With apologies to Jack Nicholson, let's call this the As Good As It Gets column. Remember the scene in the movie when Jack walks into his shrink's waiting room and says to his follow obsessive-compulsives, “What if this is as good as it gets?”

        That's the reality Reds fans have to face. It is unlikely any more help is on the way. No big trades. No big-name (or even medium-name) free agent signings. The Reds are likely to go to camp with what they have. So, if this is as good as it gets, can the Reds be any good?

        That depends on the young pitching. Lance Davis, Jose Acevedo and Chris Reitsma have to get better.

        “What I hope, what everyone in the organization hopes, is that they got their feet wet last year and now they're ready to step up,” said Reds director of pro scouting Gary Hughes. “Will all of them? Probably not. But if they do, we could be in good shape.”

        If that happens, the Reds probably won't need any of the prospects to go from potential to producing.

        But what probably will happen is a prospect or two will pitch their way into the picture.

        “The first guys to look at are the guys we traded for,” said assistant general manager Doc Rodgers. “Obviously, we liked them or we wouldn't have traded for them.”

        Rodgers is talking about Luke Hudson, whom the Reds got in the Pokey Reese trade; Luis Pineda, whom they got in the Dmitri Young trade; and Chris Booker, whom they got in the Michael Tucker trade.

        Pineda, a 23-year-old right-hander, got a taste of the big leagues last year with Detroit. He was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA in 16 relief appearances. He gave up only 16 hits in 18 1/3 innings, so his stuff is good.

        Hudson, a 24-year-old right-hander, pitched in Double-A last year. His numbers weren't great — 7-12, 4.20 ERA — but the Reds hope something clicks when he works with their people.

        Booker, a 25-year-old right-hander, is a reliever, and the Reds need starters, but he's intriguing. He throws in the mid-90s. Rodgers says he reminds him of Lee Smith, the great reliever.

        Two other names to keep an eye on are Ty Howington and Ricardo Aramboles. Howington is the first-round pick from 1999. He was terrific last year — an 8-5 record, 2.30 ERA in three minor-league stops.

        He's a left-hander who throws hard, so if he gets hot in spring training, the Reds may be willing to bring him north. If he goes 7-15, like Reitsma did, they figure he'll learn from it and be ready for 2003.

        Aramboles is the 20-year-old right-hander the Reds got from the New York Yankees for Mark Wohlers.

        Aramboles wasn't very good after the trade (0-2 with an 8.00 ERA) at Double-A. But he was pitching with a sore elbow. Once the elbow was better (no surgery was needed), Aramboles was impressive. In fact, he was named the top pitcher in the Instructional League.

        “He's a baby,” Rodgers said. “But he's got all the tools. If he can put it together, he can be really good.”

        The Reds have changed the way Aramboles approaches pitching.

        “Most young guys throw hard first and soft later,” Rodgers said. “But he fell in love with off-speed stuff. He throws 90-93. You can get guys out with that with the right location.”

        NOTHING SHAKING:

        The Reds didn't make any progress late this week as far as signing their four arbitration-eligible players, Danny Graves, Scott Williamson, Juan Encarnacion and Aaron Boone.

        NAEHRING ON FAST TRACK:

        The Boston media are speculating that Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette won't survive the change in ownership.

        One of the first names mentioned as a possible successor was Tim Naehring, the Reds' director of player development.

        Naehring, the LaSalle High and Miami University product, played his entire eight-year career with the Red Sox.

        WINTER BALL:

        Ruben Mateo led Escogido in home runs (six) and RBI (16) in the Dominican Republic. Mateo hit .243.

        John Fay covers the Reds for the Enquirer.

Here's hope: Young arms Online with John Fay What imbalance? A hello to arms Baseball notebook

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Page Two: The top five
DAUGHERTY: On Moeller
Crusade for new gym ends for Moeller
Glen Este rolls past Kings 43-36
Boys basketball roundup
Girls basketball roundup
Ohio boys basketball scores
Ohio girls basketball scores
Kentucky boys basketball scores
Kentucky girls basketball scores
Indiana boys basketball scores
Indiana girls basketball scores

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