Reds Players Still Roiled

CINCINNATI Reds general manager Jim Bowden met with the team to discuss players' concerns about owner Marge Schott's use of racial slurs that resulted in her one-year suspension and $25,000 fine. Bowden, manager Tony Perez, and Reds' front-office personnel met for 95 minutes with the players Wednesday, the first day that the full squad was in camp.

Reds shortstop Barry Larkin said Ms. Schott would do more harm than good if she talks to the club before beginning her one-year suspension for using racial slurs.

"If she comes down here, she can make the situation a lot worse," Mr. Larkin said from the Reds' spring-training camp before the meeting with Bowden. "It could become an extremely volatile situation if she doesn't say the right things, and I don't think there's anything she can say where the guys will think, `Gee, she's really not like that.' "

General manager Bowden said he would like Schott to talk to the players before her suspension starts Monday, and a newspaper reported that she plans to visit the training camp today.