By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

SAN DIEGO - When the Reds cut Mike Matthews in spring training, he was bitter. Enough so that he thought about going elsewhere.

"At first, I did," said the reliever. "I was a little disappointed. I considered exploring other avenues. But I decided this was where I wanted to be. I liked (manager Dave) Miley and (pitching coach Don) Gullett. The Reds were the team I ultimately wanted to be with."

Matthews ultimately ended up with Reds. He was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday to take Jimmy Haynes roster spot.

Matthews, who signed a minor-league deal, struggled in spring training. He was 0-1 with a 6.39 ERA. He walked seven and allowed 18 hits in 12 2/3 innings.

"Spring training is spring training," he said. "I use it to work on stuff and hope I come out of it healthy."

Matthews, ironically, rejoined the big leagues in San Diego, where he played last year.

"It's a good feeling to be back," Matthews said.

Matthews, a 30-year-old left-hander, was 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA and a save in 11 games for the Bats. Opposing hitters were hitting just .178 off him, including .091 by left-handers.

It was his first stint in the minors since 2000.

"If you're going to pitch at Triple-A, Louisville is the place to do it," he said. "It's a great ballpark."

Matthews gives the Reds another left-hander in the bullpen to go along with Phil Norton.

"It gives you more options," Miley said, "especially with San Diego and Los Angeles with the left-handed bats they have."

Miley will mix and match with Norton and Matthews. Norton struggled early in the season.

He has settled down lately - he had gone six appearances without allowing an earned run going into Tuesday's game in San Diego.

"We'll see how it goes," Miley said. "We'll switch them back and forth some."

MOP-UP MAN: Haynes was supposed to be used in Todd Van Poppel's long-relief role after Van Poppel moved to the rotation.

So who does it now? "We've got some options," Miley said. "We could probably use Brian Reith in that role. He did it some last year."

Reith is struggling the most of the relievers. He did not allow a run in his first five appearances.

In his last seven outings before Tuesday, he had allowed 10 runs in 6 1/3 innings. That punches up to a 14.21 ERA.

KEARNS, LaRUE UPDATE: Austin Kearns and Jason LaRue played the first two games of their rehab assignment at Louisville.

Kearns went 1-for-4 with an RBI Monday and 1-for-5 with a double Tuesday.

LaRue went 0-for-3 with a sacrifice fly Monday and 1-for-3 with a two-run home Tuesday. Louisville was off today.

The plan is for both to play for the Bats again Thursday, so the soonest they could rejoin the Reds is Friday for the series opener in Los Angeles. Kearns (broken left forearm) is eligible to come off the disabled list today. LaRue (broke right middle finger) is eligible to come off Friday.

TV STARS: Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn are scheduled to appear (in-studio) on Friday's Best Damn Sports Show Period on Fox Sports Net. The show will air at 8:30 p.m. and lead into the Reds-Dodgers pre-game show.

FARM REPORT: The Reds may have found a gem in the draft in the sixth-round last year. Richie Gardner, last year's No. 6 pick, continues to pitch well at Single-A Potomac. He allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings in Monday's 5-4 loss to Kinston.

Gardner, 22, a right-hander, is 4-1 with a 1.53 ERA. He has allowed 30 hits and five walks in 35 1/3 innings, striking out 35. Gardner went 9-3 with 4.49 ERA for the University of Arizona last year. This is his first year to pitch professionally.

BASHAM OUT: Right-hander Bobby Basham, one of the Reds' top pitching prospects, had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. A bone spur was also removed. He's expected to miss up to a year. Basham was 6-4 with a 1.64 ERA in 2002 at Dayton. He went 5-10 with a 5.17 ERA at Double-A Chattanooga.

UP NEXT: The Reds play the Padres in the second game of three-game series today. Right-hander Cory Lidle (2-2, 5.15 ERA) faces right-hander Brian Lawrence (4-2, 5.06 ERA) in a 10:05 p.m. game.