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CINCINNATI — As Reds manager Dusty Baker waited to leave Shea Stadium for the airport Sunday, May 11, en route to Cincinnati, he stumbled across right-hander Bronson Arroyo. He was in the weight room, preparing for his next start.

"He had his flak jacket on, and he was working out," Baker said Monday after the Reds announced Arroyo will start Wednesday's game and Matt Belisle will take the mound for Thursday's tilt. "He was looking forward to it. That was very impressive."

Impressive perhaps, but not surprising. With Arroyo and Belisle both taking starts during the day-night doubleheader against the Mets last weekend, the Reds on Sunday didn't announce who would start the games Wednesday and Thursday.

The smart money was on Arroyo to take the ball for Wednesday's game against Florida right-hander Ricky Nolasco, a start he'd have to make on three days rest. Arroyo, in the past, has talked about wanting to pitch every fourth day.

In 2006, when Arroyo had gone six weeks without a victory — he was trying for his 10th win of the season — he asked then-pitching coach Tome Hume and then-manager Jerry Narron if he could move up his start a day. They obliged.

Then, in September of that year, working on three days notice again, he threw his first career shutout.

Afterward, Arroyo extolled the virtues of a four-man rotation.

"He likes the three days rest," Baker said. "He likes the four-man rotation. He's pretty good on three days rest. He's a pitcher who doesn't exert a whole bunch of effort. That's why usually he can throw more pitches."

Another reason Arroyo might be excited about taking the mound early: in his last performance, a 7-1 win against New York, he had his best start of the season, throwing eight innings of four-hit, one-run, nine-strikeout ball.

Meanwhile, Belisle is coming off a performance in which he allowed five earned runs in five innings and dropped his record to 1-3 while raising his earned-run average to 7.45.

Baker, though, just likes the fact he has a pitcher who wants the ball four days after his last start.

"It's big," Baker said. "It's huge. That's old school. Three days rest is old school. Real old school. Ancient school."

Still in the same spot

Yes, he was hitting .196 with a .252 on-base percentage entering Monday's game, and yes, Corey Patterson has accumulated just three hits since April 28. But there he was Monday, back in the leadoff spot. Perhaps it's because the Reds haven't been terrible with him leading off — compared to the team's record of 3-9 when Ryan Freel is in that role, Patterson's 9-11 doesn't look half-bad. Partially it's because Baker still is trying to keep the lineup balanced.

"What makes it kind of rough is that I'm trying to stay away with too many left-handers in a row," said Baker, whose lineup Monday read lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, righty, lefty, lefty, righty. "That's what I'm trying to stay away from. He's going to get going. He's going to end up somewhere where he always is. The other thing is we don't have a bunch of speed. We need speed, especially in close games."

Patterson's career average batting entering the season was .258.

Berry's dad dies

Harvey Berry, the father of Reds third base coach Mark Berry, died Saturday morning in Glendale, Ariz. The funeral, the Reds said, would be private. In Mark Berry's place, bench coach Chris Speier worked the third-base line Sunday and Monday.

Last week, the best friend of Ken Griffey Jr., Frank King, died, and several Reds players have mourned the passing of relatives this year.

"It's another ... You don't like to think about it," Baker said. "We've had so many in a short period of time. I'm afraid to even think about it."

Hopper progressing

Norris Hopper briefly hung out in Cincinnati's dugout while his teammates took batting practice, and he said his right elbow injury is improving.

"Pretty good," said Hopper, who was eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list May 5. "Feeling better."

Reds return without Soto

After spending the weekend in New York with the Reds and working with Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, Mario Soto left the team after the road trip and returned home. Baker said he'll be back with the Reds at some point this season, but he's not sure when.

"At some point in time, you have to be weaned off your security blanket," Baker said. "We'll bring him in periodically because he makes things comfortable for some of the younger Latin guys, particularly some of the Dominican guys, on and off the field."

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