By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - For a few minutes Monday, Gookie Dawkins was a Cleveland Indian - or so he thought.

Just before the Reds game with the Florida Marlins, general manager Jim Bowden approached Dawkins in the dugout.

"I had a feeling he was coming to talk to me," Dawkins said. "He told me, 'You're a Cleveland Indian.' "

Well, not exactly. Dawkins was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Indians also claimed him, but the Dodgers got him because they are a National League team.

"It's all the same," Dawkins said. "It's a new environment to get me going. I'm excited."

Four other players - outfielder Emil Brown, catcher Mike Stefanski and pitchers Lance Davis and Scott Randall - were re-assigned to the minor league camp. That left the roster at 38, including Jose Rijo, Luke Prokopec and Russell Branyan, who will likely start the year on the disabled list.

The only mild surprise was Dawkins, a 23-year-old shortstop.

Dawkins was once considered the heir apparent to Barry Larkin. But his continued struggles at the plate had the Reds looking elsewhere.

They traded for Felipe Lopez in December and declared him the shortstop of the future, although the trade did not seal Dawkins' future.

"It had nothing to do with it," Bowden said. "It was performance. I'm disappointed and I know Gookie is disappointed that he didn't hit better for us.

"Four or five years ago, we thought he'd hit. It didn't work out."

Dawkins was out of options, so the Reds had to put him on waivers to send him to the minors. . That's how they lost him.

"It's a great opportunity for me," Dawkins said. "Sometimes you have to change teams and start all over again."

Dawkins would have had to play very well this spring to have a chance to make the team.

But Dawkins hit .154 with one double, one steal and one RBI in 26 at-bats.

"We didn't think he could help us at the major league level," Bowden said.

Dawkins was the Reds' second-round draft pick in 1997. His breakout season came in 1999 when he combined to hit .300 with 10 home runs, 45 RBI, 53 steals and 80 runs in 108 games at Single-A and Double-A. That earned him a seven-game trial with the Reds.

Since then, he simply hasn't hit. He's averaged .231, .220, .226, .125, .271 and .251 at his last six stops, including two with the Reds..

"I still think I can play," he said.