By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds manager Bob Boone said before Wednesday's game with New York that he's feeling pretty good about his starting pitching.

"This is the best I've felt about the starting pitching all year," he said.

That might sound odd when you consider the starters entered Wednesday without a win over the past 17 games and were 0-8 with 6.75 ERA in that span.

But there are numbers to back up Boone. The four starters currently in the rotation - Jimmy Haynes, Danny Graves, Paul Wilson and John Riedling - have a combined 3.96 ERA over their past two starts and have averaged 6 1/3 innings an outing.

"We've got Haynes back," Boone said. "We're going to get Dempster back. Graves is getting better. Riedling is getting better."

Haynes has two no-decisions since he returned from the disabled list (back). But both outings were quality ones: five innings, two runs; six innings, three runs. Going into Wednesday's start, three of Wilson's past four starts were quality starts. Graves is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA over his past six starts.

Dempster, the No. 2 starter when the season began, will return from the DL Saturday. He's over the inflamed nerve in his neck and healthy.

"I feel really good," he said.

His biggest problem had been control, but he walked only three over 13 2/3 innings in two rehab starts at Triple-A Louisville.

Despite getting no wins from the starters over the past 17 games, the Reds have hovered around .500 for three weeks.

"It doesn't really matter who gets the win as long as the Reds get a win," Boone said.

OLMEDO IN: Rainer Olmedo made his second start in three games Wednesday.

Olmedo was originally in the lineup instead of Felipe Lopez. But Lopez was inserted after Juan Castro was a late scratch with a stiff neck.

Olmedo played second and Lopez played shortstop.

Boone said it isn't an open competition between Olmedo and Lopez for the shortstop job in Barry Larkin's absence.

"I want to watch (Olmedo) play," Boone said. "But I want Felipe Lopez to get back to the way he was hitting in spring training."

Lopez's average is down to .214. He was 0-for-17 entering Wednesday, the longest drought of his career, and had only four hits in his previous 37 at-bats (.108).

DUNN THE GLOVE: Adam Dunn probably made the best play of his career Tuesday with his running, diving catch to rob Robin Ventura of a hit.

The running, over-the-shoulder catch he made in the first inning Wednesday to take away extra bases from Jason Giambi was pretty good, too.

Boone says Dunn's defense has gotten better. Dunn has six errors, but he went into Wednesday without one over his past 32 games.

MORE DUNN: Dunn was in the leadoff spot for the third straight game Wednesday.

"I kind of like it," he said. "You see better pitches. I haven't done anything with them yet (0-for-7). They don't throw you nasty sliders. They don't want to walk you with the power hitters - the big guys - coming up."

Dunn, of course, is about as big as it gets at 6 feet 6, 260 pounds, and he led the majors with 18 home runs entering Wednesday.

But his average is down to .209.