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SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) - Sean Casey's offseason routine went something like this: pick up a bat and take a few swings, pick up the phone and make a few calls.
The first baseman honed his swing and his sales pitch. He helped persuade free agents to choose the Cincinnati Reds over teams that had higher profiles and bigger payrolls. The phone bill jumped and the roster filled up.
In an offseason when he supplanted Barry Larkin as the face of the Reds, Casey also became their best recruiter, helping general manager Dan O'Brien convince free agents that Cincinnati was the place for them.
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