Ken Griffey Jr. was in a much better mood Wednesday. It doesn't hurt that he is getting closer to playing.

        A recurring theme of his Monday tirade, when he complained about how fans and the media have treated him, was: “I just want to play baseball.” He is almost there. Griffey had his second straight impressive round of batting practice Wednesday, and he will test his injured right knee in a running session Friday.

        The Reds plan to take him on the eight-game road trip that begins Monday in Milwaukee, the best sign he will leave the disabled list soon.

        “Hitting is the easy part,” he said. “Stopping is the problem. I could run all the way down the right-field line (after a hit).”

        The recent rain has kept Griffey from better testing the knee.

        “When the team is on the road, the weather's good,” Griffey said. “When they come home and I'm supposed to do something, it rains.

        “Hopefully, the weather will be good the next four days and we'll be able to do some more things.”

        Griffey will not be activated until he can play center field and hit. He probably could pinch hit now. “When he's ready, he goes in,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        Who's out? Juan Encarnacion, Austin Kearns or Adam Dunn? “Stay tuned,” Boone said.

        Griffey has been out since April8 with a torn patella tendon in his right knee. The Reds have said he would be out three to six weeks. Sunday will mark five weeks.

        Griffey's anger over media and fan treatment has subsided. Griffey has heard from fans who support him, and he saw the banners of support Tuesday at Cinergy Field.

        “I think a lot of people understand,” he said.

        Griffey still contended that Channel12's poll, asking which outfielder should be benched when he returns, was out of line. (The majority of respondents voted to bench Griffey.)

        “If I was playing and playing (bad), I could see it,” he said. “But I'm not even in there. Would they do that poll with Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire or Nomar Garciaparra? The fans should be grateful the team's playing as well as it is. Talk about all the positives.”

Surprising Reds reminiscent of '99 Reds 14, Brewers 5 Reds box, runs Griffey closer to playing Kearns' maturity shows Reds Notebook: Brewers (9-25) have sinking feeling Diamondbacks 4, Pirates 3 Angels 3, Tigers 2 Mariners 5, Blue Jays 4 Red Sox 12, Athletics 6

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