"Manager Lou Piniella is trying something more drastic to get Kosuke Fukudome out of his prolonged hitting slump after giving him sporadic days off and working to cut down on his stride.

Fukudome sat Tuesday night against Houston right-hander Brandon Backe and will sit again Wednesday against lefty Randy Wolf. With Thursday's off day, Fukudome will have rested for three straight games, assuming he starts Friday in Cincinnati.

"By giving him a little time off, he might start hitting the way he wants to hit and the way we expect him to hit. That's all," Piniella said.

Fukudome batted .296 through the end of June and started in the All-Star Game. Starting July 1, he has hit .210, which includes .193 in August.

In his first big-league season, Fukudome had played in 132 games before Tuesday. His highest games-played total in Japan was 142 in 2005, so he could be getting tired.

Piniella was asked if there was such a thing as a tired bat.

"It can happen," he said, "especially when it's your first year. It's a long season, you have to get used to it. The first year is the toughest, then it becomes a little easier as your career moves forward.""