Boston Red Sox
It's Reese and Bellhorn for starters
08:22 AM EST on Tuesday, March 30, 2004
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When the Red Sox passed on re-signing Todd Walker
and instead opted for Pokey Reese, it was with the idea of upgrading the
infield defense at second base.
Research showed that last season the Sox allowed more ground singles
through the right side of the infield than any other club in either
league. Inserting Reese, a two-time Gold Glove winner at second, would
tighten the Sox' porous defense and provide an immeasurable upgrade at
the position.
But in an ironic twist, Reese may not get to play second until the
second week of the season. Nomar Garciaparra is sidelined with
tendinitis in his right Achilles heel and is almost certain to miss the
season opener Sunday in Baltimore, forcing Reese to move across the
second-base bag to play short.
With Reese re-positioned, Mark Bellhorn, set to make the team as the
utility infielder, will open the season at second base.
Reese is a natural shortstop, so the shift, however brief, shouldn't be
an issue.
"I feel fine there," he said yesterday before the Sox pounded Baltimore,
8-3. "There's nothing different -- you just have to catch it and throw
it. The only difference is coming across the bag (on the double play)."
After flubbing a backhand try for an error behind Curt Schilling
Saturday, Reese took grounders yesterday morning and fielded almost all
of them backhanded, as if trying to exorcise the miscue.
Reese can only hope that his cameo at short goes better than the last
time. In 1998 while in his second major-league season with the
Cincinnati Reds, Reese took over at short on Opening Day, subsituting
for starter Barry Larkin, who, like Garciaparra, was out with Achilles
tendinitis. The usually sure-handed Reese made four errors -- half of
his total for the entire season -- against the San Diego Padres.
"I'm not going to forget that," said Reese, a bit sheepishly. "It was
just
one of those days, a freaky day."
There's little risk in that occurring again. Reese's range is nearly
unmatched throughout baseball. At second base, he comfortably glides to
the right, far behind the second base bag, or scoots far to his left,
ensnaring virtually everything on the ground.
The same skills apply to shortstop, a position he hasn't played in the
regular season since 2001, when he saw 78 games at the position.
"You can read the ball a little better at second," Reese said. "And you
have a little more time with the throw if you bobble something or knock
it down. Other than that, there's not much difference. It's not going to
be a problem."
For as long as he's filling in for Garciaparra, Reese will be working
with a new double-play partner in Bellhorn. For most of the spring,
Reese has split time between second and short, while Bellhorn has been
playing third in place of the injured Bill Mueller.
But it won't be long, Reese assured, before they're comfortable playing
together.
"I'll just tell (Bellhorn), 'Get the ball around the bag and I'll handle
the rest,' " Reese said.
Reese's offense is rather ordinary, as evidenced by his .251 lifetime
average, the lowest of any regular in the Boston lineup. But situated at
the bottom of the lineup, the Sox aren't asking Reese to be a big part
of their attack. If he can make contact and use his speed on the bases
-- Reese's 85.2 percent success rate makes him third among active
players -- he'll be helpful to the Sox.
A succession of injuries has limited Reese the last two seasons, both in
Pittsburgh. He played just 37 games for the Pirates last year thanks to
a torn ligament in his left thumb. The year before, he missed chunks of
games due to a hamstring strain and a jammed finger.
The missed time makes him eager to play, particularly at Fenway Park.
After spending much of his career on non-contending teams in the
American League, he's looking forward to playing in a more highly
charged baseball atmosphere.
"I can't wait," Reese said. "I'm really looking forward to it."
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