CINCINNATI -- Chris Coghlan is hot, and not just in the batter's box.

With his stock rising in the Rookie of the Year debate, Coghlan has been fielding more interview requests from national media outlets -- and accepting most of them.

``I know there's an opportunity to win Rookie of the Year,'' Coghlan said. ``I know that. It's obvious.''

But the Marlins' 24-year-old left fielder doesn't like drawing too much attention to himself, and he has turned down a few requests because he didn't want to appear selfish.

``Sometimes I'm cautious about being a rookie and doing too much stuff because I care about what my teammates think of me,'' Coghlan said. ``And I want everybody to know why I play this game, and it's not for the publicity.''

Matt Roebuck, the Marlins' director of media relations, said the team began receiving interview requests for Coghlan around Sept. 1, shortly after he started his surge at the plate.

``He has asked me if a rookie should be doing the interview instead of a veteran guy,'' Roebuck said.

Coghlan is hitting .368 since Aug. 1. He leads all qualifying National League rookies in hits, runs, total bases and on-base percentage.

And with a .303 average heading into Thursday, Coghlan is in position to become the first Marlins rookie to hit .300 or better.

SEEING RED

It must pain the Reds during the one time a year that the Marlins show up in Cincinnati.

Outfielder Cody Ross and third baseman Jorge Cantu -- who are tied for second on the Marlins with 87 RBI -- are former Reds who got away cheap.

The Reds traded Ross to the Marlins during the 2006 season for a player to be named, which was pitcher Ben Kozlowski. And the Reds didn't pursue Cantu when he became a free agent after playing 27 games for them at the end of the 2007 season.

Even though Ross had just five at-bats with the Reds, the highlight of his stay came when he got to bat ahead of his childhood idol, Ken Griffey Jr.

• Manager Fredi Gonzalez has been noncommittal when asked if Chris Volstad would start again before the end of the season. Volstad, who lost his spot in the rotation, will throw a simulated game before batting practice Saturday against Marlins hitters.