ex-Pirates, in minor-league camp.
BURNSIDE GONE: Left-hander Adrian Burnside cleared waivers, enabling the Reds to offer the Rule 5 draftee back to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who accepted him and paid Cincinnati $25,000.
JACK ON JUNIOR: McKeon said that the media fuss over center fielder Ken Griffey Jr.'s arrival hasn't been as extreme as he expected, which has made for a relatively calm spring.
“I thought there would be a little more traffic around here. But I haven't noticed anything different,” McKeon said. Besides Griffey's news conference on his first full day in training camp, McKeon said, “The rest of the time it's been normal.”
Griffey didn't play Monday against Minnesota but is expected to start against the Twins in Sarasota tonight.
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