By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds pitcher Jimmy Anderson during Saturday's game at Great American Ball Park. (Tony Jones photo) | ZOOM |

He wouldn't let on, not publicly at least, but Jimmy Anderson knew his start Saturday was an important one.

Not because of stats. Not because of anything other than confidence.

The left-hander, who won a spot in the Reds rotation with a strong spring, put behind him a shaky performance five days earlier with seven solid innings against the Indians at Great American Ball Park on Saturday.

"I was able to keep the ball down for the most part," said Anderson, who allowed two runs on six hits and struck out four.

"If I can keep it down, they're going to hit groundballs. They may get hits, but they're going to keep it on the ground and that's all I want to do."

Anderson's performance came in a 3-1 loss before 39,814 fans, a defeat that officially ended spring training for the Reds.

The Reds lost eight of their final nine spring exhibition games, including two in Great American Ball Park, and finished 13-18-2 overall after winning 10 of their first 15 games.

The regular season, and the fresh start it presents, comes at an opportune time.

"Every year it's a question of whether you've had a great spring or a bad spring," second baseman Aaron Boone said. "People make more of it than it is. Last year we were horrible, but we got out of the gate great.

"At this point I think most guys are ready to go."

Manager Bob Boone also is looking forward to the clean slate Opening Day brings.

"Hopefully it will be time to break out on Monday," he said.

Of concern late in spring training was a lack of offensive production.

In two exhibitions against the Indians, the Reds were outscored 9-2 and limited to 10 hits.

They were outscored 38-19 in their last nine games and batted a combined .182.

"Any time you don't hit, you're concerned," manager Bob Boone said. "I want us to mash every time out, and we haven't hit for about 10 days.

"But there are a lot of reasons for that, too. ... Come Monday, we're going to play it completely different than any of the games (in spring training)."

The Reds and their Monday opponent, the Pittsburgh Pirates, both will work out at Great American Ball Park this afternoon in preparation for Opening Day.

After two exhibition games at the stadium, the Reds are learning the quirks of their new home.

The infield favors groundball pitchers.

"(The infielders) have got to be on their toes," Boone said. "It's (a slow infield). I like it that way. We've got to train all our pitchers to keep it down in the strike zone, keep it out of the air."

Swirling winds during the exhibitions also presented a challenge.

As a result, the Reds will practice catching fly balls during today's workout.

"I just hope we don't have another Candlestick (Park) on our hands," shortstop Barry Larkin said.

What Larkin believes the Reds do have is a better team than in recent years.

"I think we have better quality in the clubhouse, both on the mound and as far as the players are concerned," Larkin said. "Sometimes you don't have that."

CLEVELAND					CINCINNATI
	ab	r	h	bi		ab	r	h	bi
Bradley cf	2	0	0	1	Larkin ss	1	1	0	0
Traber p	1	0	0	0	Lopez ss	2	0	0	2
Vizquel ss	2	0	0	0	Boone 2b	2	0	0	0
Sorenson ss	2	0	0	0	Pena 2b	1	0	0	0
Hafner 1b	2	1	1	1	Griffey cf	2	0	0	0
Crozier 1b	1	0	0	0	Taylor cf	2	0	0	0
Spencer rf	3	1	1	0	Kearns rf	4	0	1	1
Santiago p	0	0	0	0	Dunn 1b	4	0	0	0
Blake 3b	2	0	0	0	Larson 3b	4	0	0	0
Selby 3b	1	0	0	0	Mateo lf	4	0	0	0
Gerut lf	4	0	1	0	LaRue c	2	0	1	0
Bard c	2	0	0	0	Stinnett c	1	0	1	0
Laker c	0	0	0	0	JAnderson p	2	0	0	0
McDonald 2b	3	0	0	0	Freel ph	2	0	0	0
Sadler p	0	0	0	0	White p	0	0	0	0
BAnderson p	1	0	1	0	Riedling p	0	0	0	0
Minges ph	3	1	2	0
Pratt ph	0	0	0	0
Riske p	0	0	0	0
Sizemore ph	0	0	0	1
Totals	29	3	6	3	Totals	33	1	5	1

Cleveland	000	002	001-3
Cincinnati	100	000	000-1

E-Kearns, McDonald. DP-Cincinnati 1. LOB-Cleveland 6, Cincinnati 8. 2B-Spencer, Anderson, Minges. HR-Hafner (5). SB-Laker (1), Boone (2). SF-Sizemore, Bradley.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Cleveland
BAnderson W, 1-2	5	3	1	1	3	6
Traber	1	0	0	0	0	1
Sadler	1	1	0	0	0	0
Riske	1	0	0	0	0	1
Santiago S, 2	1	1	0	0	0	0
Cincinnati
JAnderson L, 2-3	7	6	2	2	2	4
White	1	0	0	0	0	2
Riedling	1	0	1	1	3	2

WP-BAnderson.

T-2:30. A-39,814.