By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - Barry Larkin came close to playing his first game as an outfielder Sunday. The original lineup for the Reds game with the Cleveland Indians had Larkin in left field.

He was put back at his usual position, shortstop, after rain soaked the outfield at Ed Smith Stadium.

"Maybe the baseball gods are trying to tell us something," he said.

He'll need more intervention from the baseball gods to avoid the outfield today. Reds manager Bob Boone plans on playing him in center field.

Larkin is being prepared to play the outfield to give the Reds another option.

"It's cool," he said. "I've been told it's only for emergency situations."

"It gives me a little more versatility," Boone said.

The roster moves Sunday - adding pitchers Jimmy Anderson, Felix Heredia, Kent Mercker and Josias Manzanillo - show the Reds are leaning toward keeping 12 pitchers. That could mean Wily Mo Pena and Reggie Taylor are the only extra outfielders.

Larkin has played 1,940 games at shortstop and three at second base in his pro career. And the outfield?

"Never," he said. "I've shagged fly balls in the outfield. That's about it."

MATEO TO GO? If the Reds go with 12 pitchers, Ruben Mateo's days could be numbered. Twelve pitchers would mean two catchers and 11 position players.

Aaron Boone, Sean Casey, Larkin, Brandon Larson, Austin Kearns, Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn are the starters. Juan Castro has a guaranteed contract. Felipe Lopez has played his way onto the team. Taylor is the fourth outfielder. And the Reds have said Pena will make it.

That's 11. That leaves out Mateo, who is hitting only .208 with one home run and two RBI in 53 at-bats.

Mateo, 25, is in the same situation that Gookie Dawkins was. Mateo is out of options, so the Reds would have to put him on waivers to send him to the minors. When they did that with Dawkins, Los Angeles claimed him.

Bob Boone said the Reds aren't set on 12 pitchers.

"You'll have to wait and see," he said. "(Paul) Wilson is a big key."

Wilson, the projected No. 4 starter, will test his strained hamstring in a simulated game today.

Wilson's outing Sunday was pushed back because of the rain.

KEARNS RETURNS: Austin Kearns made his first appearance since March 10 surgery to remove three loose bodies from his left elbow. He went 0-for-4.

"He looked like a guy who hasn't been out there in a while," Boone said. "But the elbow's fine."

ODD ARM OUT: Seth Etherton was sent to Triple-A Louisville, meaning he was behind Jimmy Anderson and Chris Reitsma for the fifth starting spot.

"It's disappointing," he said. "But it's part of the deal."

Etherton, a 26-year-old right-hander, did prove one thing.

"I showed them I'm healthy," he said.

Etherton spent the last two seasons on the Reds' disabled list, rehabbing from shoulder surgery on March 20, 2001.

KORONKA BACK: Left-handed pitcher John Koronka was sent back to the Reds by the Texas Rangers.

Koronka was picked in the Rule 5 Draft. The Reds paid $25,000 to get him back.

Koronka appeared in five spring games for the Rangers and had a 6.75 ERA this spring.