CHICAGO — Barry Larkin feels fine. But he wasn't in the lineup Sunday. Part of that was the weather. It was 37 degrees and windy at game time. Part of that is Larkin's recent injury history. And part of that is the way Larkin's been swinging the bat.

        “I think if I was hitting .400 or .500 I'd want to be in there,” Larkin said. “But I'm striking out three times a game.”

        Larkin did strike out twice Saturday and three times Friday. He had one hit each day. But he's had only five hits in his last 26 at-bats. His average, entering Sunday, was .206.

“I'm panicking,” he said. “I used to like to hit with two strikes, but lately I've been panicking.”

        Larkin missed all but 45 games last year with a torn groin muscle and a sports hernia. As a 17-year veteran, Larkin expects to be able to hit anytime.

        “I've got to realize how long it's been since I've been out there on a regular basis,” he said. “I think the weather has something to do with it. These aren't good conditions to hit in. But I'm not comfortable at all at the plate.”

        Larkin had one big game. He went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored in an 8-5 victory over Pittsburgh on April12. That game had him thinking he was back to the old Larkin.

        “Then I lost it the next day,” he said.

        Larkin is confident it will come.

        “It's very early,” he said. “I've been through this before, although I don't remember striking out this much.”

        Larkin had struck out 11 times in 63 at-bats. That's one every 5.7 at-bats. For his career, he's struck out once every 9.9 at-bats. Reds manager Bob Boone plans to rest Larkin periodically. With the cold weather Sunday and the off day today, it was a good time to do it.

Rijo's back after 5-3 win over Cubs Larkin sits while hitting woes continue Reds Notebook: Defense comes and goes Reds box, runs

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