SARASOTA, Fla. — Ken Griffey Sr. walked out of Reds camp Friday and resigned as the team's first base coach.

        Jose Cardenal, a special consultant in the Reds organization, was immediately named to replace Griffey. Griffey did not meet with the media after his resignation, but the abruptness and timing of it had people wondering what was behind it.

        “This was his decision,” Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. “I was kind of surprised about it.”

        Griffey will continue in the organization as special consultant to Bowden.

Ken Griffey Sr. watched his son takes batting practice Thursday afternoon, but quit the Reds organization Friday. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        Griffey's agent, Brian Goldberg, said Griffey would address the matter today.

        “It was just the year-to-year, day-to-day grind,” Goldberg said.

        Griffey, 51, has been a Reds coach for the past five seasons. He went from first base coach (1997) to hitting coach ('97-98) to bench coach ('99-2000) to hitting coach (2000-01).

        He was apparently not happy with his diminishing role.

        Griffey's son, Ken Jr., said he hadn't had a chance to speak to his father at length.

        Was Junior upset with the resignation?

        “What do you think?” he said. “He's my dad.”

        The chance to be reunited with his father was one of the reasons Junior cited in coming to Cincinnati.

        Griffey Sr. has walked off the job before. He did so in 1999 after a dispute with a reporter. He returned after meeting with Bowden.

        Cardenal was interviewed for one of the vacant coaching jobs this winter but pulled out of consideration.

        “Jim Bowden asked me to do this for the team,” he said. “Somebody had to do it. I'll do what I've always tried to do: help the team win.”

        Cardenal's expertise is in base-running and outfield play — two areas Griffey was going to handle.

        Cardenal, 58, served as first base coach for the Reds (1993), St. Louis Cardinals (1994-95), New York Yankees (1996-99) and Tampa Bay Devils Rays (2000-01). He played 18 seasons in the majors. He hit .275 with 138 homers, 775 RBI and 329 stolen bases.

        GO AWAY:

        Rain washed out the Reds' first full squad workout Friday. But the Reds got some good news from the players' physicals.

        “Barry Larkin came back as billed,” team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek said. “There was no tenderness. No pain. With Junior (Griffey), it was obvious he worked on the hamstring during the offseason. It was much better than it was when he left.”

        Larkin was limited to 45 games last year by a torn groin and a sports hernia. Griffey didn't start a game until June 15 because of a hamstring injury.

        The players hit in the cages Friday, and pitchers got their throwing in under cover as well.

        “This doesn't really set us back,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “All we want is for the hitters to get their work in and for the pitchers to throw.”

        It is supposed to rain again today. The Reds will follow the same schedule if it does.

        “It just wipes out those two hours I spent doing the schedule,” Boone said.

        FROM THE PHYSICALS:

        Wily Mo Pena was the only Red with as good as 20/10 vision. Griffey was next on the list with 20/15.

        Brady Clark had only 4.6 percent body fat. Aaron Boone, who came in at 8.5 percent, was comparing his numbers with others. Todd Walker was 10 percent. Adam Dunn checked in at 12.2 percent, not bad for someone who weighed 250 pounds.

        TRADING AGES:

        Turns out that when the Reds traded Dmitri Young to the Detroit Tigers, they got a 27-year-old right-hander and Juan Encarnacion in exchange.

        Until Thursday they thought they got a 23-year-old right-hander and Encarnacion.

        But Luis Pineda aged as he went through the visa process as he left the Dominican Republic. It turns out his birthday was Oct.17, 1974 — not June 10, 1978 as previously listed.

        “A lot of the players have the same problem,” Pineda said.

        “It doesn't happen that much,” said Jose Rijo, a native of the D.R. “But some scouts don't care about the age. They just care about the talent. They don't investigate.” Rijo assures everyone he is really 36.

        ALL ON HAND:

        Juan Encarnacion was the final Red to report to camp. He showed up at about 3p.m. Friday.

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