Larkin

        Someone said to Barry Larkin that the impending retirements of Baltimore's Cal Ripken Jr. and San Diego's Tony Gwynn mean Larkin is the major-league player with the most tenure with one team.

        “I've never been one to look at numbers,” he said. “But it's pretty cool.”

        The first half of this season, however, has been anything but cool for Larkin.

COMPANY MEN

Active players with the most years playing for one team:   Cal Ripken Jr. BAL, 21   Tony Gwynn SD, 20   Barry Larkin CIN, 16   Tom Glavine ATL, 15   Edgar Martinez SEA, 15   Craig Biggio HOU, 14   Gary DiSarcina ANA, 13   John Smoltz ATL, 13   Ray Lankford STL, 12   Charles Nagy CLE, 12   Frank Thomas CWS, 12   Jeff Bagwell HOU, 11   Eric Karros LA, 11   Shane Reynolds HOU, 11   Ivan Rodriguez TEX, 11   Jim Thome CLE, 11   Bernie Williams NYY, 11   John Valentin BOS, 10

        Just when Larkin is about to move into a class of one, he probably has had the roughest ride of his 16-year career with his hometown team. His three-year, $27 million contract has been blamed for the Reds' fiscal squeeze. Joe Nuxhall, the non-controversial radio announcer, said Larkin was “losing it.” He has been bashed on talk radio and by columnists.

        Part of it is the season Larkin is having. He is in his second stint on the disabled list with a strained groin muscle. His batting average is 44 points below his career mark of .300.

        “It's been screwed up,” he said. “It's been bizarre. In one fell swoop, I go from the best start of my career to "He's lost it.' That's what's bizarre.”

        Larkin thinks if he had been healthy this season, none of this would have come up.

        “That's exactly the point,” he said. “But has anyone written that?”

        Larkin always chooses his words carefully. So when asked if he feels underappreciated, he said: “Not by the people who matter. I'm not going to expound on that.”

        But Larkin clearly was stung by the recent criticism.

        “It appeared to me like, "If I have anything to say against him, I might as well go ahead and say it. Everyone else is.'”

AT YOUR SERVICE

Players who spent 20 or more years with one team   23   Brooks Robinson, Baltimore 1955-77   Carl Yastrzemski, Boston 1961-83   22   Cap Anson, Chicago-NL 1876-97   Al Kaline, Detroit 1953-74   Stan Musial, St. Louis 1941-44, '46-63   Mel Ott, New York-NL 1926-47   21   George Brett, Kansas City 1973-93   Walter Johnson, Washington 1907-27   Ted Lyons, Chicago-AL 1923-42, '46   Cal Ripken Jr,. Baltimore 1981-present   Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh 1962-82   20   Luke Appling, Chicago-AL 1930-43, '45-50   Red Faber, Chicago-AL 1914-33   Tony Gwynn, San Diego 1982-present   Mel Harder, Cleveland 1928-47   Alan Trammell, Detroit 1977-96   Robin Yount, Milwaukee 1974-93

        Larkin was touched by the honors and ovations Gwynn and Ripken received Tuesday at the All-Star Game.

        “It was nice to see that people appreciate what those guys have done,” he said. “I was happy for them.”

        Larkin said that with a wry smile.

        Larkin, Ripken and Gwynn are rare nowadays, playing their whole careers with one team.

        “That takes mutual loyalty,” Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. “Barry's in the same class with Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken and George Brett. He's meant a lot to this team on and off the field. Barry's had a lot of opportunities to go somewhere else for more money.”

        Larkin has not always been a company man. He asked for a trade in 1998 after reliever Jeff Shaw was dealt to Los Angeles at the All-Star break. Last year, he would not back off his demand for $9million a year. As a result, he nearly was traded to the New York Mets.

        Instead, Reds president Carl Lindner worked out a contract with Larkin. The deal was made after Lindner's baseball people advised against it.

        The deal was made after fans showed their appreciation for Larkin as the trade looked imminent.

        “For the fans to do what they did, showed they appre ciated him on and off the field,” right fielder Alex Ochoa said.

        Larkin's reputation in the game is unquestioned.

        “His peers and the people around the game appreciate what he's done,” third baseman Aaron Boone said. “Absolutely. He has that certain aura around him. You can sense and feel that from the other players.”

        Larkin is No.3 on the Reds' list of players who spent their entire career with the club. Next year, he'll equal Johnny Bench at 17 seasons. Only the man Larkin replaced at shortstop, Dave Concepcion, has more (19). Larkin's contract, assuming there is no trade, means he'll play at least 18 seasons with the Reds.

        And beyond that?

        “I want to play as long as I can,” he said. “Hopefully, it will be here.”

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