By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Junior Griffey waits his turn at batting practice. (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

Barry Larkin talks with his son DeShane, 10. | ZOOM |

Luke Hudson waits his turn to throw. | ZOOM |

Jose Rijo takes a smoke break while he ices his arm Saturday. | ZOOM |

Dane Sardinha takes a break between pitches. | ZOOM |

SARASOTA, Fla. - Dane Sardinha's contract is such that he must be in the big leagues by the year after next. So when will he be ready?

"The year after next," Reds general manager Jim Bowden said.

The scouting report on Sardinha since the Reds picked him in the second round of the 2000 draft was that he'd be ready for the majors as soon as he started hitting.

That remains the case as he enters his third year.

"I've got to pretty much prove myself offensively," he said. "I've still got to work on my defensive skills. I think you always can get better. But offensively I need more work."

Sardinha, 23, is in big-league camp, but he's headed for Double-A Chattanooga, where he spent last year.

Sardinha hit only .206 with four home runs and 40 RBI there last year. But the fact he was named a Southern League All-Star speaks to his defensive skills.

The Reds don't have to rush Sardinha. Jason LaRue is the No. 1 catcher, and his backup, Kelly Stinnett, is under contract for 2003, with an option for 2004.

Corky Miller, who probably will start the year at Triple-A, can fill in if LaRue or Stinnett gets hurt.

So Sardinha probably won't see the big leagues until 2004 or '05 unless he suddenly starts hitting.

He showed some promising signs during a stint in the Arizona Fall League, when he hit .311 with four home runs and 24 RBI in just 28 games.

Sardinha, a native of Hawaii, has worked harder on his offense than his defense.

"Defense to me is instinctive," he said. "It's not something I've had to work on."

Many teams shied away from Sardinha after his All-American career at Pepperdine University. Sardinha was represented by Scott Boras, and the thought was he would demand above market value.

Baseball America rated him the 10th-best player in the draft, but he lasted until the 46th pick.

The Reds signed him and their top pick, David Espinosa, to major-league contracts. That's why Sardinha must be in the big leagues by 2005.

That won't be an issue if he starts hitting.

Just ask manager Bob Boone, himself a former catcher: "He can catch and throw in the big leagues right now. He is as advanced defensively as any catcher I've seen since I've been with the Reds."

Now, they're waiting for his offense to catch up.