Sunday, July 23, 2000
REDS NOTEBOOK
Starting is a hit with Bell
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Mike Bell made his first major-league start Sunday after two pinch-hitting appearances.
“It's a huge difference,” he said. “I could relax. The first time I pinch-hit wasn't a pressure situation, but the second time it was bases-loaded, no outs. I didn't see the ball that well.
“Today I was able to relax, take some pitches.”
The difference showed. Bell had a pair of singles.
“That was nice to see,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said, “especially because he got to do it in his hometown.”
Bell, a 25-year-old third baseman, is the grandson of Gus Bell and the son of Buddy Bell. They are the first three-generation family in baseball history to play for the same team.
Buddy, of course, couldn't be at the game because he's managing the Colorado Rockies. But a lot of other family and friends were there. Bell was particularly pleased that Ron Roth, the Reds' backup official scorer, could be there.
“He was a huge part of my baseball career,” Bell said.
Bell played for Roth's Sycamore Sons from the time he was 11 to 14.
“That's when I really got interested in baseball,” Bell said. “He'd pick me up and drop me off because my dad was playing at the time.”
The Reds started three Moeller graduates Sunday: Bell at third, Barry Larkin at shortstop and Ken Griffey Jr. in center field.
ROSTER MOVE: The Reds recalled Manny Aybar from Triple-A Louisville, where he was rehabbing his right groin. To make room for him on the roster, Scott Winchester was sent back to Louisville.
Aybar was 1-2 with a 5.19 ERA when he went on the disabled list. Winchester was 0-0 with a 3.68 ERA in five games with the Reds.
STYNES SITS: Chris Stynes, who had started 14 straight games at third base, was out of the lineup Sunday. Stynes has one hit in his last 18 at-bats.
“He's lost his magic wand,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “He'll get it back.”
Stynes' average is .423.
CASEY SITS, TOO: Sean Casey was out of the lineup Sunday also. It wasn't because he's slumping. Casey has a 15-game hitting streak, in which he's hitting .421 with three home runs and 12 RBI.
He is nursing a sore foot after fouling a ball off it in Houston last week. With left-hander Brian Anderson pitching for Atlanta, McKeon started Alex Ochoa in left and Dmitri Young at first base. Griffey was the only left-handed hitter in the lineup.
ROTATION TURNS: Ron Villone pitched six semi-quality innings Saturday in his spot start for Larry Luebbers. Villone earned his first win since June 24.
But that doesn't necessarily mean Villone will be back in the rotation.
“It's hard to say,” McKeon said. “We have two days off coming up. We might go with four guys. I don't know which four, but Harnisch will be one of them.”
ATTENDANCE UPDATE: The Reds drew 34,822 Sunday. That gave them a total of 123,491 for the three-game series with the Diamondbacks.
The Reds are averaging 33,188 for the 50 dates this season, putting them on pace to draw 2,688,228, which would be a franchise record.
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Starting is a hit with Bell
