By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

Jimmy Haynes would like to be starting tonight at Great American Ball Park, rather than Thursday in Louisville.

"If I got my way, I would," Haynes said.

Haynes, on the disabled list since April 17 with a bulging disc in his back, pitched seven innings in a rehabilitation start at Single-A Dayton Friday and allowed an unearned run on two hits. Being so efficient may have hurt him; he threw only 89 pitches.

"It's a stamina issue," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "We expect him to do well Thursday. When he comes back, hopefully, we'll see the real Jimmy Haynes."

Thursday's start for the Triple-A Bats is likely to be Haynes' last rehab outing.

"I hope so," Haynes said. "If it goes like the last one, I'm sure it will. Being on the DL stinks."

When Haynes returns, the Reds will have to move someone out of the rotation. Boone would not say who it will be, but the most likely candidate is right-hander John Riedling.

Jeff Austin, like Riedling a converted reliever, struggled in his most recent start. But Boone looks at that as an aberration.

"He's pitched pretty well for us," Boone said.

RAY'S BACK: Ray Knight was beginning to wonder if the Reds wanted him back.

"They were winning so much," Knight said. "I think they wanted me to stay out."

Knight, the Reds' bench coach, was back Tuesday after missing 25 games because of kidney stones. He had a total of seven medical procedures and spent seven days in the hospital.

Knight has suffered from kidney stones for years. Usually a lithotripsy takes care of the problem, but this time that procedure, which "explodes" the stones so they can be passed, didn't work. The stone embedded, causing blockage.

But other than feeling a little weak, Knight's fine. Though there's no guarantee his problems are over, he is confident he'll be able to continue.

"I've never been more positive," he said.

For now, bullpen catcher Mark Berry will stay in the dugout to help with the bench coaching duties.

LATE SCRATCH: Barry Larkin was scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup because of the wet grounds. Felipe Lopez, who was out of the lineup originally, played shortstop and hit leadoff.

Larkin has started only one game since re-injuring his left calf a week ago.

GRAVES HONORED: Danny Graves was awarded the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.

The award, sponsored by the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, is given annually to the big-league player who best exemplifies the character of Gehrig. The Hall of Famer was a member of the fraternity while a student at Columbia University.

Graves is involved in several charity projects. Earlier this month, he made a $25,000 donation to the Reds Community Fund, and he makes his private suite at Great American available to charities. He also lent financial support to the Cleves Community Park.

"That's just the way I was brought up," Graves said. "You should help people if you can."

Other Reds winners of the award: Larkin (1994), Johnny Bench (1975) and Pete Rose (1969).

UP NEXT: The Reds play the Braves in the second game of a three-game series. Riedling (0-2, 5.34 ERA) faces left-hander Mike Hampton (2-1, 3.25).