Reds Don’t See Deal for Larkin

Cincinnati General Manager Jim Bowden said Saturday that he expects Barry Larkin to reject a trade to the New York Mets, allowing the All-Star shortstop to finish the season with the Reds.

Bowden has agreed to send Larkin, the Reds’ captain, to the Mets for three prospects, a deal that Larkin can approve or reject. The commissioner’s office gave the Mets a 72-hour window to negotiate with Larkin, starting at 10 a.m. EDT Saturday.

The Mets are looking at Larkin as a replacement for Rey Ordonez, sidelined for the season because of a broken arm. Larkin said he doesn’t want to go to another team only for the remainder of this season.

The Reds arranged the trade after rejecting Larkin’s request for a three-year, $27.9-million extension. Larkin is a free agent after the season.

“As of now, the Mets have told me they are not willing to sign him for $27.9 million,” Bowden said. “Barry and his agent [Eric Goldschmidt] have informed us if they don’t sign him for $27.9 million, then he’s going to reject the trade. So based on what I’m hearing, I think at some point it gets rejected.”

If the trade is rejected, the Reds won’t try to arrange another deal, Bowden said.

On Saturday, the Mets began lobbying Larkin to join them. General Manager Steve Phillips called Larkin, talking briefly to him before the Reds’ game with the Diamondbacks.

The Mets had also considered flying a contingent of team officials, Manager Bobby Valentine and players Lenny Harris and John Franco to Cincinnati after their game Saturday afternoon in Atlanta, but they couldn’t get arrangements worked out.

“We wanted to get an audience with Barry and see if we could convince him this is the place to play,” Phillips said. “We hope he wants to come.”

Catcher Mike Piazza, when asked if he would help persuade Larkin to approve a trade to the Mets, said: “Does 1-800-FLOWERS deliver on the weekend?”

Larkin, in his 15th season with the Reds, still hopes to work out an extension that will allow him to finish his career with his hometown team.

Larkin offered to have some of the money deferred, following the example the club set with Ken Griffey Jr. Most of Griffey’s $116.5-million contract will be paid out after he retires. Griffey, in fact, offered to have more of his payments deferred if it will help the sides reach an agreement.

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The New Yankees designated outfielder Felix Jose for assignment to make room for Glenallen Hill, acquired Friday from the Chicago Cubs.