SARASOTA, Fla. — Danny Graves sounded as if an opponent had just blooped his best sinkerball into the outfield for a game-winning hit.

        The relief ace lost his salary arbitration case Wednesday, receiving a one-year, $2.1 million deal when a three-person panel ruled in favor of the club's bid instead of his $3.075 million request.

        “Our presentation was better, and I'll tell anybody that,” said Graves, who earned $400,000 last year while posting a 10-5 record with a 2.56 ERA and a career-high 30 saves. “I'm convinced we had the arbitrators convinced my case was a good one until the last two minutes.”

        That's when an official from the owners' Player Relations Committee burst in on the 4 1/2-hour session. He announced that Florida's Antonio Alfonseca, whose 45 saves led the majors last year, avoided arbitration by agreeing to a two-year, $6 million deal that will pay him $2.45 million this season and $3.55 million the next.

        Graves realized Alfonseca's 2001 salary affected his situation. “That definitely didn't help my case,” Graves said.

        The fact that Chicago White Sox closer Keith Foulke won his arbitration case for $3.1 million ran kled Graves, though another counterpart, Atlanta's John Rocker, lost his and received $1.9 million. Foulke had more saves than Graves (34) but had a less impressive record (3-1) and ERA (2.97).

        “I can handle losing. I'm still going to be a millionaire and I'm still going to get a huge raise. I'm not

        going to sit here and cry about making $2.1 million,” Graves said. “But when other people in your same class are getting rewarded for their performance and you're not, it's hard to swallow.”

        Graves also had trouble understanding why the Reds didn't make a concerted effort to compromise with him, as they did with other arbitration-eligibles such as outfielders Alex Ochoa and Dmitri Young, reliever Scott Sullivan and second baseman Pokey Reese, who settled on a one-year, $3.2 million deal.

        The Reds also bargained with first baseman Sean Casey, who won his arbitration case at $3 million. The Reds' last case, with right-hander Osvaldo Fernandez, is scheduled for Monday in Phoenix.

        Noting the $975,000 difference between Graves' figure and the club's offer, Reds general manager Jim Bowden called the decision “very important from an economic perspective.” He reiterated that the team offered Graves a three-year contract with figures escalating from $2.1 million and never received a suitable counterproposal. Graves' side has contended the Reds never sustained talks with them.

        “They didn't come to me,” said Graves, adding that he would have settled for the $2.59 million midpoint. “I wish they would have, but that was their strategy of going about it. It worked for them.”

        Cincinnati's agreement with Reese was prompted by the contracts received by a pair of infielders, Colorado's Neifi Perez ($3.55 million) and Detroit's Deivi Cruz ($3.525 million). The Reds offered $2.7 million to Reese, who sought $3.6 million.

        “We didn't like our chances in a hearing,” Bowden said, referring to the fact that arbitration is based largely on comparisons.

        “I think it's good for everybody involved,” said Mike Nicotera, one of Reese's agents. “I've never been in there when a guy came out feeling very happy with the club. It's a process that's best avoided, if possible.”

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