Saturday, April 08, 2000
Reds send White to Rockies for Aybar
BY CHRIS HAFT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds gave pitching coach Don Gullett another project to tinker with by acquiring right-hander Manny Aybar from the Colorado Rockies on Friday night for left-hander Gabe White.
The deal makes the Reds younger and cheaper. Aybar, 25, will earn $270,000, compared with the 28-year-old White's $630,000 salary.
But adding a potentially versatile pitcher was the Reds' main goal. Though Aybar will start out in the bullpen — he relieved in all but one of 65 appearances last year with St. Louis — he was primarily a starter as recently as 1998 and could occupy that role again if he develops his skills.
The Reds are counting on Gullett, who has resuscitated several pitchers' careers, to refine Aybar's talents.
“Don Gullett is a big fan of Aybar's,” said Reds general manager Jim Bowden, citing previous attempts to acquire the pitcher “Gully thinks he can really help Manny. In the past, when Donny recommended a pitcher, we've had a lot of success. He supported this deal and we decided to take a chance on a good arm.”
Though Aybar has made 71 of his 98 major-league appearances in relief, Bowden's remarks emphasized his aptitude as a starter.
“We don't have a lot of depth as far as starting pitching goes. This gives us a little more,” Bowden said. “He has great stuff. It's just a matter of making some adjustments in his delivery. We think Don Gullett can help him. If we can teach him how to pitch and give him a little bit of deception, we think he can help us either in relief or as a starter.”
The Reds aren't done trying to strengthen their pitching. They have a scout following the New York Yankees, rekindling speculation about their interest in right-hander Ramiro Mendoza, who, like Aybar, can start or relieve.
Aybar throws with considerable velocity. But his 41-34 record and 3.01 ERA in seven minor-league seasons clash with his 12-16 mark and 5.37 ERA in the majors.
Aybar, who joined the Rockies from St.Louis last Nov.16 in a seven-player trade, lost in his only appearance this year, allowing three runs and five hits in 1ö innings at Atlanta on Wednesday.
White had mixed feelings about leaving the Reds. He's bound to receive increased chances to pitch with the Rockies, who have only one other left-handed reliever — Mike Myers.
But he felt close to his teammates, particularly fellow reliever Danny Graves.
As Graves said, “Dr. (Tim) Kremchek (the Reds' team physician) has to cut the umbilical cord after you guys are done.”
Said White: “I'm leaving a great bunch of guys. I have a lot of good friends here, and they'll continue to be friends. I just wanted to be with them every day.”
White, who joined the Cincinnati organization in 1996, saw his fortunes rise when he saved nine games in 1998 and was penciled in as a co-closer with Graves for the following season.
But White was 0-2 with a 6.64 ERA in his first 17 appearances of 1999, dooming him to the bottom of the bullpen. He made only one appearance after Sept.16.
White ran afoul of club management this spring, when Bowden criticized what he perceived to be the veteran's lack of urgency in preparing for the season.
Yet White had only kind things to say.
“Jim has always been very professional with me, from the day that I met him,” White said. “I don't have one bad thing to say about him. He has always been first-class to me. He was tonight, too. He thanked me for the work I've done here.”
Reds Stories
• Return to Reds front page...
Reds send White to Rockies for Aybar