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NEW YORK — Ever hear of Julio Reyes? Plays for the Cincinnati Reds. Fans know him well, very well, but not as Julio Reyes.

That's the name Edinson Volquez used when he signed his first professional contract with the Texas Rangers. "Hoping to make more money," he said.

How that enters into the equation Volquez couldn't explain, but he said it ended when the Rangers asked for his birth certificate.

"Some people thought I came to this country on an illegal visa, but that was never the case," said Reyes-Volquez.

The rest of baseball is wishing Volquez remained Julio Reyes and was deported. He is 10-2 with a 1.71 ERA.

Remember Chad Moeller? He caught for the Reds last year and said he caught Volquez a few years ago in winter ball, "And even then, everybody was calling him Little Pedro, a comparison to Pedro Martinez."

Said Reds announcer Jeff Brantley, "I call him 'Pedro Plus 10.' He throws 10 miles an hour harder than Martinez ever did. Some of Edinson's changeups are 88."

Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina was 10-4 when he opposed Volquez on Friday, June 20. Now he is 10-5.

"If he got ahead in counts more he'd be even better," said Mussina. "Almost every other hitter he was fighting back. It seemed like he had a lot of 3-1, 3-2 counts. He didn't throw very many first-pitch strikes, but he's got great stuff. And he'll just get better. He'll get better breaking pitches. He's got a great changeup and a quality fastball."

Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon agrees with the Martinez comparison and said, "He can cut his fastball and sink his fastball. His changeup has screwball action, and the bottom drops out of a few."

Last SS standing

Shortstop Jolbert Cabrera joins shortstops Alex Gonzalez, Jeff Keppinger and Jerry Hairston Jr. on the disabled list after suffering a dislocated index finger on his left hand Friday night.

Cabrera suffered the injury sliding head-first into second base after his fourth hit. Ironically, Cabrera was called up less than two weeks ago to replace Hairston, who fractured his left thumb — sliding head-first into second base.

So, the Last Man Standing is Paul Janish, 1-for-26 entering Saturday's game, "But I have Andy Phillips for in a pinch," said Reds manager Dusty Baker.

Baker was asked if he considered moving Brandon Phillips, who came up as a shortstop: "I talked to him about it, but he said with what has happened he is a little afraid to go over there."

Baker admitted his heart was on top of his molars in the ninth inning Friday when he saw Phillips hopping around, then down on the ground after fielding a ground ball, "But it was just a cramp."

What are Dave Concepcion and Barry Larkin doing these days?

Unscheduled tour

Three rookies embarked on a subway ride to the Bronx on Saturday morning. Three rookies ended up in Brooklyn. Hey, they both start with "BR."

Jay Bruce, Janish and Daryl Thompson boarded the "4" train at Grand Central Station, but they took the Downtown train instead of the Uptown train and ended up about as far away from Yankee Stadium as one can be and remain in the five boroughs.

"Maybe they were looking for Ebbets Field," said Baker.

"Right train, wrong direction," said Thompson. "And I'm not a city boy at all. I couldn't tell you how to get back to the hotel."

Mets hire Krivsky

Fired Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky has landed with the New York Mets as special assistant to GM Omar Minaya. Krivsky's main responsibility will be major-league scouting.

Quote of the day

Baker, asked about his team enjoying the Yankee Stadium experience: "I don't want them to enjoy the experience; I want them to win. Let the fans enjoy the experience."