Thursday, April 11, 2002
Reds Notebook:
Griffey injury yields new lineup
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
PITTSBURGH — Shake it up, baby. That was the idea behind the Reds' lineup for their game with the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday.
Reds manager Bob Boone inserted Reggie Taylor in the leadoff spot, dropped Todd Walker from first to sixth, moved Sean Casey from cleanup to the third spot and moved Adam Dunn from sixth to fourth.
Boone will be experimenting for a while with Ken Griffey Jr. out. Here's the theory behind Wednesday's moves:
• Dunn in cleanup: “I figure he's going to come out of it sometime,” Boone said of Dunn's 2-for-20 slump entering Wednesday's game. “He might as well be in the four hole when he does.” Dunn went 2-for-4 Wednesday with one RBI.
• Taylor leading off: “He's more the prototypical leadoff hitter,” Boone said. Taylor averaged about 30 steals a year as a minor-leaguer, hitting primarily leadoff.
He was acquired from the Phillies for pitcher Hector Mercado just before Opening Day.
• Dropping Walker to sixth: “We need some run production (down in the order) with Junior out,” Boone said.
• Casey hitting third: That will probably be his spot with right-handers, such as Pittsburgh's Kip Wells, on the mound. Juan Encarnacion hit third Monday against left-hander Ron Villone.
PLATOON SYSTEM: Boone said he plans to platoon Taylor and Ruben Mateo in the third outfield spot for the time being.
“We'll put them out and see what they've got,” Boone said. Mateo was scheduled to start Monday, but he was a late scratch because he was ill. Taylor, a left-handed hitter, got the start Wednesday because Wells was starting.
“You want an opportunity — period,” Taylor said. “That's all you can ask for.”
This is really the first chance for Taylor, 25, at the big-league level. He spent time with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000 and 2001. But he made only one start in each stint with the big club.
The Reds traded Hector Mercado to get Taylor and add speed to the team. Taylor hit .275 with 15 home runs, 51 RBI and 23 steals last season at Triple-A Scranton. .
“I'm confident in my ability,” he said. “It's a matter of going out there and doing it. There's no pressure. I've just got to go out and put it on the line.”
TOUGH-LUCK JUAN: Utilityman Juan Castro aggravated his strained left hamstring in the first game of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville.
Castro re-injured the leg trying to beat out a double-play ball in Louisville's game at Durham Wednesday afternoon.
Castro, who is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list today, will return to Cincinnati to be examined by Dr. Tim Kremchek.
INJURY BUG: This is from crack Reds media relations director Rob Butcher: Since Ken Griffey Jr. joined the club in 2000, the Reds have started their projected Opening Day lineup only 23 times. They are 12-11 in those games, 3-2 this year.
When that lineup has not started, the Reds are 142-166 (.461) over the last three years. Along those lines, after Wednesday's lineup shakeup, Aaron Boone is the only player to play the same position (third base) and hit in the same spot (fifth) in all eight games this year.
GOING GONZO: Raul Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with a double and a home run for Triple-A Louisville Tuesday. Gonzalez entered Wednesday hitting .545 with a home run and eight RBI in six games.
Gonzalez is not on the 40-man roster, but the Reds have only 39 players on the 40-man, so he could be called up. Gonzalez hit .211 in 11 games with the Reds in September.
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Reds Notebook: Griffey injury yields new lineup
