OAKLAND - If the plan goes according to schedule, a pumped-up Mark Ellis will be back in the Oakland A's starting lineup today. It's about time.

Ellis, who looks stronger than ever, completed a rehab assignment with the A's Triple A minor league team, the Sacramento River Cats, on Friday night, going

0-for-4 for the game and 2-for-16 for the week. He batted .182 in eight games with the River Cats, but his playing status is of more concern to the A's team than his number of hits.

They just want him back in Oakland as soon as possible.

"If he doesn't get hurt before then," A's manager Bob Geren said, smiling. "He's been a big part of our success over the last five or six years."

Last Monday, Ellis surprisingly was in uniform at the Oakland Coliseum. He was taking batting practice. He was taking ground balls. He was taking his sweet time soaking up the big-league ambience.

That's because on Tuesday, Ellis took off to Sacramento. The A's second baseman drove from his home in San Ramon, Calif., up Interstate 80 to resume his rehab assignment with the River Cats. They had a day off on Monday, allowing Ellis to stay in Oakland and work out, but he was ready to rejoin the River Cats on Tuesday night to play two games in 17 hours, including a rare 11:30 a.m. game on Wednesday when Ellis had two hits against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.

"Baseball is not meant to be played that early," Ellis joked.

Then again, it's rise and shine time for Ellis. He will be activated off the 60-day disabled list in time for today's game against the Colorado Rockies.

Unfortunately, Ellis has been sidelined more than he'd like. He missed the entire 2004 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He broke his right index finger in the playoffs in 2006. And, last September, he had right shoulder surgery.

Then, on April 28 in Texas, Ellis was running to first base on a groundout when he strained his left calf. He was placed on the disabled list for the fourth time in his career, then transferred to the 60-day DL.

"I had my times when I was frustrated, no doubt about it. I want to be in there playing," Ellis said. "But I used the chance to get the strength back that I lost with the shoulder surgery. I got to lift some weights again. I'm in really good shape."

Good shape? His arms look like Popeye's with spinach. The 5-foot-11, 193-pound second baseman has added girth to his "guns."

"He's always been a strong guy," Geren said. "He's a guy that in his uniform doesn't look as strong as when you see him in a

T-shirt. And he's had 60 days since the leg injury so he's been hitting the weight room pretty hard. Not having to play at seven o'clock at night gives you the advantage of going after it a little harder and he definitely gained some muscle in 60 days."

The only problem is that Ellis felt he was fit enough to return to the A's after 30 days.

"I felt really good and I still had about a month to go on the disabled list. I was just thinking, 'Man, I had to sit here for another month and I feel really good right now,'" he said. "But now I'm just happy I'm playing baseball again. Even if it's at the Triple A level, it's still fun to be out there playing baseball every day."

The River Cats gradually increased Ellis' playing time in Sacramento. He played five innings for a couple of games then seven innings and then up to nine innings playing second base and batting second. He's been counting down the days to get back to Oakland.

"I'm probably more patient honestly because I know the exact day I'm coming off (the DL)," Ellis said earlier this week. "I've been able to pace myself a little bit and kind of gradually work up."

Ellis stayed overnight in Sacramento on Tuesday night to play in Wednesday morning's game against Colorado Springs. He then drove back and forth from home, a three-hour round trip, to play with the River Cats until they left on a road trip to Las Vegas following Friday night's game.

Ellis was back at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday taking batting practice and will be back in the starting lineup today. He will replace Adam Kennedy, who, through Friday, had hit .291 for the A's since the team acquired him in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on May 8. Ellis will return to second base and Kennedy could be moved to third.

Ellis then will finally be able to flash his old glove and flex his newly developed muscles.

"He'll be ready to go," Geren said. "A goal of his was to get as strong as he could."

The goal now is to stay healthy and stay in the lineup. Ellis is not taking anything for granted.