Reaffirming his commitment to Pete Harnisch, manager Bob Boone called the struggling right-hander into his office Thursday to tell him he's staying in the rotation.

        “So many things start going through your brain. I wanted him to know that he could take this chair out of that equation,” Boone said.

        Harnisch has worked only 14 innings in his last three starts, allowing 12 earned runs and 24 hits. He dropped to 1-3 with a 6.53 ERA after Wednesday's 7-3 loss to Los Angeles.

        “I don't (care) what my ERA or record says as long as we can win games,” Harnisch said. “That's as plain as I can make it. I feel a little derelict in my responsibility to the guys in the bullpen. Other than that, I really don't (care) about much else, and I told him (Boone) that.”

        Harnisch reiterated that the shoulder that bothered him off and on since 1999 and the elbow that began nagging him about two weeks ago feel fine. Boone said he's “comfortable” with Harnisch's word.

        Said Harnisch: “I'd love to be able to say that my arm is killing me from my shoulder down to my fingers, but it's not. I take full responsibility for what's going on. All I can do is keep working.”

        Harnisch said his elbow prevented him from throwing sufficiently between starts, partly accounting for his problems. “I'm not making that an excuse, because now I'm able to do that,” he said.

        When Harnisch returns to the bullpen to prepare for his next outing, scheduled for Monday at Arizona, he'll work with pitching coach Don Gullett on enhancing the “finish” (late movement) on his pitches.

        “It's a matter of staying with it a little longer and directing it better,” said Gullett, who agreed with the consensus that Harnisch's velocity is fine.

        OUTFIELD SHUFFLING: Boone used his third starting outfield in as many games since Deion Sanders arrived. This time, it was Dmitri Young, Sanders and Alex Ochoa, from left to right. Tuesday's was Sanders-Ruben Rivera-Tucker; Wednesday's was Tucker-Sanders-Ochoa.

        Boone said he'll probably continue to select his daily outfield by “feel.” This time, he said, he felt like having Tucker as a bench weapon to use against Los Angeles' fleet of right-handed relievers. “I don't think it's much deeper than that,” Boone said.

        CASEY BALL UP FOR BID: The ball Sean Casey hit for the first home run at Pittsburgh's PNC Park on April 9 will be auctioned May 12 in a Pittsburgh suburb.

        The ball has been estimated at $10,000 to $15,000, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported. Michael Wilmer, who received the ball when it was tossed to him by Pirates center fielder Adrian Brown, offered to sell it to Casey for $5,000. Casey refused, pointing out that Wilmer initially said he wanted to give it to the Reds first baseman.

        “I will not be putting in a bid for that ball,” said Casey, who grew up in suburban Pittsburgh. “... The whole thing's just kind of — shady, a little. He says one thing and does another thing.”

        ETC.: Right-hander Scott Winchester has recovered steadily from an injured left oblique (side) muscle and could be activated soon. A bullpen session Saturday will help determine that.

        • Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek has received the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association's annual Honorary Membership Award. He'll accept the award Saturday in Columbus at the annual State of Ohio Athletic Trainers Symposium banquet.

        UP NEXT: Elmer Dessens (2-1), coming off a hard-earned win Saturday at Colorado, when he allowed four runs and eight hits in six innings, confronts San Diego's Adam Eaton (3-2) in tonight's series opener.

Dodgers 8, Reds 6 Bell to return from Triple-A Boone shows support for Harnisch Premium seats in new park go on sale Padres-Reds Scouting Report Reds, Jackie's daughter visit schools Reds box, runs

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