DaytonDailyNews.com

CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce learned on the job Monday, July 21, why San Diego's Trevor Hoffman has 542 career saves.

Bruce faced Hoffman in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and two outs, the Reds two runs down. He struck out, swinging at three change-ups far outside the strike zone.

"That was experience versus youth," said Reds manager Dusty Baker. "And Bruce had him 2-and-0 and 3-and-1, but then swung at that piece of crap change-up. Bruce probably has never seen anything like that (Hoffman's change-up).

"It happens to young players," Baker add. "Hopefully within a year or two Jay will spit on those pitches and say, 'Nope, that's not the ball I want to hit.' "

Bruce, never a quart low on confidence, said defiantly, "Soon it will be different. Yes, he has a good one (change-up), but it's all about swinging at the right pitches. And he certainly had me chasing. Someday soon it will be a different story."

Disabled dispatches

Pitcher Aaron Harang threw for the first time Tuesday since going on the disabled list, a 70-foot long-toss session.

Shortstop/outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr. ran in the field for the first time Tuesday since going on the disabled list.

The official club comment on how each did was, "Without complaint," and both will be examined today.

"Uneventful," is the way pitching coach Dick Pole described Harang's test of his right forearm. "I like it when the trainers use the word 'uneventful.' "

But batting practice wasn't uneventful. Pole had to excuse himself, "Because Josh Fogg got hit in the mouth with a line drive." Fogg, Friday's starter, suffered a split lip on the ball hit by Joey Votto and was taken to Beacon Orthopaedic Center.

Ask and ye shall receive

This isn't quite like Babe Ruth calling his home run in a World Series game against the Chicago Cubs, but a good story anyway.

As Ken Griffey Jr. walked to the on-deck circle Monday in the sixth inning, a kid held aloft a sign that said, "Hit 606," and yelled, "Hit a homer, Junior."

Griffey turned to the kid and said, "If I hit one on this at-bat, you can have my batting helmet." And that's how the kid spent the rest of the game wearing what once was Griffey's helmet.

Laying it down

Despite the fact it sometimes looks as if Reds players don't know which end of the bat to hold when they bunt, Baker takes exception to those who believe the Reds never practice bunting.

"Everybody has to bunt one to the left and one to the right before they start swinging away in batting practice," he said. "And if I'm out there and they don't do it — like if they bunt two straight back to the pitcher — I make them stay in there until they do it."

Who's crying Wolf?

The Padres traded pitcher Randy Wolf to the Houston Astros on Tuesday for a minor-league player, and Wolf said, "The Astros think they're still in it."

The Astros are in fifth place, a game behind the Reds and, uh, Houston, you have a delusional problem.

Said general manager Ed Wade, "We still have a million games left in our division." Geez, that means they could finish 978,000 games out of first place.

Quote of the day

"My security system at home is a picture of Marty Brennaman from 1974 in my window instead of a Brinks sign in the yard." — Ken Griffey Jr.