CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds have worked out a deal
that would send Barry Larkin to the New York Mets, if the All-Star
shortstop and team captain approves.
It comes down to whether Larkin is interested in finishing this
season with the Mets, then heading for free agency.
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Fri., July 21
I found it very interesting that the Reds came out and
publicly stated that they can't afford to keep Barry
Larkin. It's clear from the Denny Neagle trade of last
week that the Reds have pretty much given up on
making a playoff push for this year and are instead building for the future.
In 2003, the Reds will move into their new park and with Larkin, 36, advancing in age
they must feel that he won't be in their plans in three years.
It's sad indeed because Larkin has played his entire 15-year career in Cincinnati, but
that's the way it goes in baseball nowadays. If teams can't afford to keep players, they
try to ship them out in order to get something in return for them instead of losing them
to free agency.
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The Mets are interested in him only as a temporary replacement
for Gold Glove shortstop Rey Ordonez, out the rest of the season
with a broken arm.
"It's all based on his approval," Mets general manager Steve Phillips said. "We haven't
had a chance to talk with him to get his lay of the land here."
Larkin, a free agent after the season, reiterated Friday that he
wants to end his career in his hometown of Cincinnati. He said he
would approve a trade only if the Reds make it clear they won't
keep him beyond this season.
"If the Reds will not sign me, I'll have to move on," he said.
The Mets were waiting for permission from the commissioner's
office for a 72-hour window to negotiate with Larkin. Phillips said
that could begin as soon as Saturday.
The deadline for making trades without waivers is July 31.
Larkin, who has spent all of his 15 major league seasons with
the Reds, has the right to veto any trade. Larkin's agent, Eric
Goldschmidt, said Friday evening that he wants to know how he fits
in the Mets' plans before reaching a decision.
"We'd have to talk to the team, the general manager, the
ownership, to see what they want to do, what their plans are for
Barry long-term as well as short-term, then let Barry make the
decision," Goldschmidt said.
Phillips said it would be difficult for the Mets to offer Larkin
an extension.
"We have a shortstop signed for three more years," Phillips
said, referring to Ordonez. "Obviously, it would be a complicating
factor to sign another shortstop beyond this year."
If the 72-hour window is provided to talk to Larkin, Phillips
said the Mets will "see if we can't encourage him to join us."
The Reds told Larkin this week that they would not meet his
request for a three-year, $27.3 million extension. General manager Jim Bowden flew to
Houston on Thursday to inform Larkin about the trade he had
arranged with the Mets.
Larkin said he walked out of the meeting when Bowden wouldn't
tell him the players involved.
"The meeting was cool until then," Larkin said Friday. "I
won't even tell you the response I got. That's when I left."
The relationship between the Reds and their team captain has
grown testy since the club declined to meet his contract demand,
raising the possibility that he'll have to finish his career
outside his hometown.
Ken Griffey Jr., who took less than market value to return to
his hometown in February, has offered to have a larger percentage
of his $116.5 million contract deferred to free up money to keep
Larkin.
"Junior's not trying to tell anybody what to do," Griffey's
agent, Brian Goldberg, said Friday. "All he's saying is that
should the Reds and Barry compromise to the point where it's a
reasonable gap, he'll help bridge the gap by deferring some money
further."
Last December, Griffey blocked a deal that would've sent him
from Seattle to the Mets. He wound up being traded to Cincinnati,
where he wanted to play.
Larkin said he's willing to defer some money from a new
contract, but the club won't consider the possibility. He accepted
less than market value to stay in Cincinnati -- he makes $5.3
million this year -- and wants more than the two-year, $12 million
deal offered by the Reds.
"I'm not sitting here telling you I'll play for below market
value," Larkin said. "I'm not selling out right now. But there
are certain ways to get it done if they want to get it done."
There were several pro-Larkin banners at Cinergy Field for the
start of a three-game homestand Friday against the Diamondbacks, the Reds' first home game
since the contract impasse became public. Larkin got a slightly
louder ovation than usual when he came to beat in the first inning.
Reds manager Jack McKeon doesn't think the trade talks involving Larkin have affected the club.
"They know it's the nature of the business," McKeon said. "If
you're here, you play for this team."
Larkin said he let the pregame talk Thursday in Houston affect
his play. Larkin went 1-for-4 with an RBI double in a 6-2 loss to
the Astros.
"Yesterday was not me," Larkin said. "I let things bother me
and I hadn't done that until yesterday. I wasn't there in spirit
and heart. That's never going to happen again. I don't plan on
talking to anybody about any trades before a game ever again." | |
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