By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

CLEVELAND - The Jimmy Anderson Experiment didn't work. The Jeff Austin Experiment didn't work. And the John Riedling Experiment didn't work.

So, the Reds will try the Four-Man Rotation Experiment.

"We're going with it to the All-Star Break," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "It's going to take a lot of communication. If someone needs a day, we can give it to them. This gives us more bullpen guys, which is our strength."

The four starters - Danny Graves, Paul Wilson, Ryan Dempster and Jimmy Haynes - all had different reactions.

"People are going to say it's crazy," Graves said. "Because no one else in baseball does it. I'm totally up for it."

Dempster is the starter who is obviously unhappy with the move.

"I'll pitch whenever they ask me to," he said. "It will definitely be different ... I guess you can tell by my answers what I think."

Wilson's reaction was lukewarm.

"I've never done it before," he said. "I don't foresee it as a problem. We're doing it on a trial basis, so we'll see what works and what doesn't work."

Haynes worked in a four-man rotation during his time in Oakland.

"I think it will be all right," he said. "It's a matter of changing your routine a little bit. There's less recovery time."

Graves will be affected least, because his background is in the bullpen.

"It's good, because more starts mean more chances to pitch," Graves said. "I think it will work out for Paulie (Wilson) and me because we're sinkerball pitchers. We need to pitch a lot to stay sharp."

Haynes, Dempster, Graves and Wilson haven't exactly set the league on fire. They are a combined 11-23 with a 5.52 ERA.

But all four are healthy. Haynes (back) and Dempster (neck) spent time on the disabled list. Graves battled a blister on his pitching hand. Wilson, the most consistent of the four, twice had his spring training interrupted by health (ribs, groin injury).

The Reds got three quality starts in Cleveland. Graves, Dempster and Haynes combined for a 1.86 ERA in the series.

Boone thinks going with four starters will help the bullpen.

"This is an effort to load up the bullpen," he said, "so we don't get in that situation like the other night, where Wilson had to give us five innings no matter what."

Right now, with the four-man rotation, the Reds have six relievers. But Kent Mercker and Gabe White are currently on the disabled list.

White will likely be back or close to Sunday, when he is eligible to come off the DL. Mercker is eligible four days later. The Reds will likely go with at least 11 when White and Mercker return.

So for now, the four-man rotation is a work in progress.

"It will be an everyday thing: How do you feel? Do you need a day?" Boone said. "We can insert Riedling in there at anytime."

Boone is committed to the four-man rotation for the 13 remaining games leading up to the All-Star Break.

"That takes us close to trading deadline," Graves said, "so they'll know what we need."

Then there were four

A closer look at the Reds' new four-man rotation:

Danny Graves (3-7, 4.93 ERA)

Games started: 15

Innings pitched: 95.0

Hits: 110

Earned runs: 52

Walks: 29

Strikeouts: 33

Next start: Tuesday at Pittsburgh vs. Jeff D'Amico (5-8, 4.20)

Paul Wilson (5-5, 4.63)

Games started: 15

Innings pitched: 91.1

Hits: 110

Earned runs: 47

Walks: 22

Strikeouts: 50

Next start: Wednesday at Pittsburgh vs. Kip Wells (2-3, 3.59)

Ryan Dempster (2-4, 6.21)

Games started: 14

Innings pitched: 84.0

Hits: 86

Earned runs: 58

Walks: 57

Strikeouts: 59

Next start: Thursday at Pittsburgh vs. Josh Fogg (4-3, 4.35)

Jimmy Haynes (1-7, 5.90)

Games started: 11

Innings pitched: 61.0

Hits: 74

Earned runs: 40

Walks: 40

Strikeouts: 29

Next start: Friday at home vs. the New York Mets