Reds ready to get 2005 rolling

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | The time for talk is over and as former Cincinnati Reds manager Jack McKeon used to say, through a cloud of cigar smoke, "We've talked the talk, now it is time to walk the walk."

It is time to Get Real.

It is Opening Day 2005, Cincinnati Reds vs. New York Mets, Great American Ball Park, time to play baseball.

It has been awhile since there was so much optimistic talk about a Cincinnati Reds team and now the Reds begin their own reality show.

The pressure is on. Expectations are high. Fans are excited.

CEO Carl Lindner, booed last year on Opening Day because of his Tight-Wallet Policy, can expect cheers when he shows his face and slightly lighter wallet today.

Over the winter he permitted general manager Dan O'Brien to add nearly $30 million worth of talent to the payroll in an effort to get better quickly.

O'Brien put ballast in the bullpen by adding veteran pitchers Kent Mercker, Ben Weber and David Weathers. And he acquired Eric Milton and Ramon Ortiz for the starting rotation.

O'Brien added stability to the left side of the infield by signing free-agent third baseman Joe Randa and shortstop Rich Aurilia, both of whom are in today's starting lineup.

The gray T-shirts the team wore under its spring training uniforms this year said it all. Emblazoned in black letters across the back of the shoulders was, "No excuses."

Indeed, no excuses.

Ken Griffey Jr., coming off hamstring surgery that placed three screws in his leg, survived spring training. Austin Kearns, able to play only 64 and 82 games the past two seasons, came through a healthy and offensively productive spring.

"We know we have to stay healthy, that's always a key," said manager Dave Miley, who has placed Griffey second in the batting order and Kearns fourth. "And I don't just mean Griffey and Kearns, I mean everybody."

Veteran Paul Wilson, 32, makes the first Opening Day start of his eight-year major-league career and faces Pedro Martinez, making his first start for the Mets.

Martinez is a tough assignment.

It is Martinez's eighth Opening Day start. The seven previous ones with Boston, where he was 3-1 with 2.51 earned run average over 43 innings with 10 walks and 52 strikeouts.

Four of the first Reds in the batting order will bat left-handed against the right-handed Martinez, with Miley dropping Griffey into the No. 2 spot behind leadoff hitter D'Angelo Jimenez.

Sean Casey will hit third and right-hander Kearns bats cleanup ahead of No. 5 hitter, left-hander Adam Dunn.

It is only the 39th time in his career that Griffey has started a game batting in the No. 2 spot and he has batted second 51 times, hitting .261 with six homers and 17 RBI. He never has started a game for the Reds batting second.

As long as Griffey and Kearns remain upright, the bench is decent with super-sub infielder/outfielder Ryan Freel, outfielder Wily Mo Pena, infielder Felipe Lopez, pinch-hitter Jacob Cruz and back-up catcher Javier Valentin.

But if something dastardly or sinister happens to Griffey, Kearns and/or Dunn and Freel and Pena move into the lineup, the bench thins considerably.

And while O'Brien did his best to balance the bullpen, Weathers, Weber and Mercker all are in their mid- to late-30s and are as long of tooth as they are of experience.

The rotation of Wilson, Eric Milton, Aaron Harang, Ramon Ortiz and Brandon Claussen is an upgrade from coach to business class, but not first class.

It is, though, as is the bullpen, a marginal step up from what took the field at this point last year.

Only four pitchers remain from last year's Opening Day 12-man staff — Wilson, Harang, bullpenner Ryan Wagner and closer Danny Graves.

The pitching staff last season finished with a 5.19 earned run average, second worst in the National League behind Colorado. The starters were 45-58 and had a 5.23 ERA, while the bullpen was 31-28 with a 5.12 ERA, also second worst in the league behind Colorado.

The bullpen had 47 saves, 41 by Graves, and the bullpen blew 30 saves, nine by Graves.

As the sign behind the desk of former Reds general manager Jim Bowden said, "It's all about pitching, pitching, pitching."

The Reds are better armed.