By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CHICAGO - The Reds had been beat up like this by the Chicago Cubs before. You probably don't remember, because you and approximately 99.99999999 percent of the populace weren't alive.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Thursday's game

Thursday's 16-3 shellacking of the Reds by the Cubs marked the first time since 1894 that the Cubs had scored more than 10 runs in three straight games with the Reds.

That's right - 109 years ago, when the Cubs were playing at a place called West Side Grounds. The three-day 2003 tally: Cubs 37, Reds 8.

The numbers for this series - the Cubs took three of four - were so ugly that the Reds brain trust of chief operating officer John Allen, general manager Jim Bowden and manager Bob Boone met in Boone's office for 45 minutes after the game.

It was decided to put Jimmy Haynes, Thursday's victim, on the disabled list with a sore back that's not really sore; more on that later. No corresponding move was made.

A starting pitcher probably will be promoted from Triple-A Louisville. But anything short of bringing Babe Ruth back from the dead isn't likely to turn around the Reds.

They continue to struggle with all three phases of the game. Haynes gave up a career-high 10 runs Thursday, and reliever Josias Manzanillo gave up another five. They committed two more errors. And they managed only six hits.

"It's like a bad dream," Aaron Boone said. "It's like we look up every day and we're down 8-0 by the third inning. That's a tough way to play, especially when you're facing a tough pitcher."

The Reds were a glum bunch as they headed for the bus that would take them to the plane that would take them to Puerto Rico for a three-game series with the Montreal Expos.

"It's no time to feel sorry for ourselves," Boone said. "Individually, it's gut-check time. Every guy has to look himself in the mirror."

The Reds were facing Chicago ace Kerry Wood on Thursday. So when Haynes gave up four runs in the first inning after getting the first two batters, the Reds were pretty much done. With Wood on the mound, the temperature hovering around 40 degrees and the wind blowing in, a 4-0 deficit looks like 14-0.

And it got much worse.

Haynes had to leave one start with back spasms, but he said he had no pain Thursday.

"It doesn't hurt me at all anymore," he said.

Still, the Reds think Haynes is protecting his back.

"It's in there, consciously or unconsciously," Bob Boone said. "He's not able to finish pitches. His breaking ball was rolling over and staying up. So was his fastball. He was stopping on his changeup."

Haynes admitted as much, although he clearly was not happy right after the decision was made to put him on the DL.

He later reconsidered.

"It's probably a good thing," he said. "It's tough enough to pitch without being hurt."

Haynes, the Opening Day starter and a 15-game winner last year, is 0-4 with a 12.74 ERA. He is the first Reds pitcher to lose in his first four starts since Joey Jay lost his first five in 1963.

Haynes gave up two more runs in the third and four more in the fifth.

"I had no clue where the ball was going today," he said. "I'd try to go in, and it would go away. I'd try to go away, and it would go in."

Haynes did not accompany the team to Puerto Rico; instead, he returned to Cincinnati to begin treatment.

"We let him go to see if he could deal with it," Boone said. "It was getting better. But he's not able to pitch the way he's capable of or the way we need him to pitch."

The Reds' starters are 2-9 with an 8.71 ERA. They are averaging only 5.2 innings per start.

That means Manzanillo, who has been gas on fire this year, continues to get innings.

He allowed five runs in 1 1/3 innings Thursday, pushing his ERA to 11.17.

Manzanillo sounded as if he were speaking about the team when he described his season.

"Nothing is going right for me," he said. "I know it's not going to last. ... I'm not helping myself or the situation of the team."

The Reds got their runs on Brandon Larson's sacrifice fly in the fourth and Adam Dunn's two-run homer in the sixth.

That's one of the odd stats of the year. Dunn and teammate Austin Kearns are tied for the National League lead for home runs, with six each.