By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Todd Van Poppel apologizes for being boring.

Van Poppel was decidedly blase about replacing Jimmy Haynes in the starting rotation for the Reds.

"Starting, relieving - it doesn't matter to me," Van Poppel said. "I've done so much of both in my career that I'm used to both."

His mindset stays the same in either role.

"To be successful, I have to keep it simple," he said. "So much of success is the mental part of the game. I go pitch by pitch."

Van Poppel, a 32-year-old right-hander, has pitched well this year when you look beyond the surface numbers. Van Poppel is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA. Two of the six runs he allowed were the result of Adam Dunn losing the ball in the roof at Minute Maid Park Saturday night, but were charged as earned runs. Take those out and his ERA is 3.00.

He has allowed 13 hits and struck out eight in 12 innings. He threw three innings of one-hit ball in Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Van Poppel made four starts for the Reds last year and was 2-1 with a 3.70 ERA.

The Reds used Van Poppel as a starter in spring training.

"I knew I was the swing man," Van Poppel said, "that they might use me to start or relieve."

Ask Van Poppel what he expects to do in this first start - Sunday against the San Francisco Giants - and you get another boring answer.

"I don't think about it," he said. "I don't worry about it."

RUMOR JUST THAT: Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said there is nothing to the trade rumor that has John Riedling going to Florida for outfielder Abraham Nunez.

"I can answer that with one word: No," O'Brien said.

The Marlins would like to have Riedling apparently, but the Reds have not offered him.

HAYNES ON HAYNES: Jimmy Haynes, despite the 0-3 record and 9.60 ERA, doesn't think he's pitching that badly.

"I don't think I've been completely bad," Haynes said. "Results-wise, I am. But I'm pitching like I always pitched. It's just that when I make a mistake, they hit it."

Haynes knew there was the possibility he would be released, not sent to the bullpen.

"You never know what's going to happen," he said. "All you can do as a player is play when you're asked to."

INJURY UPDATE: Ken Griffey Jr. was out of the lineup again Wednesday night with a sore right hamstring.

"It's the same as last night," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "He's available to pinch hit."

Ryan Freel, out with a sore neck, entered Wednesday's game as part of a double switch and played center field.

FARM REPORT: Left-hander Jung Keun Bong allowed only two hits over seven shutout innings in Triple-A Louisville's 3-0 win at Durham Tuesday night.

Bong, obtained in the Chris Reitsma trade, has gone 15 innings without allowing a run. He has allowed seven hits and three walks and has struck out 15 in that span.

Catcher Dane Sardinha is hitting .414 with two homers and four RBI in his last seven games.

GOOD CAUSE: Corky Miller will donate $50 to the Western Ohio Chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association each time a Reds catcher throws out a baserunner attempting to steal.

DO RUN RUN: The third annual Redlegs Run For Home 5k will be Sunday, Aug. 8 at 8 a.m. The race begins on Mehring Way and ends at Great American Ball Park near home plate. The last two years the race has raised more than $50,000 for the Reds Community Fund. Registration forms can be found at all fan stations at GABP or online at www.signmeupsports.com.

UP NEXT: Right-hander Aaron Harang (2-1, 4.28 ERA) faces right-hander Wes Obermueller (1-1, 8.49) in the series finale. Harang allowed a career-high 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to Houston his last outing.

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com