Saturday, June 01, 2002
Casey feels secure despite trade speculation
Reds notebook
By John Fay, jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Sean Casey doesn't have a no-trade clause in his contract — the Reds don't give those — but he has the next best thing.
If Casey is traded, the 3-year, $20.2 million contract extension he signed in February is voided. The idea of putting the clause in the contract was to make it more difficult for the Reds to trade Casey.
“I wanted some trade protection,” he said.
Casey signed with the Reds at a somewhat discounted rate. He was trading money for security. Part of that security is staying with the Reds.
“I would like to play my whole career here,” he said. “I love the guys here. I love the city. I'm probably the last guy in here who wants to be traded.”
Nonetheless, Casey's name has come up in trade speculation. With Ken Griffey Jr. off the disabled list, the Reds have five players sharing the three outfield positions and first base.
Casey, who makes $4 million this season, is the only one in the mix besides Griffey who makes significant money by baseball standards.
Casey understands the talk.
“I don't want to be traded,” he said. “But that's part of baseball.”
Reds general manager Jim Bowden is on record saying he is not looking to trade any players on the 25-man roster.
SECOND TO NONE: Reds manager Bob Boone has gone out of his way to praise second baseman Todd Walker's defense on numerous occasions this year.
“There's no question I'm playing second better than I ever had,” Walker said.
Boone has seen a marked improvement from last year.
“His first step is so much better,” Boone said. “He's turning the double play so much better.”
Walker thinks his reputation as a defensive liability is unfair. Former Minnesota manager Tom Kelly is responsible for that, Walker said. Walker came up with the Twins.
“I don't think what he said was completely fair,” Walker said. “Once you get labeled, it's hard to overcome.”
Walker says a big part of the improvement is that he's closing in on his second year in the National League and his first full year with the Reds.
“I know the National League hitters now,” Walker said, “and I know our pitchers. I know where left-handers hit it off Danny Graves.”
ABOUT JUNIOR: Like the other Reds who struggled, Griffey is finding solace in the fact the team isn't struggling. Griffey entered Friday night without a hit in his last 12 at-bats.
“The important thing is we're winning,” he said. “It's only been four games.”
Boone compares what Griffey is doing to playing in spring training games without any spring training.
“Except the pitchers are much better,” Boone said.
Griffey played back-to-back games for the first time Thursday and Friday. He'll play two of every three the next week or so, then he'll play every day.
“I think that will give me a chance to get in the flow,” Griffey said. “You gear up, then shut out down for a day.”
CLOSE CALL: Griffey's best friend, Frank King, was involved in a scary accident early Friday morning.
Griffey said King was on his way to the airport to pick up Griffey when King's truck had a blown tire on Brent Spence Bridge. King was sitting on the guard rail, Griffey said, when a tractor trailer hit a Nissan. The Nissan then hit King and knock him under his truck.
His cell phone ended up going off the bridge.
“It could have been him,” Griffey said.
King spent about four hours in the emergency room at Good Samaritan Hospital.
“I took him home about 8:30 (a.m.),” Griffey said.
King, Griffey said, didn't suffer any broken bones. He had stitches in his finger and ankle.
“He's got a print from that 5-mile-an-hour bumper on his chest,” Griffey said.
CATCHING SITUATION: For now, Boone is sticking to his plan to have Corky Miller catch Chris Reitsma and Jose Rijo, and Jason LaRue catch Joey Hamilton, Jimmy Haynes and Elmer Dessens.
The fact that LaRue was 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in his last two starts could change that.
“That'll be a factor,” Boone said. “I like him to touch the ball every once in a while.”
LaRue started all three games of the sweep of the Florida Marlins. He held the Marlins running game, the best in baseball, in check.
“And I liked how he worked with the pitchers,” Boone said.
UP NEXT: Today the Reds play the second game of a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves. Right-hander Rijo (4-2, 4.36 ERA) faces left-hander Tom Glavine (8-2, 1.59).
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Casey feels secure despite trade speculation
