By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

18 Larkin photos

The Cincinnati Reds forced Barry Larkin out. Displeasure with the move probably will be reflected in attendance at Reds games next year.

That was the general - but not unanimous - sentiment of a sampling of Reds fans Monday night shortly after the Reds announced that Larkin had declined the club's $500,000-plus-incentives salary offer for next season.

"I'm very disappointed," said Micah Watkins, 23, of Westwood. "He's a veteran. He's been in the game 18 years. It's just sad to see him gone. They should have offered him a better contract."

Jewan Witcher, 17, of Northside concurred.

"He's spent all his years in the league with Cincinnati, and he's the team captain," Witcher said. "He's worth at least more than the league minimum."

Fiona McGinty, 34, of Westwood said she was upset with the latest development in a disappointing season.

"I'm mad, because he's been with the team all this time," McGinty said. "They're just getting rid of our team."

Tony Smith, 28, of Price Hill said the Reds should have kept Larkin.

By making Larkin a "lowball" contract offer, "(Reds management) wanted him to leave," Smith said. "Why did they make him an offer that they knew he'd have to refuse? That's ridiculous. They're going to pay (Ken) Griffey (Jr.) all those millions and he doesn't play half the games Larkin does." (Griffey actually played 53 games.)

Although not happy with the development, James Barger, 28, of Clifton wasn't shocked.

"To be honest with you, I'm not surprised," Barger said. "The Reds have been lowballing players for years."

Fans' displeasure with the move probably will result in empty seats at the ballpark next year, Barger said.

"It's going to be an extreme detriment to the organization," he said. "I think it's going to cause problems with the die-hard fans."

But not all Reds fans were upset with the offer to Larkin.

"I think Barry Larkin is just washed up," said Trey Hardin of Pleasant Ridge. "The last contract the Reds gave him, they were being loyal and showed him the money. And now, I feel that he has abandoned the Reds. I don't know how he could turn down any offer. No other team is going to pay him that much. He's been injury-prone for the past three years, so we've not really gotten a chance to see him - or miss him."

Ken Fenton of Villa Hills had similar feelings.

"Barry Larkin has been good for the Reds, but I think it's time for him to move on ... and for the Reds to start looking toward the future. Perhaps he could become a coach, but I don't think he has the patience to sit on the bench as a player."

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Rick Green contributed to this story. E-mail bweathers@enquirer.com