Friday, July 13, 2001
Reds Notebook
Boone: Larkin's injury hurt most<
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
To manager Bob Boone, the most crippling event in the season-long series of injuries and ill luck that has dogged the Reds was Barry Larkin's groin injury, which spoiled the shortstop's torrid start offensively and stunted the team's ability to score.
“That's probably the biggest loss we had,” Boone said, pointing out that Larkin's on-base percentage from the leadoff spot hovered near .480 before his injury. “When you're not getting (runners) on base in front of some of those big boys, then the pitcher has a bigger margin for error.”
BROWER'S SHOT: Jim Brower doesn't mind switching between relieving and starting, but he'd like to entrench himself in the latter role.
Brower will get another shot at starting in Saturday's series finale when he faces his former teammates. The right-hander hasn't started since May 13, when he allowed four runs in one-third of an inning against Houston.
“I'd like to be judged after 10 starts,” said Brower, who has a 7.64 ERA in four starts, compared with a 2.25 ERA in 20 relief outings.
Brower, 4-6 with a 3.62 ERA overall, appreciates the need to seize this chance. “I'm not going to have a lot of opportunities in my situation,” he said. “I'm not 23. I'm 28.”
For that reason, Brower welcomes facing the Indians and their formidable lineup.
“That's the way you judge starters — how they do against the best teams — and that's how I want to be judged,” Brower said.
Brower isn't getting ahead of himself. Referring to the prospect of Dennys Reyes or Jose Rijo joining the rotation, he said diplomatically: “I'm just going to go out there one start at a time. Things change quickly around here.”
STAR-STRUCK: Immediately after Cal Ripken Jr. crushed his stirring home run in Tuesday night's All-Star Game at Seattle, television cameras caught Sean Casey staring toward where the ball disappeared and exclaiming something with a look of childlike wonder on his face.
As Casey related, “I said to (Arizona right-hander Curt) Schilling, "Can we clap?' ”
TIME CHANGE: Saturday afternoon's first pitch has been moved from 1:15 to 1:25 to accommodate Fox's telecast.
ETC.: Infielder Pete Rose Jr., who was acquired to help ease an injury crunch at Double-A Chattanooga, was placed on the disabled list with a sprained right knee. In other minor-league transactions, the Reds outrighted Triple-A catcher Matt Walbeck to Philadelphia's Triple-A affiliate, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while catcher Corky Miller was promoted from Chattanooga to Louisville.
UP NEXT: The Reds have the dubious privilege of facing C.C. Sabathia (7-3), the imposing 6-foot-7 left-hander who's eight days short of his 21st birthday. He'll oppose Elmer Dessens (6-6).
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Boone: Larkin's injury hurt most