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NEW YORK — Adam Dunn asked the question, even though like Jeopardy's Alex Trebek, he already knew the answer.

"Seriously, who would you bench?" he asked.

Dunn, bouncing along at 6-for-54 (.111) was not in the lineup Sunday, June 22, and he called it, "A good, solid benching. Deserved. It can't hurt. I get in these little ruts that only I can get myself into. Eventually, I'll come out of it and hopefully it is Tuesday.

Dunn said he has not heard from Toronto General Manager J.P. Ricciardi, who said he was going to call and personally apologize to Dunn for the public flogging Ricciardi gave Dunn on the radio.

"Hard for him to get my number," said Dunn. Told that he could get it from Reds General Manager Walt Jocketty, Dunn said, "That wouldn't be very nice of Walt."

Asked if he might give Ricciardi a hug when he sees him in Toronto Tuesday, Dunn said, "A bear hug."

Said manager Dusty Baker, "This gives Dunn (Sunday) and the off day (today). He looks a little lost. He is in No Man's Land — behind fastballs and ahead of breaking balls."

Dunn pinch-hit in the ninth inning as the tying run against closer Mariano Rivera and took a called strike three.

Honest Abe Keppinger

Jeff Keppinger, activated off the disabled list Sunday and place into the lineup, is wearing a full Lincoln-esque beard and said it will soon be gone.

"I tried to find a beard-trimmer Saturday night. Couldn't find one," he said. "Just for today and if I don't get any hits it will be gone before we get to Toronto. It was doing me good in Louisville."

Manager Dusty Baker admitted he preferred that Keppinger stay a little longer on rehab in Louisville, but the team was running out of shortstops.

"I talked to (Louisville manager) Rick Sweet and (Director of Player Personnel) Terry Reynolds and they said he was ready to play," said Baker.

"He'll play (Sunday), then we have a day off during which he can get some treatment," Baker added. "Then we play on artificial turf (in Toronto) and we need a bona fide shortstop."

Keppinger was DHing Friday in Louisville when Jolbert Cabrera dislocated a finger.

"I was going back and forth to the clubhouse — had to watch how my boys were doing against the Yankees, man (on TV)," said Keppinger.

A. Phillips designated

General manager Walt Jocketty was genuinely disturbed that he had to designate for assignment infielder/outfielder Andy Phillips, who is out of options and can be claimed by any other team.

Jocketty hopes that doesn't happen. "Don't write anything nice about him so no team will claim him," he said.

Then he said a bundle of nice things. "He did a good job for us and has a good future," said Jocketty. "He knows his role and is a versatile guy. And he's been with a winner (New York Yankees) so he knows what it takes=."

Quote of the day

"That would be sacrilegious. We wouldn't to do that." — manager Dusty Baker, waiting until after Baseball Chapel services in the clubhouse Sunday to tell Andy Phillips he has been designated for assignment instead of pulling him out in the middle of the meeting.