By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Reds did their Rule 5 Draft shopping in the damaged-goods bin.

They selected three right-handed pitchers - one (Luke Prokopec) coming off shoulder surgery and two (Blake Williams and Jerome Gamble) recovering from Tommy John surgery.

"These are players who wouldn't be on Triple-A rosters if they weren't hurt," Reds general manager Jim Bowden said.

The Reds paid $50,000 for each of their Rule 5 selections. The players must be kept on the Reds' 25-man roster or be offered back to the club from which they were taken for $25,000.

Prokopec, a 25-year-old Australian, won't be ready until June or July, but when he's healthy, he'll compete for a spot in the Reds' rotation.

Prokopec has spent two years in the big leagues. He was 8-7 with a 4.88 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2001. Last season, troubled by elbow and shoulder problems, Prokopec went 2-9 with a 6.78 ERA for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Prokopec then re-signed with the Dodgers. The Reds picked him off the Dodgers' Triple-A Las Vegas roster.

"Our scouting people were split on him and (successful closer) Eric Gagne," Bowden said. "We think he can be a very solid No. 3 starter for a long time."

Williams, 23, was the St. Louis Cardinals' first-round pick in 2000. The Reds selected him in the second round off the Cardinals' Triple-A Memphis roster.

Williams had a 2.26 ERA in the minors going into this season, but the elbow injury limited him to two outings.

Gamble, 22, was a third-round pick off Boston's Triple-A Pawtucket roster.

"We've been trying to get him for years," Bowden said. "He's back throwing 91, 92 again and touching 93."

The Reds also lost two players in the Rule 5. The Oakland A's took right-hander Mike Neu in the first round, and left-handed John Koronka was taken in the second round by the Texas Rangers.

"We'd gladly trade the three players we got for the two we gave up," Bowden said. "We think we'll get them back."

Koronka, 22, went 11-0 with a 3.07 ERA at Single-A Stockton before being promoted to Double-A Chattanooga, where he went 2-8 with 4.99 ERA.

Koronka, in the Reds' estimation, needs to develop a breaking ball to get big-league left-handers out. Lefties hit .315 against him.

Neu, 24, combined for 23 saves at Triple-A and Double-A.

The Reds also officially completed the trade for Todd Walker. As expected, they got two minor leaguers: right-hander Josh Thigpen and third baseman Tony Blanco, from the Boston Red Sox.