The Reds got a major scare Sunday when second baseman Todd Walker was hit on the left side of his head by a line drive during the afternoon workout. Walker went down in pain and stayed on the grass several minutes while trainer Greg Lynn and Dr. Tim Kremchek attended to him.

Reds physician Tim Kremchek tends to Todd Walker at Sunday's workout at Cinergy Field. | ZOOM |

Todd Walker walks off with trainer Greg Lynn . (Glenn Hartong photos) | ZOOM |

        Walker was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital for X-rays, but they showed no damage. He is expected to play today when the Reds take on the Chicago Cubs at 2:15 p.m.

        Walker returned to Cinergy Field after the trip to Good Sam.

        “I'm OK,” he said. “I feel a little out of it. It might help me. I haven't had much success against (Cubs starter Jon) Lieber.”

        Walker was taking ground balls from coach Ray Knight when the accident happened. Walker went to his left to field a ball. At the same time, coach Tom Hume hit a line drive to Sean Casey.

        “I didn't know he could hit the ball that hard,” Walker said.

        Walker ducked just before the ball hit him. He had a small cut on his ear.

        “I knew I was OK right after it happened,” he said. “I was able to open my mouth and everything.”

        BIG DAY FOR RIJO: A year ago, Jose Rijo was in the Dominican Republic working at his baseball academy on Opening Day.

        “I was trying not to think about Opening Day,” he said. “It was too tough not to be there.”

        This year, Rijo will be very much at Opening Day — as a member of the Reds.

        “It's awesome,” he said. “This might be the most important one to me ever.”

        Rijo would like nothing better than to pitch an inning or two today.

        “I've been dreaming about that,” he said.

        New dream for Rijo: Making next year's team, so he can pitch in Great American Ball Park.

        RAVE REVIEWS: The Reds infielders loved the new dirt at Cinergy Field. Last year's dirt was replaced because it was too hard and rocky.

        “The difference is night and day,” said third baseman Aaron Boone. “It seems like it's going to be a good field.”

        The grass is also noticeably thicker.

        Sunday's workout was the first chance the Reds got to see the progress on Great American Ball Park, which sits just beyond the outfield wall.

        “I like it,” Boone said. “Visually, it's better than last year when you looking at cranes and dust in the air.”

        DAVIS UPDATE: Left-hander Lance Davis will throw for the first time since going on the disabled list with a sore shoulder March 21 either today or Wednesday.

        “It's been going good,” he said. “I think it will go pretty quick once I start throwing.”

        Davis expects to be ready to return in late April.

        HALF & HALF: Twelve of the players on the Opening Day roster were with the Reds last year; 13 are new players.

        The Reds have three non-roster players on the roster (Joey Hamilton, Jimmy Haynes and Jose Rijo). That's the most since Vince Coleman, Eric Davis, Chris Sabo and Jeff Shaw made the 1996 roster.

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