Monday, July 24, 2000
Lindner keeps Larkin a Red
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Carl Lindner stepped in and kept Barry Larkin from leaving the Reds.
Larkin would have likely been headed to free agency at season's end if Lindner and his people hadn't come up with some creative financing to give Larkin a three-year deal that will keep him in a Reds uniform through the 2003 season.
Although Lindner, the club's chief executive officer, has used his deep pockets to sign Larkin and Ken Griffey Jr., he says he cannot get into a baseball spending war with the likes of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. “We have to realize the size of market we are,” Lindner said. “Without putting anyone in the stands, George brings as much from radio and TV as we do.”
Lindner entered the Larkin negotiations Saturday afternoon after Allen and Bowden became convinced Larkin would veto the trade to New York. Larkin rejected the deal when the Mets would not offer him a multiyear deal.
“If they had, I would have been gone,” Larkin said.
The deal with the Mets blew up Saturday night. After Sunday's game, Larkin was about to head home with his future still uncertain.
“I was extremely drained,” Larkin said. “I thought, "Here we go again.' I was going to go home, try to get some sleep, get ready for another ride on the emo tional roller coaster.”
But assistant general manager Doc Rodgers pulled Larkin aside and said general manager Jim Bowden wanted to see him. “(Bowden) said, "You've got to meet with Carl Lindner,'” Larkin said. “We went to Mr. Lindner's office. We sat down and chatted. We were happily accepting of it ... We're excited. We're still here in Cincinnati.”
The fan reaction Larkin got Sunday may have swayed the Reds brass. Larkin got a long standing ovation when he came to the plate in the first inning.
“That was a touching situation,” Larkin said, “for myself and anyone there who saw it ... I think all parties realized that we needed to get this done.”
Reds Stories
• Return to Reds front page...
Lindner keeps Larkin a Red