made the All-Star team, and earned Rookie of the Year honors. Williamson was the first Reds player to be so honored since Chris Sabo in 1988. During the 1999-2000 off-season, Williamson's name came up several times in trade talks with the Seattle Mariners, who were looking to deal Ken Griffey Jr., but in the end Williamson remained with Cincinnati. Williamson returned for the 2000 season but was bedeviled by injuries, including two broken toes in mid-September. He made fewer appearances than in 1999 but pitched more innings, due in part to joining the starting rotation after the All-Star break. After a lackluster spring training, Cincinnati returned Williamson to the bullpen, who would make just two appearances before going on the disabled list with a torn ligament in his shoulder. After consultation with orthopedic surgeon James Andrews, Williamson underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his season. Cincinnati general manager Jim Bowden called it "Devastating, just devastating." Williamson returned to the bullpen for the 2002 season and went 3-4 with a 2.92 ERA. For 2003, Williamson took over as closer and saved 21 games in 43 appearances. On July 31, 2003 Cincinnati traded Williamson to the Boston Red Sox for Phil Dumatrait, Tyler Pelland and cash. The move was part of a fire sale instigated by Cincinnati management after Bowden and manager Bob Boone were fired. Boston Red Sox The New York Yankees had also been interested in Williamson; that Boston acquired him from Cincinnati was widely touted as a coup for Boston general manager Theo Epstein. USA Today sportswriter Hal Bodley placed the Williamson trade in the context of Red Sox-Yankees rivalry: The Sauerbeck-Williamson deals give the Red Sox and Epstein a measure of revenge. They were stung last winter when the Yankees outbid them in a bitter battle for Cuban pitcher Jose Contreras. The mid-season arrival of Williamson, along with Scott Sauerbeck, Jeff Suppan and Byung Hyun Kim was expected to boost an already strong Boston team to the 2003 World Series. Williamson's tenure with Boston was a troubled one: his ERA with the team was 6.20 and he pitched just 20 innings in 24 appearances. In mid-September he underwent an MRI but the result was negative. As Boston entered the playoffs he shared closer duties with Mike Timlin. In the American League Championship series against New York, Williamson earned saves in Games 1, 4 and 6. Nevertheless, Little left a