By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Jose Guillen will miss tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. And, depending on how Guillen's suspension hearing goes, he could miss Thursday's game as well.

Bob DuPuy, Major League Baseball's chief executive officer, will be in Cincinnati today to hear Guillen's appeal of his two-game suspension for bumping umpire Matt Hollowell June 25 in St. Louis.

"They told me it's going to be (reduced to) one game," Guillen said. "But they want me to watch the tape."

Players typically begin serving their suspensions immediately after the appeal hearing.

DuPuy will also hear Pirates catcher Jason Kendall's appeal on a three-game suspension for his part in a June 14 brawl against Tampa Bay.

MORE GUILLEN: Guillen is a free agent after this year. He said he would be willing to return to the Reds, although he thinks it's unlikely.

"I love the fans here," he said. "I'd like to come back. I had a little problem with playing time earlier. But I'm happy.

"But they already have three outfielders (Adam Dunn, Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr.) Something would have to happen. I proved I can play everyday."

Guillen said he hasn't heard anything from the Reds about a new contract.

"I'm a sixth-year free agent," he said. "So, I get the final call. I'll talk to them, but I don't want to wait till the last minute."

WHITE PASSES TEST: Left-hander Gabe White threw off the mound without any problem Tuesday.

"Everything went well, really well," White said. "It was very encouraging. My arm felt good, which is important when you're out this long. But the most important thing was that my leg was fine."

White has been on the disabled list since June 25 with a strained left groin.

The plan is for White to take today off and then throw bullpen sessions Thursday and Friday.

If there are no setbacks, he could do in a rehab stint in Louisville Sunday or Monday.

KEARNS UPDATE: Austin Kearns took batting practice in the cage Tuesday.

"His swing was good," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "He felt good and it looked like his swing."

Kearns has been dealing with a sore shoulder since May 21. He is eligible to come off the DL Thursday, but won't.

"It's getting better little by little," Kearns said.

As long as Kearns continues to progress, surgery is not an option.

"That's a last-case/worst-case scenario," trainer Mark Mann said. "If he can come back and play at the level he's accustomed to, then surgery is not needed."

If surgery is needed, Kearns will undergo an arthroscopic procedure and would be ready to go by spring training.

SLAM BRANYAN: Before his grand slam Monday night in the Reds' 11-2 win, Russell Branyan had been something of a forgotten man on the Reds' roster.

Branyan hit 16 home runs for the Reds last year, when he started 56 games. This year, he's made nine starts since being reinstated from the DL May 29.

"It's tough," he said. "I'm to the point now where my shoulder is healthy, and I can play every day. That opportunity is not there for me. It makes it frustrating."

This is not a new thing for Branyan.

"Throughout my whole big-league career I don't think I've ever had 70 or 80 at-bats consecutively," he said. "It's been frustrating ever since I got that phone call to get into the big leagues as far as playing time."

DOWN ON THE FARM: Seth Etherton, who had pitched well in his previous four starts, allowed four runs on 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings in Louisville's 9-6 loss to Rochester Monday.

Wily Mo Pena went 2-for-4 with two doubles.