The key syllable in Reds outfield is out. Out as in outstanding, out of the park, out on strikes, out of action and in regards to Jose Guillen, outspoken, out of luck and out of the lineup.

	A healthy Adam Dunn would help the Reds' chances.

The Reds outfield has been a handful for everyone this year, especially opposing pitchers. Cincinnati has a chance to join the 1956 Reds and 2002 Braves as the only teams in National League history to have three outfielders with at least 25 home runs in a season (minimum 125 games played in the outfield). They have an outside chance to join the 1941 Yankees and the 1963 Twins as the only teams to have three players with at least 30 homers.

"I wouldn't trade our outfield for any outfield in baseball,'' Reds general manager Jim Bowden said. "We have the best outfield, long term or short term, of any team in the game.''

Adam Dunn leads the NL with 16 homers, including six in his last seven games. He generates spectacular power with his tremendous bat speed and remarkable size (6-foot-6, 240 pounds). Austin Kearns is tied for third with 13, to go with a .301 average. He bulked up last winter, making him even stronger than he was during his marvelous rookie season. Guillen is hitting .324 with seven homers and 22 RBI. His comeback story is inspiring. Ken Griffey Jr. is back after missing a month with a separated shoulder. He came back quicker than expected, another sign of his commitment to re-joining the game's elite players.

That's four outfielders for three spots, but Bowden says without hesitation, "Austin Kearns is our right fielder, Ken Griffey is our center fielder, Adam Dunn is our left fielder and Jose Guillen is our fourth outfielder.''

Guillen, who has been released by the Devil Rays, Diamondbacks and Rockies in the last 18 months, said he wanted to be traded when he began losing playing time when Griffey returned sooner than expected from the disabled list. Guillen never asked Bowden to trade him, and Bowden said he has no plans to trade him.

	Guillen

"He did a tremendous job filling in for Junior,'' Bowden said. "But he knew his role before he got here. We expect him to live up to his agreement. Look, when you have three outfielders who can hit 40 to 70 homers per year, those three guys play.''

Dunn might hit 50 home runs this season, but his swing has holes, there are ways to get him out. Through Monday, he was hitting only .238 with 52 strikeouts, tied with the Phillies' Pat Burrell for the NL lead. Dunn has two four-strikeout games this year. Through May 1, he had struck out 40 times, more than Joe DiMaggio struck out in any season. When Dunn needs a day off against a difficult left-hander, Guillen could start, but he has been far more productive this year off right-handers: .337 with all seven of his homers.

Kearns has struck out 42 times, ninth most in the league, but his career average is .310 in 525 at-bats. "He's a legit .300 hitter, an RBI guy with the game on the line,'' Bowden said. "He got stronger in the offseason. He swinging like the 17-year-old kid from Lexington (Ky.) who hit balls over the building beyond the fence of his high school field. He hit balls over that building over and over again the night we went to see him. We left the ballpark and said 'that's Mike Piazza's bat.' Dunn and Kearns are Batman and Robin.''

	Griffey

And Griffey is a first-ballot Hall of Famer if he never plays another game. When he's healthy -- and it appears his shoulder is well enough for him to start playing every day -- there's no reason to think he won't be a great player again. He has enough time to hit 30 home runs this year.

Monday was a day off for the Reds, Griffey was in the batting cage at the Great American Ballpark at 10 a.m. "That's what he does every day,'' Bowden said. "He is working his butt off. No one spends more time in the batting cage than Junior.''

Now he's going to spend more time in center field, flanked by Dunn and Kearns. The Reds might be a couple of pitchers short, but with that outfield, they are certainly fun to watch.

Tim Kurkjian is a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and a regular contributor to Baseball Tonight. E-mail tim.kurkjian@espnmag.com.