SARASOTA, Fla. — Ken Griffey Jr. is more curious than concerned about the big new center-field wall at Cinergy Field.

        “What's it made of?” he asked.

With the "Black Monster" in the background, Reds COO John Allen talks with baseball VP Jimmy Lee Solomon. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Plywood.

        “It doesn't have a ladder, does it?”

        No.

        The Green Monster in Fenway Park does have a ladder. But Griffey never had any trouble playing balls that bounced off Boston's famed wall.

        “But I did run into it,” he said. “It doesn't give.”

        Griffey will get his introduction to the Reds' wall April 1, the day before Opening Day, when the team works out from 2 to 4 p.m. The wall will be 38 to 40 feet high to accommodate the shorter distance from home and create the proper batter's background because of construction for Great American Ball Park.

        Griffey figures he'll have a good idea how to play balls off the wall after the workout.

        “It's not that tough,” he said. “The ball can only go three ways — straight down, left or right. I'll throw a bunch of balls against it to check it out. That's a given.”

        Griffey said throwing balls off the wall will work better than having someone hit balls off it.

        “That way, I can hit the spots I want,” he said. “You want to see where the screws are.”

        Reds manager Bob Boone said the workout will only begin to clue in players about how to handle the wall.

        “It'll take some getting used to,” he said. “We won't know until we play a bunch of games in there.”

        But Boone, like Griffey, downplays the significance of the wall.

        “I don't think it's going to be a big issue,” he said. “It's not the Green Monster.”

        The outfield has been completely reconfigured, meaning the corners will play differently.

        “You want to be as familiar as you can with it,” right fielder Alex Ochoa said. “Those little things can save a run. You want to work on it in practice so you don't screw it up in a game.”

Griffey eager to test new wall Reds just about set for Opening Day Boone feels Morris' pain Game report: Red Sox 5, Reds 3

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