Ken Griffey Jr. said Tuesday he's two weeks away from returning to the Reds lineup. A test on his hamstring said it's 20 percent stronger than it was eight days ago.

        “He made significant improvement,” team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek said Wednesday. “The (Biodex) test was much better. But we're not going to go strictly by numbers.”

        Kremchek still cannot answer the big question: When will Griffey be back?

        “He thinks a couple of weeks,” Kremchek said. “I'd say he's turning the corner. He's running better. He's lifting more weight.”

        Griffey has been out since March 26 when he tore his left hamstring rounding third in a spring training game. The Reds' brass remains cautious.

        “I'm not going to be optimistic until it happens,” general manager Jim Bowden said. “I don't think any of us can put a sure date on that injury.

        “Is it possible he can be back within two weeks? Yes, it's consistent with what he had been saying that by the end of June, hopefully he'll make enough progress to come back. ... I think we're all praying that we can get him back and Barry (Larkin) back and Pete (Harnisch) back and Aaron (Boone) back and Dmitri (Young) back. Maybe they all can come back at one time and we're still within striking distance.”

        Griffey said in an interview with ESPN's Harold Reynolds that he thought he was two weeks away.

        “I like hearing that,” manager Bob Boone said. “I'm encouraged. He's definitely better. But you get to that 80 percent and how long does it take for the other 20?”

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