Thursday, June 20, 2002
Reds Notebook: Kearns sits after 0-for-4
By John Fay jfay@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Bob Boone knows how it looks. Austin Kearns went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts Tuesday, and he wasn't in the lineup Wednesday.
“Guys will think, "I better get a hit or I'm out of there,'” the Reds manager said. “That's not how it is. But it will look that way.”
With Ken Griffey Jr. back in the lineup, somebody has to be out. Tuesday, it was Juan Encarnacion; Wednesday, it was Kearns.
Boone isn't committing to any kind of pattern.
“I don't have a plan for four days from now,” he said.
Kearns and Encarnacion probably will get the bulk of the bench time for now. Encarnacion entered Wednesday's game with eight hits in his last 49 at-bats (.163). Kearns entered play Wednesday with five hits in his last 26 at-bats (.192).
Kearns looked particularly lost Tuesday, but Boone thought that was an aberration.
“It looked like he was having trouble picking up the rotation on the breaking ball,” Boone said. “That was just last night. But he's not hitting like he was when he came up. They're pitching him different.
“This game's all about adjustments. Adam (Dunn) went through it last year. He ended up hitting about .260 with a lot of power. Struggling is part of the adjustment process.”
JUNIOR IN: Griffey was in the starting lineup for the second straight night Wednesday.
“He felt all right,” Boone said. “He hit more in two days than I ever hit in my life.”
Griffey also banged the wall pretty good making a catch Tuesday. He hit his right knee. That's the same knee in which he suffered a torn patella tendon that caused him to miss 41 games.
“I just bumped it,” he said. “I'll go out and run and see what happens.”
ANOTHER CHANGE: The Reds promoted assistant scouting director Johnny Almaraz to special assistant to the general manager.
“Johnny is one of our most loyal and talented evaluators of talent,” Reds GM Jim Bowden said. “He's one of the best young minds we have, along with Kasey McKeon and Leland Maddox.”
Almaraz will be more involved in evaluating players for trades and free agent signings. He had spent the bulk of his time scouting amateur free agents. He's best known for signing Dunn.
“I'm looking forward to it,” Almaraz said. “This a great opportunity.”
Tuesday, the Reds re-assigned McKeon from director of scouting to pro scout. Almaraz was not interested in the scouting director's job.
ATCHLEY RELEASED: Justin Atchley, a left-hander who appeared in 15 games with the Reds last year, was released last week.
Atchley, 28, nearly made the Reds out of spring training last year. He was left behind after the team decided it needed another position player. Atchley was called up April 7, 2001, and pitched in two games, but his contract later was voided because he was ineligible to pitch until May 15 because the Reds had released and re-signed him.
Atchley had surgery on his left shoulder in August. He pitched seven games at Triple-A Louisville, going 1-0 with a 7.27 ERA, before a demotion to Double-A Chattanooga.
“He's an older guy who makes more money at Triple-A,” Reds director of player development Tim Naehring said. “Part of it was health. Part of it was performance. But it was also a financial issue.”
Atchley spent his entire seven-year pro career with the Reds. He had not been picked up by another club as of Wednesday.
FARM REPORT: Right-hander Seth Etherton, coming back from shoulder surgery, gave up five runs on eight hits Tuesday in his second start at Triple-A Louisville, an 8-7 victory over Richmond.
“There's not a physical problem,” Bowden said. “He just hasn't pitched well. He had pitched well earlier. He's had a lull. That's part of the progression.”
Also at Louisville, Brandon Larson hit his third home run in two games (No.19) Tuesday.
UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the three-game series with the Seattle Mariners today (7:10 p.m.). Right-hander Joey Hamilton (3-4, 5.09 ERA) faces right-hander James Baldwin (4-6, 5.01). The game is on Fox Sports Net.
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Reds Notebook: Kearns sits after 0-for-4
