ARLINGTON, Texas — Reds hitting coach Jim Lefebvre's secret to fixing Russell Branyan's swing is to leave it alone.

Russell Branyan. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “We haven't done anything to change his swing,” Lefebvre said. “We didn't need to. It's just: See the ball, hit it.”

        Branyan, who came to the Reds in Friday's trade with Cleveland, has started well for Cincinnati. He went into Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers hitting .267 with two home runs and four RBI in four games.

        His numbers lost some of their shine Wednesday when he went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout and saw his average drop to .235. Still, it was his first strikeout as a Red in 17 plate appearances. He averaged a strikeout every 2.5 appearances with Cleveland.

        Branyan welcomed the trade.

        “I can't thank (Indians general manager) Mark Shapiro enough,” Branyan said. “It was a blessing in disguise.”

        Branyan doesn't say it, but his situation in Cleveland obviously had soured.

        “Everything here has been positive,” he said. “Jim Lefebvre has put me in the right frame of mind. He's been nothing but positive. (Bench coach) Ray Knight has been the same way. So has (manager) Bob Boone.”

        Lefebvre says he has a simple formula for avoiding strikeouts: Hit the ball.

        “We don't talk about strikeouts,” Lefebvre said. “We focus on hitting the ball. When Russell got here, I saw him take a few swings and said, "What's the problem?' I think where he was coming from, he was getting too much advice.

        “We're trying to make it simple.”

        Coming into this season, the 26-year-old Branyan had major-league totals of 37 home runs, 98 RBI and 550 at-bats. That's roughly the equivalent of a full season.

        “I look at this as a fresh start,” Branyan said.

        Branyan started Wednesday's game at third base after starting his first three with the Reds at designated hitter. Branyan's playing time will be limited when the Reds return home Friday to play the Pittsburgh Pirates after six games in American League parks, where the DH is used.

        Branyan, who hits left-handed, will spell Aaron Boone at third base and be used as a pinch-hitter.

Rangers 10, Reds 4 Reds box, runs Rose to tour new Reds park Best hitting advice for Branyan? None at all Reds Notebook: Maybe Friday for Griffey A-Rod ran through stop sign to start rally Mariners 5, Cardinals 0 Angels 8, Pirates 5

Xavier hires Notre Dame assistant as women's coach
Busch race draws crowd to Speedway
Lakers' 3-peat sweet
Shaq gets third title, third MVP
Jackson ties Auerbach with nine titles
Martin shows 'All-Star potential'
DAUGHERTY: 'People's Open?' Pull-eeze
U.S. Open Facts & Figures
U.S. Open will soon lose public spirit
Sharon Woods, Open course share lineage
Wings' Cup quest could end tonight
Poland (0-2) has United States worried
Coming up this week
Football all-stars play tonight
Princeton's Barnett picks Michigan St.
Loveland's Buskirk commits to Miami
CovCath meets Webster Co. in baseball semifinal

• Return to Reds front page...