By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The names are different, except for one.

PHOTO GALLERIES

• At the ballpark • Opening Day Parade

Of the seven relief pitchers on the Reds' 2003 Opening Day roster, only John Riedling sat in the team's bullpen Monday at Great American Ball Park.

"It doesn't really seem different," Riedling said after the 7-4 loss against the Cubs. "But that's what baseball is nowadays, especially in the bullpen.

"You always see guys going to different teams."

Trades and other roster moves led to an overhaul of the Reds bullpen, which topped the majors with 36 wins last season.

The new look was impressive Monday.

Riedling, Phil Norton, Brian Reith, Ryan Wagner and Todd Jones combined to pitch the final four innings.

They did not allow an earned run and allowed only two hits.

"We've got a lot of guys down there that can compete, will challenge guys and not shy away," said Jones, who signed with the Reds on March 25 after being released by the Devil Rays. "That is what I always try to look for from young guys."

The only relief pitchers who did not throw Monday were closer Danny Graves and long reliever Todd Van Poppel.

Graves began last season as a starting pitcher but has returned to the bullpen, where he has saved 131 career games. The Reds originally signed Van Poppel after he was released by the Rangers in June.

"We've got guys that can pitch two or three innings, specialists to come in and get a groundball, a lefty," said Riedling, who pitched a scoreless sixth inning Monday. "We all have confidence in each other."

The only runs scored by the Cubs after Reds starter Cory Lidle exited the game were in the eighth inning.

With Wagner pitching and two outs, Reds outfielder Adam Dunn dropped a fly ball that led to two unearned runs.

"All of us are going to have our days when we're just not feeling it or don't have our best stuff," Wagner said. "For the most part, our bullpen can be up there with anybody in the league."

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E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com