Sunday, March 31, 2002
Reds notebook
Griffey rests knee; Should be fine to play on Opening Day
By Gary Estwick
The Cincinnati Enquirer
LOUISVILLE — Manager Bob Boone said Ken Griffey Jr. was fine after receiving treatment on his right knee Saturday morning in Cincinnati. Griffey didn't make the trip to Louisville because he tweaked his knee Friday against the Twins.
He will work out with the team today in Cincinnati and is expected to play Opening Day.
“This is just a precautionary thing,” Boone said. “They worked on different ways of taping it (Griffey's knee). Then he went out and hit in the batting cage for about 20 minutes.”
Griffey has been battling patellar tendinitis in his right knee.
MERCADO TO PHILLIES: The Reds announced left-hander Hector Mercado as the player to be named in the trade for outfielder Reggie Taylor.
Mercado was one of four players the Reds optioned to Triple-A on March 26. Mercado pitched 14 innings this spring. He went 0-1 with one save and a 3.86 ERA. He was 3-2 with a 4.08 ERA in 56 games last season.
FAMILY REUNION: Taylor and cousin Gookie Dawkins, who recently was recalled by the Reds, are two of the fastest players on the club. Taylor said there's a simple explanation.
“It think it runs in the family,” he said.
Dawkins said he didn't know Taylor was traded to the Reds until he showed up several hours before the team played the Yankees Thursday in Tampa.
Speaking of family, Taylor said he has been a big brother for Dawkins. The two lived about 10 minutes away from each other back in Newberry, S.C. Dawkins was still in high school when the Phillies made Taylor their No.1 pick in the 1995 draft.
Playing together had come up.
“We were talking about that this offseason,” Taylor said. “When I played against him in spring training, I would watch him from the outfield and tell him what he was doing wrong with his swing.”
About 10 family members were expected to watch the two play against Baltimore.
MAYBE NEXT TIME: Right-hander Jimmy Haynes spent Saturday pitching in a minor-league intrasquad game in Sarasota, Fla. He was scheduled to pitch against Baltimore in Louisville, but the Reds didn't want him to pitch in cold weather. In Louisville, the temperature was in the mid-60s. Right-hander Chris Reitsma also spent the day in Sarasota, pitching in a simulated game. Both will join the Reds for Opening Day.
LOUISVILLE LOVE: Left fielder Adam Dunn used the same locker Saturday that he did last year when he played for the Triple-A Louisville RiverBats.
“I was (set) up right here,” Dunn said to third baseman Aaron Boone.
Dunn hit 20 home runs in 55 games for the RiverBats.
Boone had his own memories of the ballpark. Last season, he played in one game (1-or-4) with the RiverBats, the 2001 International League Champions.
“When am I going to get my ring?” Boone said to a Louisville staffer. “Should I just leave you my address and you send it to me?”
REDS EXTEND PACT: The Reds and Louisville announced a two-year extension on their player development agreement. The agreement runs through the 2006 season.
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