LOS ANGELES — Ken Griffey Jr. finally got a chance to test his injured right knee Tuesday. He ran and hit with other injured players at Cinergy Field.

        “He ran about 65 percent,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “He felt it a little when he had to slow down or stop. But he's swinging the bat really good.”

        Griffey and prospect Wily Mo Pena hit off Jose Silva, who is rehabbing from elbow surgery.

        Griffey won't join the Reds on this trip. So the quickest he could be activated is Monday when the Reds open a three-game series at Cinergy against the Milwaukee Brewers.

        What will happen when Griffey returns has been the subject of much talk on radio and television the last few days. But, with Boone, there's no reason for discussion.

        “He plays,” Boone said.

        The Reds are 13-6 without Griffey and 3-3 with him.

        It was mentioned that maybe the Reds are playing a different way without Griffey. Boone didn't buy into that.

        “I don't think we're playing much different without him,” Boone said. “We've got good outfield depth. His replacement right now is (Austin) Kearns and Kearns is playing well. We've been winning a lot of the one-run games. If we had (Griffey), we might not be in so many one-runners.”

        Channel 12 ran a viewers' poll Sunday night which asked: Which outfielder should you sit when Griffey gets back — Griffey, Kearns, Adam Dunn or Juan Encarnacion?

        The overwhelming choice was Griffey. He got 74 percent, Dunn 12 percent and Kearns and Encarnacion 7 percent each.

        Reds captain Barry Larkin laughed when he heard the results.

        “Fans are fickle,” Larkin said. “I'm not sure what they're thinking. Obviously, Junior has gotten a lot of negative press. The poll is misleading because he's not going to sit.

        “If you put my name up there, they probably would have voted to sit me, too.”

Reds 3, Dodgers 1 Reds box, runs Sullivan: OF-P solution: Trade Griffey Boone scoffs at benching Griffey Send down Kearns? Not at .455 Larkin still struggling under .200 Rockies 10, Pirates 0 Padres 2, Cubs 1 Phillies 8, Giants 2 Mets 10, Diamondbacks 1

Sore leg may sideline Scott
Bengals: Frerotte's price too high
Bengals Notebook:Rookie Thompson listed as starter
Derby shocker: Ohio horse favored
Seattle Slew: The legend lives on
Coming up this week
Top runners align for Pig relay
Ex-prep star, 22, dies heart attack
Cincinnati high school highlights
Cincinnati high school results
N.Ky. high school highlights
N.Ky. high school results

• Return to Reds front page...