Neagle Traded to Yankees, Ashby to Braves

Denny Neagle and Andy Ashby will start the second half of the season with new teams.

The New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves, the defending league champions, made moves Wednesday to bolster their squads.

The Yankees acquired left-hander Neagle and minor league outfielder Mike Frank from Cincinnati for minor league third baseman Drew Henson, outfielder Jackson Melian, right-hander Brian Reith and left-hander Ed Yarnall.

The Braves, trying to improve a once-dominant pitching staff, traded for right-hander Ashby, sending former top prospect Bruce Chen and minor league pitcher Jimmy Osting to Philadelphia.

“I know there’s been players throughout their careers that don’t necessarily like to play in New York, whether they say the fans or the media can be tough on them,” Neagle said. “You’ve got to have fun with it. That’s right up my alley, to go there with some of the most crazy, wildest fans in baseball.”

Neagle, 31, a free agent after this season, is 14-2 with a 3.14 earned-run average since last August.

“We’ve made the decision to go for it,” Yankee General Manager Brian Cashman said. “Denny Neagle is the guy we wanted. We feel he was the best pitcher available on the market.”

The Reds have gone back to rebuilding only a few months after winning 96 games, trading for Ken Griffey Jr. and becoming a favorite to win the NL Central.

“I know this deal’s going to be unpopular for the present,” Red General Manager Jim Bowden said. “The White Sox took a lot of grief when they made a similar trade a few years ago. But in the end, that’s how you win.”

Frank could help the Yankees replace Shane Spencer. The outfielder will miss the rest of the season because of a knee injury and was put on the 60-day disabled list.

Ashby, 33, has a 76-81 career record and a 4.10 ERA in nine years. His ERA ballooned to 5.68 this season, but he has given up only three earned runs in his last 15 innings.

Ashby, a two-time all-star, is in the final year of a three-year, $15-million contract. He is making $5.9 million this year.

Chen, 23, has been one of the Braves’ top prospects for several years, but has never established himself as a major league starter. He was 4-0 with a 2.50 ERA in 22 appearances for Atlanta this season, mostly in long relief.

The Reds called up right-hander Larry Luebbers and infielder Mike Bell from triple-A Louisville, filling holes created by the trade and an injury.

Luebbers took the roster spot opened by Neagle. He was 7-6 with a 3.53 ERA in 17 starts and one relief appearance for Louisville. Bell replaced third baseman Aaron Boone, who went on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained knee. Boone aggravated the injury Sunday in a 5-3 loss to Cleveland.

Bell, the son of Colorado Manager Buddy Bell, hit .279 with 22 doubles, 16 homers and 55 RBIs in 85 games for Louisville.

*

The All-Star Game drew the lowest TV ratings ever for the Midsummer Classic.

With a host of marquee players out injured, NBC’s broadcast of the game Tuesday night drew a 10.1 national rating with an 18 share, the worst numbers ever for the showcase contest.

The rating, released by Nielsen Media Research, dropped 16% from the 12.0 with a 22 share recorded last year on Fox. The 11.8/21 that Fox got for the 1997 edition was the previous low for an All-Star game.

The gathering of baseball’s best consistently drew ratings above 20 throughout the 1970s and ‘80s.

Mark McGwire, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds and Pedro Martinez were among those who missed the game.

“When you have Alex Rodriguez getting a concussion and Mike Piazza beaned and other players out, interest is going to diminish,” NBC Sports vice president Kevin Sullivan said. “It’s bad luck. There’s nothing you can do about it. Those factors were reflected in the rating.”

*

Colorado third baseman Jeff Cirillo has signed a contract extension that reportedly will keep him with the team through 2005.

A team spokeswoman confirmed the agreement, but declined to provide details. A news conference is scheduled for today. A telephone message seeking comment from Cirillo’s agent was not returned.

Previous reports said Cirillo was negotiating an extension that would guarantee him about $28.5 million from 2002-05, with a club option for 2006.

During Tuesday’s All-Star game, Cirillo told the Denver Rocky Mountain News his contract would be for four years.

“I’ve never considered myself a star, just one of the parts,” he said. “To be able to be paid what I’m going to get paid is almost ridiculous.”

*

Veteran pitchers Willie Banks and Oscar Henriquez signed with the New York Mets and were assigned to triple-A Norfolk of the International League. Banks, 31, has a career record of 31-38 with six major league teams. He was released June 29 by the Orix Blue Wave of the Japan League after going 0-5 with a 6.40 ERA for their minor league team. Henriquez, 26, was 7-2 with a 3.86 ERA for the Mexico City Red Devils in the Mexican League.