By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PITTSBURGH - The status of shortstop Barry Larkin remains firmly in the limbo.

Larkin will be examined Monday by Dr. Tim Kremchek to see if the ring finger on his left hand is sufficiently healed.

Larkin could be cleared for baseball activity at that time, giving him six games in which to play before the season is over.

Those could be the last six games of Larkin's Reds career. He is unsigned for next season, but has said he wants to return.

Reds chief operating officer John Allen is planning to meet with Larkin to discuss his future with the Reds.

"We don't have a date set to meet," Allen said.

GM UPDATE: Ask Allen any questions about the search for a general manager and his answer is:

"It's very active."

The feeling around the club is that an announcement could come sooner than the end of the World Series.

To which Allen says: "It's very active."

TRAVEL TALK: There was lots of discussion about how the Reds would get to Philadelphia in the wake of Hurricane Isabel.

Reds manager Dave Miley liked the idea of taking a train.

"That's how Nuxie and Ty Cobb used to travel," Miley said.

Just then Nuxie - broadcaster and former Reds player Joe Nuxhall - walked in.

"They tried to trade me for Cobb once," he said. "Detroit wouldn't do it."

Nuxhall, of course, was kidding. Cobb was done playing by 1928, and Nuxhall's career didn't begin until 1944.

But he did ride the trains.

"It was great," he said. "We rode some first-class trains."

The Reds were scheduled to leave on a charter flight as soon as possible after Thursday's game.

ETHERTON EXCUSED: Pitcher Seth Etherton went to California to attend the funeral of a relative.

CASTRO BACK: Juan Castro retuned to the lineup after missing five games with a strained back.

"I wouldn't say I feel good," Castro said. "But it's good enough to play. I want to get out there for a few more games."

Castro started at third base. He said his back bothers him most when he swings a bat.

JUGGLING JOB: The Reds started their 128th different lineup of the season Thursday. It was their 29th different one in a row.

TV MAKEUP: Since Thursday's game was not televised because of the time change, another game has been added to the Fox Sports Net's broadcast schedule. FSN will show the 7:10 p.m. Reds-Cubs game on Thursday Sept. 25.

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com