By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati Reds COO John Allen and Barry Larkin announce that the 18-year veteran will finish his career with the team. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM | • 24 photo gallery of Larkin's career

It took Frank Robinson, who knew a thing or two about bad endings to a Reds career, to step in and keep Barry Larkin from having one.

It was at Robinson's urging that Larkin called chief operating officer John Allen to re-open talks. Those talks led to Larkin agreeing to a one-year contract to play his final season as a Red in 2004.

Robinson, the Reds Hall of Famer, was in town managing the Montreal Expos. The Reds also dedicated a statue of him on the Crosley Terrace Friday.

That gesture and retiring Robinson's number in 1998 put to rest the bitterness over his departure in 1966, when he was labeled "an old 30" and traded to Baltimore.

"When I came in Saturday, there was a note from Frank to meet him at 11:05 in his office," Larkin said. "I met him at 11:05 in his office. He told me some things."

It was Robinson's experience in life that made the words so important.

"I credit him as a baseball player and as someone who had been down that road for seeking me out."

Larkin wasn't the only one who heard from Robinson.

"Frank talked to me, too," Allen said.

Robinson's urging allowed Allen and Larkin to put aside considerable acrimony and get the deal done.

It was worked out starting in the fifth inning of the Reds-Expos game on Sunday. Terms of the contract are similar to the offer of a $500,000 base salary and a chance to earn $500,000 more in incentives that Larkin rejected last week - $700,000 guaranteed plus $300,000 in incentives.

"We did most of it during the game," Allen said.

The key was the Reds were willing to give.

"There was give and take," Allen said.

"They moved," Larkin said.

Larkin was upset by the Reds' one-year offer last weekend, not so much because of how low it was, but because it was presented as a final offer.

Larkin admitted the whole episode was not easy to deal with. But he put that aside for one reason:

"All I wanted to do was to be a Cincinnati Red," he said. "I was hurt by a lot of things. It's not easy to be criticized. It's not easy to be the butt of jokes. But the bottom line is I wanted to be part of the Reds."

Larkin said he will retire after next season. There's a gentlemen's agreement that he will move into the front office in some capacity after that.

"It's a commitment to Barry," Allen said. "We don't have a contract (for 2005). That will have to be worked out. Barry can be a tremendous asset to the organization both from a baseball standpoint and public relations."

The press conference ended a surreal day at the ballpark.

It looked as if Larkin's Reds career officially ended Sunday with the Reds' 2-1 loss to Montreal before a crowd of 32,322 at Great American Ball Park.

Larkin did not play. He has been shut down for the season because of a sprained left ring finger.

The shortstop was in the dugout for the game, but most fans probably didn't notice. The only mention Larkin got was as an answer to this Scoreboard Stumper: Who are the four shortstops to win Gold Gloves with the Reds? Larkin, Dave Concepcion, Leo Cardenas and Roy McMillan.

Larkin shook hands with his teammates in the fifth inning, and then headed for the clubhouse. No one knew at the time that he was heading for a meeting with Allen that would ultimately bring Larkin back for his 19th year as a Red.

That will tie Larkin with his hero and mentor, Concepcion, for longest continuous tenure with the Reds.

When Larkin spoke with reporters Sunday morning, he was more upbeat than he had been.

"I'm still optimistic," he said. "There's still time. Something can get done."

Larkin, at Robinson's urging, called Allen Saturday night. Allen said he would have eventually called Larkin

Allen had spent the day interviewing Montreal GM Omar Minaya for the Reds GM job.

"It had been a long day," Allen said. "I said, 'let's sleep on it.' "

Negotiations resumed Sunday.

"The end result is what both sides wanted it to be," Allen said.