By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Reds' recent run of minor injuries continues. An X-ray Saturday of Austin Kearns' swollen left elbow showed "loose bodies" in the joint. He'll undergo an MRI today to determine if surgery is needed.

If surgery is required, Kearns will miss seven to 10 days.

Kearns was scheduled to play Saturday night against the Boston Red Sox.

"But the elbow was a little swollen," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "We decided to have it X-rayed."

Closer Scott Williamson also will miss the next five to seven days because of a small avulsion fracture of his right middle finger.

He suffered the injury while trying to bare-hand a comebacker in the "B" game against Minnesota a week ago.

He pitched twice after being injured, throwing a scoreless inning each time.

LARSON UPDATE: Brandon Larson is getting close to returning after sitting out because of a strained rib cage muscle.

"I still feel it in there," Larson said. "They're being real careful."

Larson hopes to pinch-hit Monday or Tuesday. He feels the injury most when throwing.

CHEN TO LOUISVILLE: Bruce Chen accepted his assignment to Triple-A Louisville and was reassigned to the Reds' minor-league camp.

"I'll go down there and work hard," Chen said. "They want to stretch me out and get me ready to start."

The saga for Chen, a 25-year-old left-hander, may not be over. The Reds still have to pay him $700,000, so there's a chance he'll be released. They then would only owe him termination pay.

AUSTIN HAPPY: Jeff Austin, the right-hander the Reds got from the Kansas City Royals in a trade Thursday, is happy with his new club.

"I thought I'd be a Royal for life because of the investment they had in me," he said. "But this year in spring training, it was pretty clear I wasn't in their plans."

Austin, the third player taken in the 1998 draft, likes what he has seen in his brief time in the Reds' clubhouse.

"The atmosphere here is so much better," he said. "Guys have more fun, and the attitude is conducive to winning. That's something Kansas City has to work on."

Austin had thrown only once this spring for the Royals.

"I'm nothing if not well-rested," he said.

NICE TIP: Major-league players get $73 a day in meal money. That amounts to quite a chunk of change for spring training.

But Ken Griffey Jr. never even opened his envelope. He simply signed it over to the clubhouse attendants.

LEADER IN THE CLUBHOUSE: Jimmy Anderson would have to be considered the frontrunner for the Reds' fifth starting spot.

Anderson has allowed only one run and nine hits over three starts and 11 2/3 innings. He pitched five innings of three-hit, shutout ball against the Pittsburgh Pirates Friday and has allowed only one run since he gave up a home run to the Yankees' Hideki Matsui, the second batter he faced this spring.

Anderson went 21-41 the last three years with the Pirates. His best ERA in the span was 5.10.

Anderson, a 27-year-old left-hander, credits reworked mechanics with his success this spring.

"I worked real hard on my mechanics in the offseason," he said. "I had a hesitation in there. Now it's one piece. It's a complete contrast."

Pete Harnisch would seem to be the logical candidate for the fifth spot. But he is coming back from ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow and has yet to pitch in a game this year. He'll throw three innings in a simulated game Tuesday.

If Anderson continues to pitch as he has, it's hard to imagine him not making the rotation. But he knows he must make the most of every start.

"Definitely," he said. "I'm new to the organization. They've got guys here they like. I've got to show them I can pitch."