Thursday, May 16, 2002
Reds Notebook:
Encarnacion gets first off day
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MILWAUKEE — Juan Encarnacion, the only player to start the first 38 games this season, was not in the lineup Wednesday.
“I'm just giving him a day off,” manager Bob Boone said. “We've got a brutal stretch coming up — night game, day game, night game, day game, day game, night game — with a tough travel day.”
Boone considered resting Austin Kearns also.
“But he's 21,” Boone said. “You don't need a day off when you're 21.”
Boone said he plans to give shortstop Barry Larkin Tuesday off. The plan is not to rest anyone during the four-game set with St.Louis that begins Friday.
SHAW UPDATE: GM Jim Bowden would not comment on the Reds' negotiations with reliever Jeff Shaw. The meeting went well Monday, but neither side is particularly optimistic, because they were so far apart on money in previous talks.
Infielder Juan Castro remains in Florida, rehabilitating the pulled left hamstring that has kept him on the disabled list since April11.
Don't look for him to be activated any time soon.
“He keeps having setbacks,” Bowden said. “We're really not encouraged.”
WHAT ABOUT OLMEDO? Bowden said the Reds would have infielders Ranier Olmedo and Gookie Dawkins change places if Olmedo were on the 40-man roster.
“If not for the roster problems it would create, it makes sense to flip-flop them,” Bowden said.
If Olmedo were called up, a player would have to be removed from the 40-man roster to make room for him, and the Reds would risk losing that player.
Dawkins entered Wednesday's game in an 0-for-15 skid. Olmedo, a 20-year-old Venezuelan, has a nine-game hitting streak going at Chattanooga.
FAST HEALER: Scott Sullivan was available to pitch Wednesday night, two days after taking a wicked comebacker off his right elbow. Sullivan threw off the bullpen mound Wednesday.
“He looked good,” Boone said. “We've got (Luis) Pineda and (Jim) Brower loaded up. I'm going to try not to use him.”
Sullivan, who has appeared in 24 of the Reds' 38 games, said: “I'm ready no matter what the situation.”
MO WILY MO: Wily Mo Pena hit another home run Tuesday night in Chattanooga. That gives him four in four games since returning from the DL. ... Right-hander Brian Reith, 3-2 with a 4.30 ERA, was placed on the DL at Louisville because of a triceps strain.
REDS RATE: The Reds' ratings on Fox Sports Net are up from last year's. Through 19 games in 2002, the Reds are averaging a 5.40 rating, compared to a 4.94 rating for the same period last season. That's an increase of 9 percent.
The highest rated game so far this year — April 28 vs. San Francisco — drew a 7.85. Last season's highest rated game — Opening Day — pulled a 7.1.
UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the four-game series with the Brewers at 1:05p.m. today. Right-hander Chris Reitsma (2-0, 3.18 ERA) faces right-hander Ben Sheets (3-3, 4.57). Reitsma has a 2.36 ERA over his last five starts.
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