By Kevin Kelly and Bill Koch
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Saturday's game

If anyone understands how Jose Guillen feels, it's Juan Encarnacion. As Guillen did this year, Encarnacion carried the Reds last year in the early part of the season while Ken Griffey Jr. was hurt.

When Griffey returned, Encarnacion was the odd man out and was traded to the Florida Marlins on July 11 as part of the deal for pitcher Ryan Dempster.

Encarnacion, who went 3-for-3 with a home run against the Reds in the Marlins' 5-4 victory Saturday, says he's happy to be in Florida.

"That's part of the business," the Marlins' right fielder said of the trade. "They needed a pitcher. You can't control that. If I was still here, I'd be like Guillen and (Ruben) Mateo. Nobody likes to be in that situation."

At this juncture, it would appear the Marlins got the better of the deal. Encarnacion hit .262 with eight home runs and 34 runs batted in for the Marlins in 69 games last year. Dempster has struggled ever since the Reds got him and is currently on the disabled list.

Encarnacion, who's hitting .285 with six home runs and 26 RBI this year, said he derived no additional satisfaction from his performance Saturday just because it was against the Reds.

"It would be good to do it against anybody," he said. "I don't take anything personally. I got traded, but I'm going to play in Florida. It don't bother me at all."

FREEL A UTILITY WEAPON: Reds manager Bob Boone hasn't seen a lot of Ryan Freel, but the 27-year-old utility player appears to have made quite an impression.

"He intrigues me because I think he's an offensive weapon," Boone said. "If he has a good day, he could really do a lot of things with his speed. I feel like when he's in there, somehow he scores a run."

Recalled from Triple-A Louisville last week for the second time this season, Freel started his seventh game at second base Saturday and might start again today.

Freel, who stole 37 bases at Triple-A Durham last season, had played in nine major-league games before this season. All were with Toronto in 2001.

MARTY AND JOE: With an estimated 10,000 fans lined up outside Great American Ball Park for Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall bobblehead day, the Reds opened gates one hour early, at 4:10 p.m.

Saturday's sellout was the first since Opening Day (42,343).