Jim Bowden applauds for Jack McKeon as McKeon receives his Manager of the Year award before the game. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

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        Reds General Manager Jim Bowden is always trying to work a deal, and he'll admit patience isn't his strong suit.

        But he's doing his best to sit back and wait for his key people — Pete Harnisch, Steve Parris, Ken Griffey Jr., Dante Bichette and Sean Casey — to come around.

        “We're just trying to get those guys untracked,” Bowden said. “When the guys on our club get going, which they will, we'll be OK.”

        Bowden mentioned last year and 1995 as years when the Reds started slow and went on to have good seasons.

        “We started slow and then got in a groove and rolled,” Bowden said. “You've got to stay healthy and pitch. We've had two of our top players out. The pitching was pretty good until the last two days.”

        On the trade front, Bowden said there is interest in Deion Sanders, who is rehabbing at Triple-A Louisville.

        “A lot of teams need left-handed hitting outfielders who can run,” Bowden said.

        Sanders hasn't exactly been tearing it up at Louisville. He's hitting .195 with three home runs and eight stolen bases.

        “He hasn't gotten in a consistent groove yet,” Bowden said.

        Sanders is close to healthy.

        “He's 95 to 98 percent,” Bowden said. “I saw him play the other night. He hit a triple. I blinked, and he was on third.”

        WOHLERS WOWS: Mark Wohlers threw live batting practice to Juan Castro and Michael Tucker before Friday's game as he continues to rehab from Tommy John elbow surgery.

        Wohlers' fastball was in the mid-90s, but what impressed Bowden was Wohlers' control. Wohlers was on the disabled list at the time he was injured, battling an anxiety disorder that kept him from throwing strikes.

        “He's a whole different pitcher,” Bowden said. “We didn't see this last year. It shows you the root of it was probably the elbow.”

        Bowden said Wohlers would start a rehab assignment at Single-A Dayton, and that he won't be rushed. A June return is likely.

        CASTRO STARTS: Reds manager Jack McKeon started Castro at shortstop Friday.

        “He's going pretty good,” McKeon said. “I thought I'd throw him in there. He's swinging the bat. You don't want him to get rusty.”

        SUMMER WEATHER: The Reds finally got a warm night for a home game. Game time temperature was 77.

       BACK TO WORK: Barry Larkin, on the disabled list with torn ligament in his left hand, threw batting practice to the Reds pitchers Friday.

        WHAT PITCH COUNT? Gaylord Perry, a Hall of Fame pitcher, added a momento from his career.

        Brad Kuhlman, the Reds director of baseball opera tions, is married to Perry's niece. Perry, who visited Cinergy Field Friday, had Kuhlman dig up a boxscore from Sept. 2, 1967. It wasn't just any box score. Perry started that day and went 16 innings. The Giants ended up winning the game 1-0 on a bases-loaded walk in the 21st inning.

        “That was before the days of pitch counts,” Perry said.

        He figures he threw between 200 and 250 pitches.

        UP NEXT: Rookie right-hander Rob Bell (2-1, 3.86) faces right-hander Darryl Kile (5-1, 5.40) today at 1:15 p.m. in the second game of the series.

        It's the sixth start of the year for Bell. He's coming off a 6-2 win over Pittsburgh in which he went six innings, allowing four hits and two runs.

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Reds 3, Cardinals 2 Box, runs Going, going, still going ... Reds pitchers pull out the stop Patient Bowden not itching to deal No 'Prime Time' in Triple-A

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