Cincinnati Reds 2003 Finish: 69-93, 5th NL Central	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Austin Kearns Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
Batting Order
2B	D'Angelo Jimenez Lacks prototypical leadoff speed but works the count well.
1B	Sean Casey Can function in almost any spot in the order.
CF	Ken Griffey Jr. Has hit just 43 HRs over the past three seasons.
RF	Austin Kearns Responsibility of batting cleanup doesn't faze him.
LF	Adam Dunn Will bat higher in the order if he cuts down on strikeouts.
SS	Barry Larkin Power's nonexistent, but he can still handle the bat.
3B	Brandon Larson Calming down at plate will be first step toward unleashing talent.
C	Jason LaRue Provides decent production from bottom of the order.
Rotation
RHP	Paul Wilson Unlike most Reds, he liked pitching at home (3.42 ERA).
RHP	Cory Lidle Pitching on grass at home should help if he keeps sinker working.
RHP	Jimmy Haynes Reds won't be very patient if he endures another slow start.
RHP	Aaron Harang Reds posted 6–3 record in his nine '03 starts.
RHP	Jose Acevedo Could be club's biggest winner if he continues making adjustments.
Bullpen
RHP	Danny Graves Prefers adrenaline rush of late-inning relief to starting.
RHP	Chris Reitsma Is fastball/change-up combination enough?
RHP	Ryan Wagner Will gain more prominent role if he keeps throwing zeroes.
LHP	Phil Norton Being further removed from 2002 elbow surgery should help.
RHP	John Riedling Reds still looking for best way to capitalize on lively arm.
RHP	Brian Reith Allowed 61 hits and walked 36 batters in 61.1 innings.
Prospects
RHP	Dustin Moseley Could vault into rotation by end of season with finesse approach.
LHP	Brandon Claussen Cautious Reds shut him down last August to preserve arm.
3B	Edwin Encarnacion Has shown power potential during ascent through minors.

The Reds plainly have fallen to the NL Central's lower tier, behind Chicago, Houston and St. Louis. Long term, the franchise believes its renewed emphasis on scouting and player development will revive the team's fortunes. For now, Cincinnati must rely on aging (Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Larkin) and rising (Austin Kearns, Adam Dunn) stars to offset the annual pitching shortfall.

Only two members of last year's Opening Day rotation are back, which should be a good thing. One of the returnees is Paul Wilson, who provides stability and consistency. The other is Jimmy Haynes, who must approach his 2002 proficiency (15–10) if the Reds are to have any chance at contending. Both have injury issues: Wilson missed last September with biceps tendinitis, while Haynes was hampered all season by a sore back. Needing reinforcements, the Reds signed free agent right-hander Cory Lidle, who has averaged 30 starts and nearly 200 innings in each of the last three years. Lidle allowed an American League-high 133 runs last year with Toronto but still should represent an upgrade for the pitching-poor Reds. Right-handers Aaron Harang and Jose Acevedo also are sources of optimism, having displayed flashes of competence last year.

Typically an asset, this group should sustain the Reds again. Danny Graves, who endured a rocky transition to starting last year, is expected to reclaim his closer's role. Graves saved 121 games from 1999-2002, so he should recover his comfort zone quickly. If Graves doesn't close, Cincinnati has a capable alternative in Chris Reitsma, who converted all but two of his last 14 save opportunities during last season's final two months. Most likely, Reitsma will be part of a setup corps that will include right-handers John Riedling, Ryan Wagner and possibly Brian Reith. Todd Van Poppel and rookie Joe Valentine, who excelled in the Arizona Fall League, also could join this mix.

The Reds began last year seeking improved range in this area, so they switched Aaron Boone from third base to second. That experiment lasted all of 19 games. D'Angelo Jimenez provided robust offense but only adequate defense, leaving the Reds wondering whether they should reverse themselves and move Jimenez to third. Should that happen, Juan Castro or Ray Olmedo, both spry and slick afield, likely would compete at second. Shortstop belongs to Larkin, who has announced that 2004 will be his 19th and final season. Larkin remains threatening at the plate but his defense has regressed over the years.

Sean Casey lacks a prototypical first baseman's power, but he compensates with consistency, leadership and an ever-buoyant attitude. A career .300 hitter, Casey rarely saw good pitches last year, but he should approach All-Star form if enough other Reds stay healthy. If Jimenez doesn't move to third base, Brandon Larson will receive what's expected to be his final chance to prove himself. Larson has hit 45 homers in Triple-A the past two years but has failed to establish himself in the majors. Due to turn 28 in May and having used up his supply of minor-league options, he knows it's time for him to produce. Castro and rookie Tim Hummel, who also can play second and shortstop, will push Larson.

It's one of the league's best -- if everybody's healthy. Griffey Jr. must prove he's sufficiently recovered from shoulder and ankle surgeries, which could be a challenge at age 34. It's worth noting that he homered in five consecutive games last July while his shoulder still bothered him and his ankle was worsening. This suggests that a relatively healthy Griffey remains capable of thriving. Though Dunn's power continues to tantalize onlookers, his strikeouts (370 in 340 career big-league games) hamper his production. The Reds hope that Chris Chambliss, Cincinnati's sixth hitting coach since 2000, can solve Dunn's inconsistency. Austin Kearns just needs to stay healthy, which he has rarely done during his professional career. He was headed for an All-Star season but was derailed by a serious shoulder injury in late May.

Great American Ball Park's hitter-friendly environment probably helped Jason LaRue hike his home run output from 12 in 2002 to 16 last year, when he hit all but four of his round-trippers at home. Obviously, the Reds would welcome another increase from LaRue, who's entering his fourth season as their No. 1 catcher. Though LaRue's caught-stealing percentage has dwindled from 60.3 percent in 2001 to 44 percent in 2002 to 26 percent last year, he has improved at blocking pitches in the dirt and handling the staff. LaRue's backup will be Corky Miller, who's finally receiving a chance to play a full big-league season.

Versatility should be abundant. Veteran John Vander Wal, who ranks fifth all-time with 125 career pinch hits, signed a one-year deal in January. He can play first or the outfield. Castro, who plays second, short and third with equal grace, is coming off his best offensive season. Even if Castro doesn't play as extensively this year, his glove makes him an asset. The same could be said of Ray Olmedo, who played extensively at second base and shortstop last season. Ryan Freel is equally handy, having started at four different positions last year. Wily Mo Pena, who hit all five of his 2003 homers in September, must cut down on his strikeouts.

Dave Miley established himself as a popular figure among players in his 57-game stint as interim manager last year. He used his bench extensively and handled pitchers well by letting starters work out of their own jams and avoiding the pitfall of ordering relievers to warm up without sending them into games. Dan O'Brien, the new GM, lacks the showmanship of his predecessor, Jim Bowden. That's fine with the club's hierarchy, which tired of Bowden's act. O'Brien is known for his methodical approach to most issues and his emphasis on scouting and player development. Owner Carl Lindner appears bent on sticking to a small-market budget, which prevents Cincinnati from pursuing richly talented yet high-salaried players.

If their key players stay relatively healthy, the Reds should win a fair number of games on sheer talent alone and could even become a factor in the division race. This has been their pattern in each of the past two years, when they remained in contention for half the year before their familiar shortcomings -- injuries and ineffective pitching -- weakened them. Though the rotation should be better, Cincinnati still has too many questions on its pitching staff and around the roster to be considered a serious contender entering the season.

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