Baseball

Larkin set to see time in outfield

SARASOTA -- The Reds set their pitching staff Sunday by awarding Jimmy Anderson a spot in the rotation and giving bullpen jobs to Kent Mercker, Felix Heredia and Josias Manzanillo. Right-handers Seth Etherton and Jeff Austin were optioned to Louisville.

No surprises there. Manager Bob Boone saved those for the lineup card.

His lineup card turned Barry Larkin into an outfielder for the first time. The 38-year-old shortstop was scheduled to start in leftfield Sunday against Cleveland, a move that drew double-takes and a lot of jokes in the clubhouse.

"I've never played outfield," Larkin said. "Skip asked me the other day if I brought my outfield glove. I said, 'Yeah.' He said, 'Well, all right, bring it tomorrow because you're playing left."'

A pregame downpour left the outfield slick and prompted Boone to move Larkin back to shortstop. It didn't end Boone's experiment. He's leaning toward starting Larkin in centerfield on opening day.

Boone is considering carrying 12 pitchers, leaving him short a position player. The more positions they can play, the more options Boone will have for late switches.

Plus, leftfielder Adam Dunn has shin splints that aren't serious but could use a little rest.

A'S: Shortstop Miguel Tejada left the game and will miss a few days. He bruised a knee when Randy Winn ran into him while trying to break up a double play.

BRAVES: Single-game ticket sales for the regular season are off by at least 30 percent from 2002, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Thousands of tickets remain in virtually every section for opening day.

BREWERS: Starting pitcher Glendon Rusch left in the third after being hit on the right wrist by a line drive but said he would be fine.

CARDINALS: A battery of tests showed catcher/outfielder Eli Marrero has acid indigestion. Marrero has been in and out of the lineup all month with what was described as "gastrointestinal irritation." Also, centerfielder Jim Edmonds took batting practice for the third consecutive day. But there still is no timetable for his return from a strained left calf.

DODGERS: Third baseman Adrian Beltre likely will miss the next few days and possibly the rest of the spring after he fouled a ball off his left leg.

EXPOS: Zach Day virtually clinched a spot in the rotation by allowing two hits in six innings in a rain-shortened 3-0 victory against the Orioles. Day struck out two and faced the minimum 18 batters.

INDIANS: Reliever David Riske and infielder Casey Blake made the club. Blake will play third while Ricky Gutierrez recovers from offseason neck surgery. Also, first baseman Travis Hafner missed his second game with a sprained wrist. He is expected to resume batting practice in a day or two.

ROCKIES: Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings will pitch on opening day instead of Denny Neagle, who will be the fifth starter to allow more time for his left elbow to heal from offseason surgery. Aaron Cook, Shawn Chacon and Denny Stark will be the other starters.

ROYALS: Left-handers Chris George and Darrell May were picked to join Runelvys Hernandez, Jeremy Affeldt and Miguel Asencio in the rotation.

TWINS: Kenny Rogers, who signed March 13, will make his first start Tuesday.

OBITUARY: Former Tigers pitcher Harry Eisenstat died late Friday. He was 87. In the final game of 1938, Mr. Eisenstat took a no-hitter into the eighth as Detroit won 4-1 against Cleveland and Bob Feller, who struck out 18 but walked seven and allowed seven hits.

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