"There may be no shortcuts on the road toward a big game, but it certainly seems that Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez went to the extreme to get to the pitcher's mound for Wednesday's Game 1 of the NL division series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

In April, the 27-year-old righthander was eight months into recovery from elbow reconstruction - or Tommy John - surgery when he became the first player in 2010 to be suspended for use of a performance-enhancing drug. Volquez served the 50-game suspension while on the disabled list.

Last month, when the Reds suspected Volquez was tipping off his pitches, he was sent to single-A Dayton to work on his mechanics with the hope it would help him become more consistent.

Now, well, he'll be opening the first playoff series for the Reds since 1995, against the two-time and defending NL champions, and perhaps the game's top pitcher, Roy Halladay, as his counterpart. It will be the first career playoff start for both.

Judging by Volquez's reaction to this unlikely scenario, it all makes perfect sense.

"I think we're going to have fun in this game because he [Halladay] is one of the best pitchers in the league," said Volquez, whose dreadlocks and flat-billed cap distinguish him from most pitchers. "I think it's going to be crazy out there, too. It's going to be packed and a lot of noise. I think it's going to be like a regular game for me."

The quickie scouting report on Volquez is this: Fastball in the 95-96 m.p.h range; change-up that dives away from lefty batters, a big reason lefthanders hit .229 off him in his 12 starts; cool as an autumn night.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel knows his club, dominated by lefthanded hitters, must be wary of Volquez.

"This kid is legit," Manuel said Tuesday.

Reds manager Dusty Baker caught many off guard when he announced Volquez as his Game 1 starter. He seemed to have more logical options in Bronson Arroyo, a veteran with 17 wins and hardened by two years of ALCS duels against the Yankees when he pitched for Boston; and Travis Wood, a lefthander who took a perfect game into the ninth inning against the Phillies in July.

"No. 1, he's pitching as well as anybody of the candidates we had available, other than probably Wood," Baker explained. "He gets lefthanders out better than anybody we have. Plus, he's very calm and cool and a good-time Charlie kind of guy who shouldn't be affected by the pressure."