Ron Oester has played or coached for the Reds for 23 years. He spent a good portion of Tuesday telling the baseball brain trust what he's learned about the game.

        Oester, the team's third base coach, was interviewed by general manager Jim Bowden and his assistants for the vacant manager's job.

        “It went well,” Oester said. “We talked for 3 1/2 hours, so we talked about a lot of things.”

        Bowden has said the Reds will interview “10 to 12” candidates for the job that opened when Jack McKeon was fired the day after the season ended.

        Also on the list to be interviewed: Ken Griffey Sr., the Reds' bench coach; former Kansas City manager Hal McRae; Bob Boone, a special assistant to Bowden and former Kansas City manager; Ken Macha, the Oakland A's bench coach; and New York Yankees coach Willie Randolph.

        There were reports out of New York Tuesday that Bowden had asked New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips for permission to interview Mets manager Bobby Valentine.

        When asked about it, Phillips told the New York Post: “I think if anybody does, then they will not be granted permission while we're trying to go for a World Series.”

        Oester, 44, said he's in a wait-and-see pattern.

        “They still have other interviews to do,” he said. “They can't make an announcement until after the World Series, so it's going to be a while.”

        Oester is under contract with the Reds, so he cannot talk to other clubs about prospective jobs.

        Oester played in the Reds' organization for 17 years, including 13 seasons in the majors (1978-90). He just finished his fourth year as a coach. He spent two years working the minor-league system, where he got his only managerial experience.

        He took over Double-A Chattanooga in June 1992 and led the team to a 37-27 record and the Southern League's West Division second-half title.

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