By Shannon Russell
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tickets go on sale Saturday for the Reds' 80 non-Opening Day regular-season home games, as well as the two exhibitions with the Cleveland Indians.

Baseball fans shouldn't expect the troubles associated with last week's Opening Day sales.

In addition to using the Internet and the telephone, ticket-buyers can walk up to Great American Ball Park windows from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or visit one of 53 Tickets.com outlets in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Middletown, Northern Kentucky, Lexington and Louisville.

"It won't be nearly as difficult to get tickets, because there will be less phone traffic and less online traffic," said Rob Butcher, Reds director of media relations.

Tickets again will be available by phone - (513) 381-REDS and toll-free at (877) 647-REDS - and on the Web (www.cincinnatireds.com) . Single-game admissions, which range from $5-$30, will also be sold at 14 Great American Ball Park ticket windows, the Reds Dugout Shop in the Westin Hotel downtown and all area Tickets.com outlets (including Meijer stores, Hader Hardware, the Visitors' Center on Fountain Square and select Play It Again Sports).

There were no walk-up sales for last Saturday's Opening Day sales, which generated about 1.2 million attempted phone and Internet contacts for 14,000 tickets. The Reds' Web site had 720,000 page views Saturday; it normally yields 5,000 page views a day in February, Butcher said.

Because fans no longer are competing for a single game, the ticket-buying venues will be better equipped to accommodate requests.

Fans who brave Saturday's predicted 41-degree weather at GABP, can form a line near the Second Street entrance.

The Pepsi Reds Rally Pack, Mr. Red and the new team mascot, Gapper, will be on hand Saturday morning, and Reds staffers will be distributing complimentary pocket schedules. Radio station WEBN-FM (102.7) will broadcast live from 7:30-9:30 a.m.

Purchasing tickets at GABP is the least expensive option. Web and telephone ticket purchases incur a $3.25 service charge per order. Phone services charge an additional $2.25 handling fee; Web services add $2.50. Fans pay an additional 3 percent tax on the extra fees.

Reds officials expect the March 28-29 exhibition games against Cleveland to be among the first sold out, and the June 3-5 series with the New York Yankees.

Opening Day tickets sold out in an hour Saturday, but tickets for the Reds' first game, against Pittsburgh, are still available.

Sellers on the Internet auction site eBay were advertising single-game Opening Day tickets for up to $700 Thursday. For less than the cost of one overpriced ticket, fans can still buy entire 42-game packages that include Opening Day and the June 3 Yankees game.

Packages are available in the Terrace Outfield ($15 a game) and Mezzanine levels ($14), but even those seats are expected to sell out in the next week.

"If people are interested in getting tickets, they need to get them now. We have sales people who can't even go to the bathroom, because the calls keep coming in," said Jenny Gardner, Reds director of sales. "Every minute counts."

Ticket tips

Starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, Reds fans can purchase tickets for 80 regular-season and two exhibition games at Great American Ball Park. Tickets range from $5-$30. There is no surefire way to get the best seats, other than persistence and these three tips:

•Get there early. It's first-come, first-served downtown, so bundle up and be prepared for a wait. (Many Tickets.com outlets will hold lotteries at 8 a.m., placing ticket-buyers in line by a numbered draw.)

•Be patient. Thousands of fans will call and hit the Internet at the same time, but the numbers won't be as congested as Opening Day sales.

•Be prepared. Know the games and dates you want, and have your payment information ready.

E-mail srussell@enquirer.com