News Summary

CINCINNATI — Reds manager Dusty Baker's lineup card was ready, but two of the players on it were not.

Third baseman Edwin Encarnacion (sore left wrist) and left fielder Chris Dickerson (sore Achilles' tendon) were scratched just before Cincinnati took batting practice prior to their game Wednesday, Sept. 17, against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"We brought up all these extra bodies and we still end up short," said Baker, pulling a bottle out of his desk drawer. "We're about to put Wite-Out out of business."

Encarnacion, who had a three-run double Tuesday to turn a one-run deficit into a two-run lead in a 7-2 win over the Cardinals, said he hurt his wrist Saturday in Arizona.

"I tried to check a swing on a Randy Johnson slider," he said, sitting in a clubhouse chair with an ice bag wrapped around the wrist.

Baker knew something painful had to be bothering Encarnacion to pull himself out of the lineup.

"Because he never says anything. He never even goes into the training room," Baker said.

Dickerson's Achilles' tendon has been bothering him off and on since his Aug. 12 call-up from Class AAA Louisville.

Mercker's future?

Kent Mercker, who hasn't pitched since early June because of a bad back, was handed an envelope in the clubhouse, and he quickly ripped it open, scanned the thick multi-paged letter and tossed it into the trash.

"Talk about a waste of eight pages of paper," he said. "It was addressed to: 'All potential free agents.' "

Mercker will be a free agent, but as he said, "What kind of market is out there for me?" Then he paused and said, "Well, hey. I'm left-handed, I'm 40 and I'm well-rested."

Mercker has tried to play long toss and throw off the mound, "But my back is not working."

Most likely he is headed for retirement and said, "I'm starting my new profession — turning vodka into urine."

A lesson for Votto

Baker often says one of the many things he likes about first baseman Joey Votto is that he is willing to learn, both by listening and by quiet observation.

Before Wednesday's game, Votto was standing attentively while St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols displayed some finer points of first-base footwork.

The lesson went on for more than 15 minutes.

Quote of the day

Reds utility player Andy Phillips was filling out a player of the year ballot when he asked Mercker's advice. When Mercker suggested Cleveland pitcher Cliff Lee, Phillips balked at picking a pitcher, and Mercker said, "Oh, pitchers are players, too, but you are one of those guys who has to pick an everyday player," to which the seldom-used Phillips said, "Hey, look at who you are talking to."