Alex Ochoa Right Field Cincinnati Reds Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 90 7 35 48 12 .289

CINCINNATI -- The Reds made a trade to clear room for their top prospect Thursday, sending outfielder Alex Ochoa to the Colorado Rockies for second baseman Todd Walker and a minor leaguer.

The deal between last-place teams gave the Rockies another versatile outfielder and gave the Reds a chance to bring up Adam Dunn, their most highly regarded prospect in years.

He was promoted from Triple-A Louisville and will start in left field.

"We wanted to get on with our future now," general manager Jim Bowden said. "Dunn should have been here a month ago. Dunn couldn't be here until we moved an outfielder."

Dunn, 21, hit .334 with 32 homers and 84 RBI in 94 games this year at Double-A Chattanooga and Louisville. He was the MVP of the Triple-A All-Star game in Indianapolis, where he homered twice. He also hit a homer at the Futures Game in Seattle as part of the All-Star festivities.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound outfielder was a second-round draft pick in 1998. He chose baseball over playing quarterback at Texas, and emerged this year as one of the top power hitters in the minors.

	Todd Walker Second Base Colorado Rockies Profile
	2001 SEASON STATISTICS GM HR RBI R SB AVG 85 12 43 52 1 .297

Reds fans have clamored for Dunn's promotion during a lost season. At 35-60, the Reds are 25 games under .500 for the first time since 1984.

The Reds' only hesitation about Dunn is his erratic fielding.

"I think the expectations are high," manager Bob Boone said. "I think this puts an exclamation on the fact that we're developing. If he comes up smoking, great. If he doesn't, that's what I expect. He's been pounding on the door. This could be a break for a team that's been struggling."

Ochoa started 84 games in right field and hit .289 with seven homers and 35 RBI. He recently broke out of an 0-for-31 slump that was the longest by a Reds player in 21 years.

The Reds have been trying to deal infielder Pokey Reese or outfielder Dmitri Young, but wound up giving up their best all-around outfielder behind Ken Griffey Jr.

"It was surprising," Ochoa said. "You hear Dmitri's name out there and Pokey's and not as much mine."

Walker hit .297 in 85 games for Colorado with 12 homers and 43 RBI. The Reds could use another middle infielder because shortstop Barry Larkin is out indefinitely with torn groin muscles.

Walker was surprised by the trade, too. He's not sure what will happen if Larkin returns and Reese is still around.

"That's out of my control," Walker said. "You just play until that day comes."

The Reds also got minor league outfielder Robin Jennings in the trade. Jennings hit .301 with seven homers and 31 RBI in 49 games at Triple-A and was designated for assignment to the Reds' farm system.

Like the trade that sent reliever Mark Wohlers to the Yankees on June 30, this deal saves the cost-conscious Reds a little bit of money in the short-term.

Ochoa makes $1.6 million this year and $2.75 million in 2002. Walker agreed to a three-year contract in January that includes salaries of $1 million this year, $2 million next year and $3.4 million in 2003. An incentive package will pay him between $10,000 and $50,000 if he starts between 100 and 150 games.

Walker also got a $150,000 signing bonus from the Rockies.

The Rockies called up reliever Craig Dingman from Triple-A Colorado Springs to take one position opened by the trade. Dingman was 0-0 with one save and a 9.00 ERA in six innings with the Rockies earlier this year.

He was 3-2 with a 3.97 ERA in 34 innings in Colorado Springs.