By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MONTREAL - Reds general manager Jim Bowden met individually with all six coaches Friday, and most were offered the chance to return next season.

Bowden was still meeting with hitting coach Jim Lefebvre as Reds-Expos game time approached.

Third base coach Tim Foli was offered the chance to return and accepted. Pitching coach Don Gullett and bullpen coach Tom Hume also could return.

"We're still talking," Gullett said.

Bench coach Ray Knight said the subject of returning never came up in his talk with Bowden.

"We're going to talk again Sunday or Monday," Knight said. "I feel pretty positive. Jim and I really hadn't talked all year. We had one of our usual talks."

The other two, first base coach Jose Cardenal and bullpen catcher Mark Berry, also met with Bowden.

Lefebvre is on record as saying he'd like to return. But with the Reds fourth to last in the National League in hitting (.254) and last in hitting with runners in scoring position (.232), he could take the fall.

The decision on all coaches probably will be announced after Sunday's season finale.

YANKEES IN: A Reds source confirmed that the New York Yankees will visit Great American Ball Park for three games next season.

It will be the Yankees' first regular-season games with the Reds and New York's first games in Cincinnati since the 1976 World Series.

The Toronto Blue Jays are the other American League team that will play at GABP. The Reds visit the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Cleveland Indians.

That's a major break over playing the American League West, as the Reds did this year. The AL West has three teams that had won 92 or more games going into Friday. The Reds were 2-10 against the AL West this season.

The Reds' home schedule probably will be released next week. They open the season March31 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

There will be two exhibition games at GAPB - one on Friday night, one on Saturday afternoon - before Opening Day. The teams haven't been set for those games.