The Reds came up short again in the sweepstakes to land a pitcher in the Cleveland fire sale. Chuck Finley went to the St. Louis Cardinals for minor league first baseman Luis Garcia and a player to be named.

        Even with Cleveland paying part of Finley's salary, the Reds couldn't make the numbers work. Finley, 39, is in the final year of a three-year, $27 million contract.

        “I know Jim (Bowden) talked to them about him,” Reds chief operating officer John Allen said. “But we can't add payroll.”

        Said general manager Bowden: “We agreed to many things, but there was one issue we could not resolve.”

        That's the same reason the Reds couldn't trade for Bartolo Colon, sent to Montreal instead.

        Brian Goldberg, the agent for Ken Griffey Jr., said Griffey offered to defer more money if that would help the Reds. “We told the Reds that they have an open offer from Junior to defer more money,” Goldberg said, “but it's up to them when and if they do it.”

        Allen said money is money, whether it's deferred or not.

        “You've still got to pay it,” Allen said. “We set aside, I think, $6.5 million this year to pay Junior's contract.”

Mets 4, Reds 2 Reds Box, Runs Finley boosts Cardinals for pennant race Finley too rich for Reds Bobblehead day for Davis Reds Notebook: Clark's callup may be brief Giants 3, Dodgers 2 Padres 6, Diamondbacks 1 Pirates 12, Cardinals 9 Rockies 9, Brewers 5 Angels 15, Mariners 3 Athletics 10, Rangers 0

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