The Reds are waiting for the free agent market to drop into their price range. That hasn't happened yet. It has dropped, just not to deep-bargain-basement level.

But the Reds are hopeful.

"We're still having discussions," Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. "We're in on three or four lesser free agents. We'd like to get a pitcher or two."

Bowden wouldn't say whom the Reds are talking to, but the list of unsigned free agents is longer than a Rockies game with the wind blowing out.

Some of the intriguing names: Manny Aybar, Pedro Borbon Jr., Rick Helling, John Halama, Kerry Ligtenberg, Robert Person and Steve Parris.

Whether the market will fall far enough for the Reds to make a serious run at any of those players is hard to say. But it's clear the Reds don't have a lot of money to play with.

The Joey Hamilton negotiations are an example. Hamilton agreed in principle to sign with St. Louis. His base salary will be $850,000. Incentives could get him to $2 million. The Reds couldn't compete with that offer.

"With our budget, we couldn't make it work," Bowden said. "We wanted to bring him back. We just couldn't do it."

Some agents think the owners are colluding to keep player salaries down. But, in the case of the Reds, Bowden is trying to keep the budget to the $60 million limit set for him. It is believed the Reds are slightly over that target when arbitration is factored in.

Someone with a relatively high salary - Scott Sullivan ($2.8 million) or Gabe White ($3.25 million), for instance - could be traded.

YOUTH MOVEMENT: With no significant help likely to come from free agency, the Reds are trying to hurry along their prospects.

The club's top prospects will be brought to Sarasota early for an accelerated training program.

"You do that for two reasons," Bowden said. "One, it's like additional Instructional League. It may allow a player to skip a league. Secondly, and more importantly, it will allow us to stretch out (the young pitchers), the Bashams, Moseleys, Grulers, Howingtons and Farfans. We may be able to use them in a 'B' game or two. One or two of them could end up in our rotation if they're better than what we have."

Bowden was referring to Bobby Basham, the Dayton sensation last season; former first-round picks Ty Howington, Chris Gruler and Dustin Moseley; and Alexander Farfan, a 19-year-old Venezuelan with a live arm.

Fifty-five players have been invited to the accelerated program. But pitching is the priority. It's clear the Reds will give them a chance to make the big club.

"This is a chance for our big-league people to see our prospects," Bowden said. "They'll be working out in the afternoon after the big-league players are done for the day."

The accelerated program will begin shortly after pitchers and catchers report for big-league camp Feb. 13, but no specific date has been set.

JUNIOR GOLF: Ken Griffey Jr. recorded his first hole-in-one last week. He used a 5-iron on the 12th hole, a 195-yard Par 3 at The Palms Disney Course in Orlando, Fla..

TICKET UPDATE: John Allen, the Reds' chief operating officer, wouldn't reveal the number of season tickets sold but said: "We're pleased how it's going."

The Reds have not set a date for selling Opening Day and individual tickets, but the team is probably going to hold off for a bit.

"We don't want to break up the season packages," Allen said. "Once you sell Opening Day tickets, you can't sell (full) season packages."

John Fay covers the Reds for the Enquirer. E-mail jfay@enquirer.com.