Remember Larkin's great moments

My husband taught my daughter the love of baseball through Barry Larkin. From the age of four she kept a poster of him on her wall. She insists on wearing the number eleven on all of her team jerseys (v-ball, soccer, b-ball) and is devastated if it is not available. What does that number represent for her and her dad? It represents perseverence, dedication, hard work. It represents giving your all each and every time you step onto the field. In our home, the number has become more than the man.

Barry Larkin has represented the Reds well for 18 seasons. The good years and the bad ones. He has been a direct reflection of our own feelings concerning our team: joyous, disgusted, proud, and disenchanted. The media will have a wonderful time talking numbers and negativity. When we hear it or read it we should close our eyes and flash Reds highlights of the last 18 years in our heads and count how many involve Larkin.

He will be missed dearly in my home and should be admired and respected by all of us who have shared in his joys and triumphs.

Angie Allison, Hamilton

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Show Larkin out the door

Barry Larkin has characterized the Red's $500K contract offer as a slap in the face. The truth of the matter is Barry's decision to seek more money elsewhere is a slap in the face to the citizens of Cincinnati. From 1986 to 2003 Barry has earned just under $77 million. But apparently that's not enough. He wants us to "Show him the money" once more. We've shown the money, and we've also shown tremendous support and appreciation for a great career in Cincinnati. Instead of being gracious and thinking about things like his legacy, Barry has focused on greed. In response to this attitude the people of Cincinnati can only show one thing to Barry Larkin, and that's the door. See ya!

Jon-Paul Kroger, Independence

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Larkin already had his 'day'

Is anyone else tired of the Barry Larkin saga? I think it is time to move on. I do not believe that poor, pitiful Barry has been mistreated. Let's face it; I don't remember him at any time in the last three years offering to give any of his salary back, while he wasn't playing. And he didn't play almost 50 percent of the time.

As far as I'm concerned, he has had his "day" every day for the past three years, to the tune of $27 million. He has been a good player for the Reds and it would probably have been a good move to have him as a utility player next year, at the very fair price the Reds offered him. But to pay him more than they offered just to keep him in Cincinnati because he is a hometown product would be a complete waste of money - much like they did the past three years.

It is time to move on and plan to fill the huge hole that the Reds have had at shortstop for the past three years. Maybe now they can also afford some pitching.

Patrick Walsh, Sycamore Township

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Money should not be a factor for Larkin

Barry Larkin has nothing but his pride to blame for not finishing his career in Cincinnati. The Reds rewarded Larkin for his loyalty and years of service to the Reds in 2000 by signing him to a three- year $27 million contract. During the past three years Barry has been able to play in only 54 percent of the games, earning from actual playing time the equilvalent of $14.5 million of the $27 million paid him. Possibly he should consider part of the unearned $12.5 million as compensation for 2004 and accept the Reds' offer. If remaining a Red and ending his career in Cincinnati are important to him, money should not be the deterrent at this point in his career.

Cliff Hackney, West Chester

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Fading stars always want one more year

I don't think this is all that surprising. It's the classic case of a fading superstar thinking he has one more year left when all the evidence points in the opposite direction. It's how Willie Mays ended up with the Mets, Johnny Unitas with the Chargers, and Joe Namath with the Rams. All those guys thought they had some years left but in the end they didn't.

You can't ask the Reds to just hand Barry Larkin whatever he wants for next year just because he's a legend or because he's a Moeller grad. The Reds have to get their ship righted. Paying Barry Larkin any more than what the Reds offered does not help this team get turned around. They need to move on.

No team is going to offer Barry much more than what the Reds offered him, but say the Braves or Dodgers do give him $1.5 million in free agency next year. So Barry has burned all these bridges with the hometown franchise where he's spent his whole career, and taken away Reds fans' ability to pay tribute and say goodbyes all for an extra $1 million. Personally, I think he'll regret this decision.

John Kirtley, Columbus

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Larkin only made $3 million per homer

I hope Barry Larkin enjoys all the money he was paid over the last three years. He sure earned it. Nine homeruns over the last three years. Let's see that's $3,000,000 per homerun. Just think if Hank Aaron played for the same amount, he would have made $2,265,000,000.

Don't let the door hit you in the behind on the way out of town.

Paul Murray, Delhi Township

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Tired of baseball? try ice hockey

For sports fans disenfranchised by the Reds' firesale, empty promises and the less-than-gracious exit of Barry Larkin...

For sports fans suffering yet another O-fer start to the Cincinnati Bengals' season...

For sports fans wanting to watch a sport with more action than timeouts, I encourage them to check out Cincinnati's two professinal hockey teams.

Brian Snape, Wilder

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Larkin lives in a fantasy world

Barry Larkin is the typical professional athlete who lives in his own fantasy world. If a person in any other profession had missed work half the time in the last three years, that person would have been fired long ago. He said the new contract offer was not fair, and he is right. If he wants to play for the Reds next season, he should pay them. Now that would be fair.

Frank Stephenson, Fairfield

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Larkin should be grateful to Reds

Barry Larkin was a great player. He was paid $27 million for the last three years. He played in 260 games out of a possible 486 the past three years. His batting averages were: 2001-.256, 2002-245 and 282 for 2003 with only 241 at bats. Larkin received $103,846 per game for the past three years. He should be grateful the Reds showed their loyalty to him by giving him a contract three years ago.

Dennis Long, West Chester