Lineup v. Mets, notes

Ken Griffey was a late scratch. He's ill.

Jerry Hairston Jr. 2B
Ryan Freel, RF
Corey Patterson, CF
Joey Votto, 1B
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B
Adam Dunn, LF
Jeff Keppinger, SS
Paul Bako, C
Matt Belisle, RHP

v. RH Mike Pelfrey

Brandon Phillips is out because of the bruised calf. He's available to pinch-hit with two outs, so he doesn't have to run too much. Dusty Baker hopes to have him back the next two days with the Reds facing left-handers Johan Santana and Oliver Perez. Phillips is hitting .452 off lefties, second in the league.

One of the reasons, Edinson Volquez went seven innings and 118 pitches Wednesday was that Kent Mercker wasn't available.

It's still raining here. If the game's banged, they'll play a day-night doubleheader at 1 and 8 tomorrow.

I thought I had a bad travel day. Hal McCoy's was worse. He left at 7. The plane had to turn around and return to Dayton when passengers became ill from fumes. He ended up going through Washington and getting in about 4.

So he left two hours before me and got in a hour after me -- and his luggage didn't make it.

I had one more glitch after the air travel woes. The subway train stopped about two stops from Shea. "We're waiting for police and medical emergency personnel." The delay was about 30 minutes. We ended up talking to Dusty at 5, rather than 3:40.

Then we couldn't get on wireless. I love New York. Hate the hassles and Shea.