Thursday, July 05, 2001
Reds Notebook
Aaron Boone expects better
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
One year after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, Aaron Boone should have a lot to be proud of, with a .285 average, six home runs and 27 RBI in 55 games. Yet Boone believes he should be more proficient, though many athletes struggle coming back following extensive knee surgery.
“I feel like I've been kind of treading water,” Boone said.
The three-year veteran indicated the broken right hand that sidelined him for a month delayed his progress, though it hasn't hampered him physically.
“Since I've come back from the hand, I've been trying to get that feeling like you're going to start doing some damage and start playing the way you feel like you should be playing,” Boone said. I'm getting my hits, doing my thing and doing OK, but ... I should be doing better.”
RIEDLING CHECKUP: Arthroscopic shoulder surgery could be in right-hander John Riedling's future, but the Reds want to make sure he needs it.
Riedling, who's on the 60-day disabled list, is scheduled to visit Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., today for a second opinion. Should Andrews agree with the Reds that Riedling needs surgery, he'll probably undergo the procedure next Thursday or Friday, team physician Dr. Tim Kremchek said.
Rest, strengthening and, eventually, throwing were prescribed for Riedling when he went on the disabled list May 27. But the Reds have determined that more aggressive measures must be taken. “He hasn't really gotten to where we wanted him to be,” Kremchek said.
ETC.: Reds second baseman Pokey Reese ended a career-high 0-for-22 skid with a seventh-inning single.
• Cincinnati's Dmitri Young extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a 2-for-4 afternoon. He's batting .512 (21-for-41) in this stretch.
• By the way, Adam Dunn hit another home run. Through Tuesday, he has 18 in 45 games for Triple-A Louisville, along with a .331 average and 49 RBI.
• Pittsburgh's Brian Giles recorded his second two-homer game of the season, both against the Reds. The other came April 12. Added to the NL All-Star team as a reserve, Giles has three hits in each game of this series.
UP NEXT: The series, along with the homestand, mercifully concludes today, as Jose Acevedo (1-1) opposes Pittsburgh lefty Dave Williams (1-0), a fellow rookie.
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Aaron Boone expects better
