SARASOTA, Fla. — It was difficult to tell who received better news Thursday, Greg Maddux or the Reds.

        The Reds won't have to face Maddux, who's acclaimed as the best pitcher of this era, in Monday's Opening Day game when they face the Atlanta Braves. Maddux suffered a cut under his left big toenail when he was hit by a line drive in an exhibition game Wednesday and will have his first start pushed back a couple of days, though he didn't suffer a fracture as the Braves had feared.

        Cincinnati, which has endured two defeats and a tie in its last three openers, probably will confront John Burkett instead. Right-hander Pete Harnisch will start for the Reds.

        Luck has favored the Reds. They were scheduled to oppose Maddux, the four-time Cy Young Award recipient who has won 15 games or more for 13 years in a row, and Pittsburgh's Kris Benson, a Cy Young candidate, in their first two games. Instead, they'll get Burkett and Todd Ritchie, a pair of right-handers considered good but not great.

        Burkett's one of only five pitchers to have made at least 25 starts in each year of the 1990s. Burkett, 10-6 with a 4.89 ERA last year, faced the Reds just once last season, pitching a scoreless inning in relief. He's 9-6 with a 3.26 lifetime ERA against them, including 5-3, 3.35 at Cinergy Field. This spring, Burkett was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in six starts.

        “We're getting a guy who knows what he's doing and who, as far as I know, has pitched lights-out this spring,” Reds third baseman Aaron Boone said.

        But Burkett's not Maddux, who was 19-9 with a 3.00 ERA in 2000. Maddux's 15-12 record and 3.10 ERA for his career against Cincinnati are enhanced by an 11-4, 2.30 mark at Cinergy Field.

Reds will avoid Maddux, Benson Boone worried about his bench Griffey decision may wait till Monday Harnisch tinkers with mechanics Sabo could manage Florence team

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