By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - You can blame Rigo Beltran for the fact that the U.S. is not playing baseball in the Olympics this summer.

How so?

Rigo Beltran, a Reds monor leaguer, has the dubious distinction of knocking the Team USA Baseball out of the 2004 Summer Olympics. (Michael E. Keating photo)

Beltran held Team USA to one run over seven innings in a 2-1 victory over Mexico in the Americas Olympic qualifying.

"I was on," he said. "I didn't have my best velocity, but my control was very good."

Beltran, a 34-year-old left-hander, is in Reds camp as a non-roster player. Beltran, a native of Tijuana who grew up in San Diego, has taken some guff about his role in the elimination of the U.S.

"When I got to winter ball, some of my teammates got on me," he said.

Mexico's team isn't going to Athens, either. The Mexicans lost to Canada. Cuba beat Canada in the finals. Those two countries will play in Athens.

"It's a shame," Beltran said. "Europe, where hardly anyone plays baseball, gets three teams."

Beltran would have pitched for Mexico in the Olympics. Players not on major league rosters as of Aug. 25 of last year were eligible.

"I had permission from the Reds," he said. "It's a dream to play in the Olympics."

Beltran's family moved from Tijuana to San Diego when he was 3.

"But I always played in Mexico," he said. "I played Little League there. I was always in the system."

Beltran has played professionally since 1991. He last pitched in the majors in 2000 for the Rockies.

He was 5-4 with a 2.71 ERA for Triple-A Ottawa last year in 31 games (13 starts).

FOR STARTERS: Reds manager Dave Miley said seven pitchers will be in the mix for the fourth and fifth spots in the starting rotation.

Veterans Paul Wilson, Jimmy Haynes and Cory Lidle are locks for three spots.

The favorites for the fourth and fifth spots are Jose Acevedo, Brandon Claussen, Aaron Harang and D.J. Mattox.

Miley wouldn't name the other three, but they are likely Matt Belisle, acquired from Atlanta in the trade for Kent Mercker last year; Seth Etherton, who made seven starts for the Reds last year; and former first-round pick Dustin Moseley.

SCHEDULE: The position players, who have not yet reported, will do so today. They will have their physicals Tuesday morning, then work out in the afternoon.

The two-a-day schedule will begin Wednesday. The 40-man roster players will work out in the morning. The non-roster players will work out in the afternoon.

The Reds will use that schedule for six days, leading up to the intrasquad games on March 1 and 2.

Reds infielder Felipe Lopez signs autographs after his workout. (Michael E. Keating photo)

LOPEZ LOOKS GOOD: Felipe Lopez has astounded the Reds with how far he's come back from his ankle injury in July.

"It's amazing," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said. "He's way ahead of where we expected."

OPEN ON BOONE: O'Brien is well of aware of baseball's tampering rules, so he can't say much on the subject of Aaron Boone.

"Let's say we're keeping an open mind," O'Brien said.

Boone injured his knee playing basketball in January. He had surgery Monday to repair his ACL. He faces six to eight months of rehab. The Yankees, who acquired Alex Rodriguez to play third base, are expected to release Boone.

If that happens, the Reds will look into the possibility of signing him.

BERRY GOOD: O'Brien has been pleased with camp to far.

"Very pleased," he said. "We have a plan. It's been articulated, things have fallen on time and we've accomplished what we set to. (Third base coach) Mark Berry deserves special credit. He worked an inordinate amount of time preparing the schedule."