Rolen’s return to Reds brightens Baker

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 12:10 AM Wednesday, September 30, 2009

CINCINNATI — Third baseman Scott Rolen missed the three-game series in Houston with back spasms, but was back in the lineup Tuesday to face his old team, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Rolen missed three games in St. Louis earlier this season after he was hit in the head by a pitch and suffered concussion-like symptoms.

With Rolen in the lineup, the Cincinnati Reds are 22-10 and manager Dusty Baker can’t wait to have the 34-year-old third baseman in the lineup every day next season.

“He gives us big-time stability, not only in the infield but in his presence and he has been a very good clutch hitter who knows how to pick up the RBIs,” said Baker.

“And he’ll eventually rekindle his home run stroke, especially in this ball park,” Baker added. “He’s always tinkering with things to get better. He is aggressive on the bases and he is going to be a huge help next year, especially having him from the beginning.”

It was mentioned how much Rolen wants to be in Cincinnati and Baker said, “Yeah, and we REALLY want him here.”

Dickerson returning

Outfielder Chris Dickerson is expected to be activated within the next day or two off the DL, giving Baker eight outfielders, but he isn’t expected to be in the lineup through the rest of the season.

“We only have six days to go and he hasn’t played in a long time,” said Baker. “I don’t think it is fair to him or the team to put him in the field right now. He hasn’t rehabbed or anything. We can use him in situations (pinch-hit or pinch-run), but as far as starting we have a ton of outfielders doing really well right now.”

15 for Arroyo?

Bronson Arroyo makes his final start of the season tonight, trying to tie his career high in wins (15), set last year.

Despite a run of 12 straight quality starts, Arroyo won only four of those starts. When it was mentioned he easily could have been a 20-game winner this season, Baker said, “Don’t know about 20, but easily 17 or 18.

“He’s earned it and deserves 15,” said Baker. “He had one bad stretch early and that’s hard to remember the way he has pitched lately. As for quality starts, all you can do is your job.”

For the defense

Baker seemed a bit taken aback when he was told this year’s team could set a franchise record with the highest defensive average — currently at .985 and the record is .984.

“That would be a franchise record, even with all those Gold Glove guys they had on The Big Red Machine?” said Baker. “Wow. That’s one thing we stressed in spring training. Defense. And we’ve had to come back to get to this point because at one time we were at the bottom.

“That’s what happens when you have different guys playing all time and you’re trying to figure out what the lineup is, guys in the and out of the lineup,” said Baker. “Now we have a more consistent lineup.”

Soothing the stomach

Pitching coach Dick Pole won’t have to worry about stomach problems for the next year, thanks to the folks at Gelusil.

A week ago in Pittsburgh, Pole mentioned that he wanted to continue being a pitching coach as long as he didn’t have to gulp Gelusil and his quote appeared as the Quote of the Day in the Reds Notebook in The Dayton Daily News.

“I received an e-mail this week telling me I’d be getting a year’s supply of Gelusil free,” said Pole.

Quote of the day

“The last week is going to be interesting, a straight tryout, like spring training.” — Outfielder Jonny Gomes on manager Dusty Baker’s plan to use all seven outfieldersduring the last week.

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