CLEARWATER, Fla. — Jose Rijo pitched three perfect innings against the Phillies. He struck out two. He was ready for more.

        “I wanted to go four innings today,” he said. "I'm ready.”

        Don't count Rijo out of the Reds' rotation race. “There's something to be said knowing what you're doing and being able to put it where you want it,” Boone said, “and to compete like he does.”

        ADDED INNINGS: To get more innings for their starting pitchers, the Reds added a simulated game for today and an intrasquad game Friday.

        Elmer Dessens will pitch the simulated game. Danny Graves will face Jose Acevedo in the intrasquad game.

        Why is Dessens pitching in the simulated game and Chris Reitsma in the game against Detroit?

        “The coin came up heads,” Boone said.

        ROSTER MOVE: The Reds sent right-hander Chris Booker to Double-A Chattanooga. Booker is out for the season after major shoulder surgery. The move was made to open a roster spot.

        It's another sign Joey Hamilton has made the club. Hamilton, who signed as a minor-league free agent, must be added to the 40-man roster.

        Roster spots are tight because the Reds have three young players who are not ready for the majors — David Espinosa, Dana Sardinha, Wily Mo Pena — on big-league contracts.

        "THE ROOKIE': Jesse Levis, whose baseball resume makes him look like a real-life Crash Davis, knows all about the story behind the The Rookie.

        The movie, starring Dennis Quaid, is the story of the Jim Morris, a high school coach, who returned to baseball 12 years after an arm injury ended his professional career.

        Morris made it to the majors with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

        Morris' first stop upon his return to pro ball was Double-A Orlando in 1999. His first catcher was Levis.

        “They sent me down from Triple-A for two weeks,” Levis said. “I didn't know many people. I thought he was a roving pitching instructor. He was older looking. He said, "No, I just signed.'”

        Levis saw why the Rays signed Morris. “He threw 95 with a nasty slider,” Levis said. “Nobody could hit him. He told us his whole story. I can't wait to see the movie.”

        Levis will get a chance to see it. The movie doesn't open until March 29. But Disney and Major League Baseball are screening it in every spring training camp. The Reds see it Monday.

        Levis can relate to Morris. He's still chasing the dream himself. He is 33 and in his eighth organization. Levis has four years of big-league service. But he has played only 22 games in the majors since '99.

        “I signed with the Reds because they were going to give me the best opportunity to get back to the majors,” he said.

        Levis has been impressive at the plate, hitting .675. But Jason LaRue and Kelly Stinnett are going to be the catchers, barring injury or trade.

Ailing arm confounds Reds' Davis Dunn goes with basics to get hits Rijo throws 3 perfect innings Reds 10, Phillies 10 Ex-Red Rivera accused of locker theft

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