Sammy Sosa

        Reds fans will get their first taste of the National League Central's Home Run Derby tonight when Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs come to town for a three-game series.

        “It will be pretty crazy,” said Sean Casey, the Reds' injured first baseman. “There will be a lot of excitement for the fans.”

        The trade of Ken Griffey Jr. to the Reds put the three active players with the highest single-season home run totals all in the NL Central. Sosa was already with the Cubs, and Mark McGwire was with the St. Louis Cardinals.

        The last two years, Cubs-Cardinals games have been hot tickets. Now, Reds-Cubs and Reds-Cards games have the same draw.

        “From a fan's perspective, it's great,” Reds third baseman Aaron Boone said. “It's exciting for us, but we have to look at it as another game. But don't get me wrong. As a fan of baseball and someone who wants baseball to flourish, it's great.”

        Fans have taken notice.

        “We'll get at least 30,000 for every game,” Reds chief operating officer John Allen said. “We should get 40,000 for one of the three.”

        That will be a significant improvement over last year. The first Cubs series of 1999 drew 26,537 on Friday, 28,993 on Saturday and 23,940 on Sunday.

        “It's always exciting when the Cubs come to town,” Reds shortstop Barry Larkin said. “I'm sure this year there will be a lot of added hype with the home run hitters going against each other.”

        Larkin said the players try to avoid being distracted by the hoopla.

        “I know I don't get caught up in it,” he said. “I just look at it as another series we have to win.”

        Larkin is in his 14th year in the big leagues, so that's easy for him to do. For pitcher Rob Bell, who will make his first major-league start against the Cubs on Saturday, it's not.

        “I've been thinking about facing Sosa and Mark Grace since they told me I was starting,” Bell said. “There's no question it will be a big-time atmosphere with Sosa and Griffey.”

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