Imagine Ken Griffey Jr. playing against the Seattle Mariners and former teammate Alex Rodriquez, now with the Texas Rangers. It's in the plans for next season.

        The Reds and the NL Central will play AL West in 2002, according to the preliminary schedule confirmed by sources in Major League Baseball. That means the Reds would also play the Oakland A's and Anaheim Angels.

        Here are the tentative pairings:

        • NL Central vs. AL West

        • NL West vs. AL East

        • NL East vs. AL Central

        The Reds would still play the Cleveland Indians, although not home and away. The plan calls for popular six-game series such as Cubs-White Sox, Giants-Athletics and Mets-Yankees to be cut to three games.

        When interleague play began in 1997, baseball said it intended to rotate the East vs. East, Central vs. Central and West vs. West format. But other than minor tinkering — Houston and Texas finally met this year, for example — the matchups have stayed the same.

        That would change under the proposed schedule, which baseball must submit by July 1 to the players' union for approval.

        Though the 2002 plan could change, Arizona first baseman Mark Grace was thrilled to hear the Diamondbacks were — for now — headed to Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park next year.

        “I love it. I think it's great. I'm a historian,” he said. “... The two ballparks I've never played in are Boston and Yankee Stadium.”

        Barry Bonds, if he stays with the San Francisco Giants, would get to swing for the short right-field porch at Yankee Stadium for the first time.

        “At least it's something different,” Bonds said.

        The Yankees and Dodgers have a long history, dating to their days together in New York and going up to World Series matchups in 1977, 78 and '81. The teams have played in exhibitions, but the regular-season rivalry could be renewed.

        “It will be great to play them in games that matter,” Derek Jeter said.

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