Griffey Back; Reds Done With Deion

The Cincinnati Reds activated Ken Griffey Jr. Friday and designated Deion Sanders for assignment to the minors, at least temporarily ending an attempt to revive Sanders’ baseball career.

Griffey, who tore his left hamstring during spring training, was in the starting lineup for the first time this season, playing center field against Colorado.

The moves were part of a massive one-day overhaul of the Reds’ roster. Six players were added, allowing the Reds to put their projected starting lineup on the field for the first time this season.

The Reds activated shortstop Barry Larkin, who had been sidelined by a strained groin, and third baseman Aaron Boone, who is recovering from a broken hand. In addition, the Reds called up right-hander Brian Reith and left-handers Justin Atchley and Lance Davis from triple-A Louisville.

Cincinnati also traded right-handed starter Rob Bell to Texas for two prospects, outfielder Ruben Mateo and infielder Edwin Encarnacion.

Sanders, the two-sport athlete who had provided the Reds one of their better moments of the season, was out of a job after being called up May 1 to fill in for Griffey. In his first game back in the major leagues, Sanders, who hit .459 for Louisville, went three for three with a home run.

After that, he did little right. Sanders misplayed two balls in the outfield that set up losses. He hit .173 in 39 games and had an on-base percentage of .235.

“I still think it was a good thing with Deion,” Boone said. “We got Deion when there really wasn’t an alternative--we didn’t have the numbers. No, he didn’t have a successful month and a half. But I think it was a good experiment.”

The New York Mets put second baseman Edgardo Alfonzo on the 15-day disabled list because of a lower back strain and purchased the contract of infielder Jorge Velandia from triple-A Norfolk. Alfonzo has torn cartilage surrounding a disk in his back, but General Manager Steve Phillips said it is unrelated to a herniated disk that sidelined Alfonzo in 1995.

Alfonzo has been bothered by a lower back strain since April.

The New York Yankees put outfielder David Justice on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left groin and called Clay Bellinger up from triple-A Columbus.

Justice suffered the injury while scoring from first base on Jorge Posada’s triple Thursday night against Montreal. He was replaced by pinch-hitter Enrique Wilson in the fourth inning.

Yankee right-hander Orlando Hernandez, who underwent toe surgery, will be out six to eight weeks.

San Francisco designated starting third baseman Russ Davis for assignment, continuing a team make-over that has led to major changes at three positions in the last two weeks. Davis, batting .257 with seven home runs and 17 runs batted in while playing 53 games this season, had made a team-high 10 errors that contributed to the Giants being the fifth-worst on defense in the National League. . . . Detroit put shortstop Deivi Cruz on the 15-day disabled list because of a broken bone in his left foot. The Tigers signed right-hander Willie Blair and scheduled him to start tonight against Arizona. . . . Cleveland reliever Paul Shuey went on the 15-day disabled with a strained muscle in his right elbow, an injury that apparently occurred Wednesday while taking swings during batting practice.