By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The life of a designated hitter is an acquired taste. The hitting-only role does not suit Austin Kearns.

"It's awful," the Reds outfielder said Saturday. "It feels like I'm pinch-hitting four times a game.

"It's so hard to stay in the game. I just feel I've got to be out on the field, running around to stay in the game. It's just not a lot of fun sitting there."

The 23-year-old has appeared in 14 games this spring.

But only twice - against the Yankees on Wednesday and against the Devil Rays on Friday - has Kearns started in the outfield.

"I'm definitely looking forward to playing out there more," he said.

Ten months to the day since he attempted to slide head-first into home plate, wrecking his shoulder in the process, Kearns continues to rehabilitate from arthroscopic shoulder surgery in August.

"(The shoulder) won't be like it was last year before I got hurt," he said. "But I should be close to getting back to 100 percent by Opening Day."

Kearns was batting .309 with 13 homers and 44 RBI before Braves reliever Ray King landed on top of him at Turner Field. Attempts to play through the aching yielded a .208 batting average in the next 37 games.

His season ended Aug. 14 with arthroscopic surgery to repair the posterior and superior labrum, rotator cuff and AC joint in his shoulder.

"I've made a couple throws where I've just had to get it to the cutoff man," Kearns said. "I'm not going to air one out, but if I have to I will. I'm still waiting a little bit for that."

While the ongoing rehabilitation has limited his outfield appearances, it also has affected his rhythm at the plate.

An 0-for-3 performance against the Devil Rays on Saturday dropped his spring batting average to .146 with one double and one home run in 41 at-bats.

He has two hits in his past 31 at-bats (.065).

"I think he's going to be fine," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "At times he's hit the ball right at people."

Both player and manager remain confident that Kearns' bat will come around once he becomes a consistent presence in the Reds outfield.

Two weeks from Opening Day, the scenario may be only days away.

"I've felt fine at the plate," Kearns said. "I've had some good swings. A lot of balls I've hit hard have been right at people or I'm just missing some pitches.

"Hopefully that will come around."

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E-mail kkelly@enquirer.com