The Reds managed to cram two crushing losses and a pair of players with broken bones (Austin Kearns, Jason LaRue) into a four-day stretch last week.

Could this be a replay of 2003's spiral into oblivion?

Last season, the Reds had 19 players make 25 appearances on the disabled list, not the least of whom were Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr., Austin Kearns and Barry Larkin.

Eight players were on the 60-day DL, and eight suffered season-ending injuries at some point. Ouch.

Walk in the park

Dunn has been accused of taking too many pitches, resulting in an inordinate amount of both strikeouts and walks.

Entering the season, Dunn had 370 strikeouts, 240 walks, 279 hits and a .241 batting average in 340 major-league games. He hit only .215 last season and struck out an alarming 126 times in 381 at-bats - one every 3.02 at-bats.

This season, Dunn continues to walk but has cut down on his strikeouts. Dunn entered Saturday with 28 walks and only 24 strikeouts.

Batting .328, his 28 walks and .538 on-base percentage were second only to Barry Bonds, as was his .750 slugging percentage.

Dunn's 406 pitches seen were the 13th-most in the majors.

To that end

Second baseman D'Angelo Jimenez had seen 490 pitches entering Saturday, most in the major leagues. Some of that, of course, is that he has started every game at second base. Still, his .365 on-base percentage was outstanding for a player hitting .235.

Remember him?

Dennys Reyes, who pitched for the Reds in parts of seasons from 1998 through 2001, is now in the injury-riddled Royals' starting rotation. Reyes, 26, is 0-0 with a 4.76 ERA.

Trivia question

Prior to Roger Clemens, who was the last eventual 300-game winner the Reds had faced? (Hint: He hadn't yet reached 300 wins and faced the Reds in 1988.)

Who's hot

Sean Casey. He entered Saturday hitting .414 and ranked among the league leaders in hits (36, first), doubles (11, tied first), on-base percentage (.458, ninth) and total bases (58, fifth).

Who's not

Ryan Wagner. The young reliever has allowed six of the eight runners he has inherited to score, including a game-tying, three-run, bases-loaded double against Milwaukee Wednesday. Friday, he allowed three runs in one-third of an inning. He has an 11.25 ERA, having allowed 20 hits in eight innings, kicking his ERA to 11.25.

By the numbers

7: Major-league-leading blown saves by the bullpen.

10: Minimum hits allowed by Reds pitchers in each of the seven games on the road trip.

6: Consecutive games Reds pitchers have allowed a home run, entering Saturday.

3-4: Reds' record in one-run games.

1-2: Reds' record in extra-inning games.

0-3: Reds' record in games ended in walk-off fashion.

Trivia answer

The Reds faced eventual 300-game winner Nolan Ryan in 1988. Earlier that season, they faced Don Sutton, who previously had reached the milestone.

The week ahead

The Reds return home Tuesday after having played 16 of 20 games on the road. The Reds face the Brewers for three games, then Barry Bonds and the Giants for three games beginning Friday. Last season, Bonds hit .389 (7-for-18) against the Reds with two homers, four RBI and four walks.

Sound familiar?