"Scott Rolen reports that his right hamstring is much better. He ran the bases at nearly full speed Sunday.

"That went well," he said. "I'm hoping to be in the lineup in Milwaukee."

Will he be in the lineup today?

"I don't write the lineup," he said. "But some time in Milwaukee."

You'd think that the man who does write the lineup, Reds manager Dusty Baker, would put Rolen's name on the card the first chance he got.

"(Rolen) thinks maybe tomorrow," Baker said. "But when a guy tells me tomorrow, I think the day after tomorrow."

Baker wants Rolen back for the long run.

"I don't want to force it," Baker said. "When I get him back, I want him in and not in and out hopefully. You don't have control over that, but hopefully."

The Reds are 45-31 when Rolen starts this year and 10-14 when he doesn't.

WELCOME BREAK: The Reds have an off day Thursday.

"That's a big off day," Baker said. "For my bullpen, for my starters, for Johnny Cueto to have that extra day. He threw a lot of pitches last night (Saturday). He said he felt fine. He saved my bullpen. He pitched well. Now he gets this extra day before he faces Atlanta."

Baker says the plan for now is to keep the starting rotation on turn.

The off day Thursday is the first of five in a span of 29 days.

"I'd rather save some of them (off days) for September," Baker said.

The Reds go from Sept. 3 to the 22nd without a day off."