By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - For the first time in his professional career - and probably ever - first baseman Sean Casey batted leadoff Wednesday.

Left fielder Adam Dunn, who has been hitting first, was moved to sixth in the order.

"(Dunn) is probably the biggest leadoff hitter baseball has ever seen," Casey said. "And I'm the No. 2 biggest ... and slowest."

Casey's ascension in the batting order was an idea manager Bob Boone has had for a while.

Boone felt the matchup against Tampa Bay starter Dewon Brazelton provided the right opportunity.

"It's not too scientific," he said, "other than I've wanted to try it, and I think today is the easiest day to try it."

Aside from Casey's .345 on-base percentage entering the game, left-handed hitters were batting .295 against Brazelton.

"Anytime you ask Bob the reason why he does something, he always has a reason," said Casey, who has nine career stolen bases. "He has an idea that it's the best lineup for the night. I'm fine with that."

Boone hinted that Dunn, who entered Wednesday tied for the major-league home run lead (20), would return to the leadoff spot even after shortstop Barry Larkin comes off the disabled list.

TRAINER'S ROOM: Pitcher Danny Graves and Larkin both worked out Wednesday without trouble.

Graves, who is recovering from a blister on his right middle finger that developed after three innings June 5, threw 62 pitches in 15 minutes.

He is scheduled to start Saturday.

"We wanted to get a true feel of how it would react," Graves said. "I think the more I throw and the more I don't feel anything it means, to me, that it's healed."

Larkin hit, fielded and ran in an apparent final test of his strained right calf. He is likely to be activated Friday.

"I'm pretty much convinced that I'm feeling pretty close to 100 percent," said Larkin, who has missed 18 games since going on the DL May 22. "I'm not really concerned about going out there and having to play and protect it."

Felipe Lopez or Rainer Olmedo are the most likely candidates to be optioned upon Larkin's return.

GHOST STORY: Opened in 1925, the Renaissance Vinoy Resort is considered the nicest hotel in St. Petersburg.

Scott Williamson also thinks it's haunted.

The Reds' closer had an uneasy experience while sleeping in his room Monday night.

"Every time I rolled on my stomach, it felt like somebody was pushing my back down," he said. "I started thinking and I got a weird feeling. I think my mind started playing tricks on me because I looked over real quick and it looked like a guy was standing there.

"That place is haunted. ... Everything was fine (Tuesday). Maybe he got his point across."

ODDS AND ENDS: Princeton University pitcher Thomas Pauly, the team's second-round draft pick, threw in the bullpen before Wednesday's game.

E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com