Reds cautious as Schumaker makes progress

PITTSBURGH -- Injured Reds utility player Skip Schumaker, who hasn't played since dislocating his left shoulder last month in Spring Training, has been taking batting practice with the club on the road trip and making progress.

Schumaker could soon begin a rehab assignment in the Minor Leagues, but the club would like him to get stronger first.

"I think he's over the pain hurdle," Reds manager Bryan Price said on Monday. "When you have an injury like that, where it really hurts him is his ability to maintain his strength because he is so limited in what he can do with his shoulder. We're really focusing on increasing his strength and once he gets to that place, we'll get him back out into games. He's chomping at the bit to play. We're going to be a little bit conservative just to make sure we can get Skip back as close to 100 percent as we can get him this year."