SARASOTA, Fla. -- Ken Griffey Sr. reported to the Cincinnati Reds' training camp Saturday to start scouting for the team, one day after he resigned as first-base coach.

Both management and his son, Ken Griffey Jr., were caught off-guard Friday when Griffey Sr., 51, resigned.

Griffey Sr. declined to talk to reporters after leaving a meeting Saturday with the team's general manager, Jim Bowden, but spoke out on his radio show later in the day.

"I was tired of being treated like dirt," he said on WCIN-AM in Cincinnati.

He claimed that members of the front office knew he was unhappy with how things were going, but didn't go into specifics.

Griffey was hired as a special consultant and has been assigned to Florida's east coast to scout the Marlins, St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos, Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets.

Jose Cardenal will take over as first-base coach.

During the last two years, Griffey Sr. has missed time because of medical problems.

His son returned to Cincinnati, his hometown, in February 2000, in part because Griffey was coaching there.

Also Saturday, Griffey Jr. responded to public statements made last week by former Reds infielders Pokey Reese and Dmitri Young. The two said the younger Griffey lacked leadership and received special treatment last season.

"How many times have I fought for them?" Griffey Jr. asked. "How many times did I offer to defer money on my contract? Didn't they get offered long-term contracts and decided not to sign?"