ATLANTA — Jose Rijo is out of the Reds' starting rotation for at least a turn, and there's no guarantee he'll be back in it.

        Well, except Rijo's.

        “Guaranteed,” he said. “I'll be back.”

        The Reds are skipping Rijo's Tuesday start. He'll be used in the bullpen, but he might start Saturday.

        “But that's not definite,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

        The Reds have Lance Davis, Brian Bohanon and Seth Etherton all rehabilitating in the minors.

        The reason for skipping Rijo is he has been getting fatigued earlier and earlier since his May3 start in San Francisco. He went seven innings and threw 111 pitches in that one.

        “My next start was terrible,” Rijo said. “Then the next start, I got real tired in the fifth. Then in my last start, I got two outs in the fourth and can't throw a strike. There's no reason for that. I was losing my control.”

        In that last start, Rijo made it only 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs Thursday in an 8-4 loss to Florida.

        He also woke up the next day with his shoulder aching. The Reds hope the rest can get him back to the form that allowed him to win four of his first six starts.

        “The big reason for it is to help the bullpen,” Boone said. “He can give us two or three solid innings.”

Ken Griffey Jr. watches from the dugout as his teammates bat in the fifth inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        STICKING TO THE PLAN: Ken Griffey Jr.'s lobbying efforts failed.

        The outfielder wanted to play Saturday against the Atlanta Braves after returning to the lineup Friday. But the plan is to play Griffey only every other game for a week or so.

        “He was politicking,” Boone said. “I thought about it.”

        Griffey had a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning Saturday.

        He didn't have to do much (Friday). I'd like him to see more pitches.”

        Griffey will start today, and Monday is an off day. He'll be back in the lineup Tuesday when the Reds open a three-game series in Miami against the Florida Marlins.

        By then, Boone probably will play Griffey two of three games.

        “There's no science to it,” Boone said. “That's the plan we've come up with.”

        WALKER SIZZLES: Ask second baseman Todd Walker about his recent tear at the plate and his standard reply is: “I'm starting to find some holes.”

        He's also swinging a pretty mean bat. Walker extended his hitting streak to eight games Saturday. He's hitting .516 with two homers and eight RBI in the eight games. Over his last 18 games, he's hitting .403 with two homers and 11 RBI.

        LARKIN DROPPED: Shortstop Barry Larkin hit in the sixth spot for the first time all year (he did hit seventh once) in Saturday's game.

        Walker was in the leadoff spot. Part of that was to take advantage of Walker's hot bat.

        “But I wanted to take the heat off Larkin,” Boone said.

        Larkin continues to struggle at the plate. He entered Saturday on an 0-for-12 skid and had only four hits in his last 39 at-bats (.103). He broke an 0-for-14 drought with a single Saturday, but he has only five hits in his last 43 at-bats (.116).

        SULLY READY: Boone was going to try to avoid using him, but right-hander Scott Sullivan was available to pitch Saturday night.

        Sullivan threw off the mound in the bullpen before the game for the first time since getting a cortisone shot Tuesday.

        “He looked good, real good,” Boone said, “The stuff we saw was good enough to get hitters out.”

        Boone would also prefer to keep Sullivan out of the today's game.

        LAST MAN: If right-hander Jim Brower hadn't been able to finish Friday's game, Boone would have considered using a position player to pitch. With the Reds down 11-2, he didn't want to waste another reliever.

        “I wanted to throw in the towel,” Boone said. “But I don't think (Commissioner) Bud Selig would like that.”

        It became a moot point because Brower pitched the final 5 1/3 innings.

        “I was off-the-chart happy with him,” Boone said. “We were in dire straits.”

        Boone promised himself he would avoid using a position player to pitch after using players to pitch a total of 19 innings for Triple-A Tacoma one year when he managed there.

        It was pointed out that outfielder Austin Kearns was a big-time pitching prospect in high school.

        “You use Kearns,” Boone said. “I like my job.”

        FARM REPORT: Gookie Dawkins went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in his 2002 debut at Double-A Chattanooga. The Lookouts lost 11-6 to Carolina. Ranier Olmedo, who played second base for the first time so Dawkins could play shortstop, went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple. He's hit in 14 of his last 15 games and is up to .284.

        UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the three-game series against the Braves today with a 1:05 p.m. game. Reds right-hander Chris Reitsma (3-0, 2.59 ERA) faces Braves righty right-hander Greg Maddux (4-2, 3.08).

        The game will be is televised by on Fox Sports Net.

Reds 6, Braves 4 Reds box, runs Reds Q&A with John Fay Reitsma drawing all aces in deck Rijo to miss next start because of fatigue Miller's tale Cinergy Moment No. 26 - May 13, 1993 Reds chatter Ottawa 5, Louisville 2 Prep pitcher's stock rises as velocity increases Green breaks another homer record John Fay's power ratings Kevin Mitchell ejected for throwing a punch Mets' revenge could come soon - Clemens slated for Shea NL roundup AL roundup Notes from Saturday's games

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