By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Scott Sullivan doesn't want to go, but he knows his days as a Red could be numbered.

"I've never wanted to go anyplace else," Sullivan said. "I want to win here. I think that can still happen."

But as the Kent Mercker trade Tuesday made clear, contending teams are willing to give up players, or at least players to be named later, even in mid-August for veterans who can help in the playoffs.

"There's nothing imminent with him," assistant general manager Brad Kullman said of Sullivan. "Of course, there was nothing imminent on Kent a few days ago."

Sullivan, like Mercker, probably would pass through waivers, which is necessary for players traded after July 31. The next big deadline is Aug. 31. That's when players have to be on the roster to be eligible for the postseason.

Sullivan's value will go up appreciably in the next week or so if he continues to pitch well. Entering Wednesday, Sullivan had pitched in only three games since returning from the disabled list Aug. 6.

When he shows he's healthy, teams are likely to make offers. Sullivan is 6-0 with a 3.91 ERA. Throw out two awful outings against the Philadelphia Phillies, and his ERA is 2.44.

He can pitch an amazing number of innings for a reliever. He threw 124 innings more than any other reliever from 1997 through last year.

Sullivan makes $2.8 million - the kind of salary the Reds were trying to shed at the July 31 deadline.

"I think if I was healthy at the deadline, I would have been one of the first guys they tried to trade," Sullivan said.

Sullivan, second on the Reds in seniority behind Barry Larkin, doesn't overly concern himself with his situation.

"I've got a lot going on off the field," he said. "My wife's going to be induced Monday. We're going to have our third child."

BRANYAN ON DL: Russell Branyan was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a high right ankle sprain.

Branyan suffered the injury Aug. 1 when he slid into the wall trying to catch a foul ball. He tried to play through the pain.

"It bothered him (Wednesday) running in the outfield," Kullman said. "Dr. (Tim) Kremchek said if it hasn't gotten better by now, it needs complete rest."

Outfielder Dernell Stenson was called up from Triple-A Louisville to take Branyan's roster sot.

Stenson, a 24-year-old left-handed hitter, hit .237 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 17 games with the Bats. He hit .306 with 14 homers and 76 RBI in 101 games with Double-A Chattanooga before being promoted to Louisville.

WHO'S ON THIRD? In the original lineup for Wednesday's game with Arizona, D'Angelo Jimenez was playing third base and Juan Castro was playing second.

They later were flip-flopped.

"Jimenez is a little tender," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "He's been playing a lot."

Jimenez would rather play a more familiar position when he's a little banged up.

Miley was looking to have Jimenez play third to give the Reds another option. Jimenez did play three innings at third earlier in the year.

LARKIN OUT: Larkin was out of the lineup Wednesday, and Miley plans to rest him today.

"That scar tissue (from the hernia operation) has been bothering him," Miley said. "I've pushed him pretty hard. He's pushed himself pretty hard."

Larkin has a six-game hitting streak in which he has hit .500.

UP NEXT: The Reds wrap up the three-game series with the Diamondbacks at 7:10 p.m. today.

Right-hander Aaron Harang (1-0, 4.76 ERA) makes his second start for the Reds, facing right-hander Brandon Webb (7-5, 2.45).

Webb, a 23-year-old right-hander, is from Ashland, Ky., and played at the University of Kentucky. He was the Diamondbacks' eighth-round pick in 2000.

Webb is a Rookie of the Year candidate. His first 13 starts in the majors were quality starts.

Reds notebook