By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Felipe Lopez is shown in this 2002 file photo. He was traded to the Reds Sunday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - On the surface, Sunday's four-team trade, in which the Reds obtained middle infielder Felipe Lopez for right-hander Elmer Dessens, looks like a cost-cutting measure.

And it is: Dessens will make more than $3 million next year; Lopez will make just more than the major league minimum of $300,000 (although the Reds also gave up $333,333 in cash).

But general manager Jim Bowden thinks Reds fans will eventually like the trade.He compared it to deals such as Dave Burba-for-Sean Casey, John Smiley-for-Danny Graves and Jeff Brantley-for-Dmitri Young.

"We'll get ripped for this, just like we did for those," Bowden said. "In three years, when Elmer's (34) and Lopez is 25, it's going to look pretty good."

As in the deals Bowden mentioned, the Reds gave up a lot to get Lopez. Dessens' 3.03 ERA was ranked sixth in the National League last season.

"It's very, very difficult to find shortstops and second basemen who can hit and have speed," Bowden said. "You've got to give up something to do it. Lopez has tremendous upside."

Lopez was taken by Toronto in the 1998 draft, one pick after the Reds selected outfielder Austin Kearns.

"He's the same age as Kearns and (Adam) Dunn," Bowden said. "We needed to add range to that position. We wanted to add speed. He's a switch hitter who we think has the potential to hit 20 to 25 home runs and steal 20 to 25 bases."

Lopez will be given a crack at replacing Todd Walker at second base, although he's not a lock to do so.

"We're going to look at all four of those guys - (Brandon) Larson, (Barry) Larkin, (Aaron) Boone and Lopez," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "We'll know by the time we leave spring training who's going to play. My policy is very simple: The best player plays."

But Lopez and Larson have options, so they could end up starting the season in Triple-A.

Lopez split time between Triple-A and the majors last year. He hit .227 with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 83 games for the Blue Jays and .318 with three home runs and 16 RBI for Triple-A Syracuse. He struck out 90 times in 282 at-bats for Toronto.

Boone said Lopez will almost certainly make the Reds out of spring training. But the Reds will try to keep the pressure off him.

"He's been pushed," Boone said. "We'll take it easy on him."

The groundwork for the trade was set 10 days ago, when the Reds re-signed right-hander Jimmy Haynes for $2.5 million.

"We thought the deal was done then," Bowden said. "But it collapsed."

The deal was the first of the winter meetings. Besides the Reds and the Blue Jays, the Oakland A's and the Arizona Diamondbacks were involved. The A's got first baseman Erubiel Durazo from Arizona, and the Blue Jays will get a player-to-be-named-later from Oakland.

The way the Reds saw it, they could have Haynes and Lopez or they could have Dessens.

"This was a baseball deal," Bowden said. "We would have done it if money wasn't involved."

But money, of course, was a factor. The deal puts the Reds very close to their projected $60 million payroll.

"We might make one more deal (to shed payroll)," Bowden said. "But it won't be a major one."

Lopez has played third base, but shortstop is his natural position. After his senior year at Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Spring, Fla., Baseball America named Lopez the best high school defensive shortstop in 1998.

He made his major league debut in 2001, and hit .260 with five home runs and 23 RBI in 49 games.

The Reds will continue to look for pitching because Dessens' departure leaves a big hole in the rotation.

"I'd like to have four Elmers," Boone said. "This opens the door for somebody to surprise us."

Prospects Bobby Basham, Luke Hudson, Dustin Moseley and Ty Howington will get a look in the spring.

The Reds have also talked to agent for free agent Lenny Harris, one of the game's top pinch-hitters.

"We're looking for ways to make us better," Bowden said. "We need pitching and bench help. If we can add a piece that will help us, we will."

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com

Dessens as a Red

Year	W-L	ERA
2002	7-8	3.03
2001	10-14	4.48
2000	11-5	4.28

Lopez at a glance

Age: 22

Birth date: May 12, 1980

Hometown: Bayamon, Puerto Rico

Height: 6-0

Weight: 185 pounds

Statistics with Blue Jays

Year	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	Avg.
2002	282	35	64	15	3	8	34	5	.227
2001	177	21	46	5	4	5	23	4	.260
Totals	459	56	110	20	7	13	57	9	.240