BOSTON — The Reds made the trade Tuesday at the winter meetings, but the deal was sealed in April.

        The Reds faxed Dmitri Young's agent, Tom Reich, a contract proposal April 16 that would have paid Young $26 million over the next four years.

        “On April 18, we got a call that they'd get back to us on April 19,” general manager Jim Bowden said. “We never got a counterproposal. Dmitri said he didn't want to burn any bridges but was not planning on re-signing with the Reds.”

        That led to Tuesday's trade that sent Young to the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Juan Encarnacion and right-handed pitcher Luis Pineda. The deal was based solely on economics.

        Young understood.

        “This is a business decision,” he said. “They got some guys coming up. They have to move salary.”

        And the Reds aren't done moving. They were close to a deal Tuesday to send Pokey Reese to Seattle for right-hander John Halama and a pitching prospect. But the Mariners were holding out for better offers.

        Reese got a contract offer the same day Young did. It would have paid him $21million over four years. Bowden said Reese's representatives, like Young's, did not counter.

        So Reese will go, too.

        The Reds are still hoping to sign Sean Casey, Aaron Boone and Danny Graves to long-term deals.

        “We don't want to break up the young players who want to be in Cincinnati and we can afford,” Bowden said.

        Agents for Casey, Boone and Graves have made counter offers, although nothing has happened lately.

        Bowden spoke glowingly of Young, who hit .300 and averaged 36 doubles, 17 home runs and 74 RBI in his four years with the Reds.

        But money took precedent over production.

        “Getting payroll down to where we need it,” Bowden said, “the fact that he's a 5-plus (years in the majors), arbitration-eligible guy, the fact that he could walk at the end of the year and we're not going to get anything for him, we moved him. He's not a guy we wanted to move.

        “Unfortunately, that's the way our industry is right now.”

        The industry is such that the Reds must keep their payroll in the range of $43 million to break even. That put Young and Reese, both arbitration-eligible, on the trading block. And the Reds could seek only low-salaried players in return.

        Encarnacion made $440,000 last season; Pineda made the major-league minimum of $200,000.

        “It was a difficult trade market,” Bowden said. “Not a lot of clubs are adding payroll. Even the big-market clubs are cutting or staying the same. That makes it tough. It was the best deal we could get.

        “We like Pineda a lot.”

        The Reds could not afford to trade for an established pitcher such as Kevin Millwood, who made $3.1 million last season.

        “If we had money, we could have traded for pitchers making money,” Bowden said. “We had offers of pitchers who were making $4 to $10 million this year. We can't take money on and make it work. So our goal is to get the best young pitching we can afford.”

        Pineda, 23, made his major-league debut last season. He has a great minor-league record: 22-12, 2.97 ERA, 331 strikeouts, 150 walks and 240 hits allowed in 300 innings. But he didn't pitch above Single A until last season.

        The Reds may use him as a starter or a reliever.

        “He's got a great arm, great stuff,” Tigers GM Randy Smith said. “We gave up two players with high ceilings.”

        Encarnacion is a classic high-ceiling guy. He hit .289 with 14 home runs, 72 RBI and 16 steals in 2000. He slipped to .242, 12 HRs, 52 RBI and nine steals last season.

        “A lot of players come into their own the third year,” Tigers manager Phil Garner said. “He slipped a little bit. Maybe the change will help him.”

        The change may not last long. The Reds have Austin Kearns, Ruben Mateo, Wily Mo Pena and now Encarnacion competing for one outfield spot.

        “Who knows? One or two of those could get traded for more pitching,” Bowden said.

        The Reds will keep seeking pitching even after Reese is traded. But if they move Reese, it still doesn't open much money under the $43 million cap.

        That's why the Reds are sorting out the trades before making a counteroffer to free agent Jeff Shaw. Shaw's agent gave the Reds a proposal that would pay Shaw $1.5 million next year and $4.5 million in deferred money.

        “Can we afford to pay Jeff Shaw $6 million to pitch in '02? No,” Bowden said. “A one-year deal doesn't do us any good.”

        The Reds would prefer a two-year deal with most of the money in the second year when Great American Ball Park and its additional revenue come into play.

        “That makes sense,” Bowden said. “Then you have the new labor agreement, the new stadium and we have a chance to win, and we've got him there.”

        The Reds talked to Albie Lopez about a similar deal. Dave Burba is another free agent interest.

        But Bowden doesn't even know if any of those will work out.

        “We're just trying to get the numbers to where they need to be,” he said.

Young traded to Detroit SULLIVAN: A move that helps only the payroll Reds, Young swap parting compliments New double plays in N.Y.: Alomar to Ordonez

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