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Reds decide against re-signing Larkin By Todd Lorenz / MLB.com October 12, 2004 CINCINNATI -- Barry Larkin's 19-year run as the Reds' shortstop came to an end on Tuesday. After hitting .289 and making his 12th All-Star team in 2004, Larkin will leave the Reds with a 1995 NL MVP Award, three Gold Glove awards and a 1990 World Series ring to go along with his career .295 batting average, 198 home runs and 960 RBIs. He's also the only shortstop in Major League history to accumulate over 2,200 hits, 190 home runs and 370 steals. "[Manager] Dave Miley and [general manager] Dan O'Brien called me at about 2 p.m. to say they wouldn't be offering me a contract [for 2005]," said Larkin from his home in Orlando, Fla. The Reds made the announcement official about two hours later in a press conference at Great American Ball Park. "Dave [Miley] and I had to make a most difficult telephone call today to Barry Larkin," said O'Brien. "In that conversation we shared with him that as a result of our organizational meetings, where we had an opportunity to talk with scouts at length as well as our coaching staff, that there was a clear-cut consensus that we needed to give Felipe Lopez and Anderson Machado an opportunity to play in Cincinnati in the '05 season. As a result, we explained to Barry that there would not be a contract forthcoming for him. "It's consistent with our organizational direction of trying to give younger players an opportunity to play. For 19 years Barry Larkin has been an outstanding player and representative for the organization. For many of you who have seen him on a day-in, day-out basis, it's been a pleasure to see him play the position at such an exceptional level. We thank Barry for all of his contributions to this organization and for all that he's meant to it." For Larkin, the move hardly came as a shock. He'd already been shelved for the final month of 2004 as the Reds took a closer look at the pair of young shortstops, which gave him a pretty good idea that he wouldn't be around for his 20th season in Cincinnati despite announcing that he'd like to play at least one more year. "Things ended on a sour note," he said. "I think, as a player, things always tend to end up that way. That's OK. I don't have a problem with that." Of course, he would have much rather seen things have a happy ending. "It's disappointing," he said. "I don't think that as an organization they've done a good job of dealing with players. I think it's disappointing the way things went down because it can hurt the organization from a public relations standpoint. But they did business the way they do business." In the short term, Larkin is still considering playing, but the business side of baseball is where he sees his future -- although that doesn't necessarily mean it'll be in Cincinnati. "If there's a situation that makes sense and is a fit for me and my family, either as a player or if it's something in a front office, that I might want to pursue, we'll sit down and consider it," Larkin said. "I don't know if a lot of teams fully understand what I have to offer because I've never played with a different team, but I think word of mouth travels throughout the league. So I don't know where or if I'll be back as a player or something else somewhere, but I like my chances of landing on my feet." The Reds haven't considered offering Larkin a position in the front office, mainly because they feel Larkin's primary objective is to play again. "Barry, as you know, has indicated to us that his short-term focus is on playing in 2005," said O'Brien. "So that really has been the direction we have talked about. We've not broached the other topic [of him joining the organization in a different capacity]" However, there was plenty of talk around Cincinnati concerning the possibility of Larkin rejoining the Reds as a utility player on the field in 2005. In the end, the organization didn't see that as a viable alternative. "Barry's been a starting shortstop for 19 years," said O'Brien. "It was our decision to give Anderson and Felipe the opportunity to play, so we did not see that role being available [to Larkin] in the upcoming season. "We talked about all kinds of possibilities at the organizational meetings -- not just about Barry, but about all of our free agents and how we'd like to see them fit into the roster for next year. Looking at it from as many perspectives as we could, we simply could not resolve the composition of the roster with [Larkin], Anderson and Felipe." "You hate to say goodbye to great players, but through the process of the game all great careers do eventually end," said O'Brien. Larkin's absence at shortstop will leave more than an open position on the field, though. His loss means the Reds will also be looking for a new captain in 2005. "It's something that'll be discussed in the winter months," Miley said. "Whichever way we go will be determined more towarde Spring Training." Whoever receives that honor will have the unenviable task of filling some of the finest shoes ever to play for the Reds. Todd Lorenz is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. |