By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

PHOENIX - The open auditions the Reds are holding these days are seen as a chance for young players to prove themselves.

At 31, Juan Castro isn't that young anymore. But he's getting one of his biggest chances in the major leagues.

Castro has responded well. He has set career highs for home runs (nine) and RBI (26) and went into Tuesday hitting .251 - 40 points higher than his career average.

Castro's glove is so good that .250 is acceptable.

"With his defense, that's like hitting .270, .275 or .280," Reds manager Dave Miley said.

Castro is hoping the Reds will give him a shot at the shortstop job for 2004.

"That's what I want," he said. "I'd like a shot. Unfortunately, I have no control over that."

Castro fits nicely in the utilityman category. He can play second base, shortstop and third base at a Gold Glove level. And he never hit much before this year.

"I think people look at his glove and the positions he can play and think utilityman," Miley said.

Miley has seen a different hitter than he saw in 2000, when he had Castro at Louisville.

"He was a guy who had to hit and run and bunt," Miley said. "What stands outs to me now is, he's become a pretty good hitter."

Castro's nine home runs have come in 235 at-bats. In three previous years with the Reds, he hit a total of nine home runs over 548 at-bats. His three-run homer that won Sunday's game was his first ever to dead center.

"I think it's just playing more," he said. "I can show what I can do."

Brandon Larson and Russell Branyan are both on the disabled list, so Castro is likely to play every day at third until they return.

With Barry Larkin's contract expiring after this season, the Reds have an opening at shortstop for next year unless Larkin is re-signed. If Larkin is re-signed, it probably won't be to play every day.

That could give Castro a chance at the job.

"It would be nice," he said. "We'll see."