Roster move

To make room for Scott Rolen’s activation from the DL, the Reds optioned infielder Chris Valaika to Triple-A Louisville.

Valaika batted .313 since his April 24 call-up. He was 5-for-11 (.455) over his last five games. What stood out for me is how capably he played third base in several games. It’s the position he’s least familiar with but he handled it well. It gives the Reds another option to consider down the road should they lose Rolen, and/or Juan Francisco to an injury.

The Reds have not activated RHP Jose Arredondo from the DL and he is not on the premises yet. That situation remains murky but I will keep you posted. His rehab assignment ended officially on Tuesday. I am trying to figure out the rules of what must be done with a player after his rehab assignment expires.

**UPDATE — I was told that there is no set rule for a time limit to get a player back on the active roster after a rehab assignment runs out. That being said, I do not expect the Reds to let Arredondo stay idle for very long because it does him little good. And the Reds aren’t likely to DFA him because that would be a total waste of rehab/sweat equity they put in with him in 2010 and this year.