Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings January 30, 2017

Transcription

1 Cincinnati Reds Media Clips January 30 th, 2017

2 Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings January 30, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1919-The Reds hire Pat Moran as manager, replacing Christy Mathewson, when no word is received from him while his is in France with the U.S. Army. Moran would manage the Reds until 1923, collecting a record MLB.COM Reds end caravan optimistic about '17 season Recent acquisition Storen thinks Cincy has ability to exceed expectations By Mark Sheldon / January 29th, COMMENTS FLORENCE, Ky. -- As they try to work quickly to complete a rebuilding program, there won't be many prognostications that have the Reds among teams expected to battle for the postseason in But the Reds aren't giving themselves a built-in excuse to not be competitive. Reliever and recent free-agent acquisition Drew Storen heard his new boss, general manager Dick Williams, speak repeatedly with high expectations over the past four days of their leg on Reds Caravan. "The big thing I took away from it is just the idea that everybody thinks this is a rebuild, but we all strongly believe that we have some pieces here to surprise some people," Storen said on Sunday. "It was exciting to hear. It's absolutely true. If you think about it, we have a good group of young guys and some veteran guys. That's when you can really have some exciting teams." Sunday marked the final day of the caravan at Florence Mall in Northern Kentucky, where all four legs of the tour converged for a question-and-answer session and autograph signings. "We want to compete," Williams said. "This is the time for some of these young guys we've been talking about, they have their opportunity to grab a spot on this team. I'd like to see this happen. Once we get into the regular season, we want to see these guys go out there and compete." The Reds were able to travel and tout the signing of Storen to upgrade the back portion of their bullpen on a one-year, $3 million contract on Jan. 3. The club started the trip with the announcement that Scott Feldman was signed to a one-year, $2.3 million contract on Wednesday to shore up the rotation. Meanwhile, there was emphasis placed on the development of prospects like pitchers Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson, Amir Garrett and Sal Romano, infielders Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera and more established younger players like Billy Hamilton, Scott Schebler and Eugenio Suarez. Several hundred fans turned out in Florence, most with enthusiasm. It was something that Williams noticed throughout his western leg of his trip. "I felt like the tone in the questions, the atmosphere and the energy was very positive," Williams said. "That's what I enjoyed about it and enjoyed about Redsfest [in December]. I think people are focused on the future and focused on the upside that we've got. I really believe that. We got a lot of positive questions." While he was on the southern leg of caravan, Reds manager Bryan Price also sent a message of higher expectations ahead of the start of Spring Training on Feb. 13 in Arizona. "We don't want to be a team that is a second-tier, second-division, out-of-the-race-in-june-or-july type of ball club," Price said. "We want to be a team that's perennially in the discussion and in the standings where we get to compete for the postseason and be able to have something to play for in August and September. That has a lot to do with the maturation of our young players. You have to accept that responsibility and make it your own. I think we're on our way to doing that." Price confident Peraza will see time, despite infield jam

3 22-year-old's primary position is shortstop, but he can play 2B, outfield By Mark Sheldon / January 29th, COMMENTS FLORENCE, Ky. -- With two weeks remaining until the Reds open Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz., there remain some unresolved issues. One of the biggest questions that remains since the end of the 2016 season is how manager Bryan Price will find playing time for Jose Peraza. Reds general manager Dick Williams had hoped to trade either shortstop Zack Cozart or second baseman Brandon Phillips this winter to clear a spot. Now that it looks unlikely, he's not concerned. "I'll just say you're always going to have strength in some area," Williams said on Sunday before Reds Caravan wrapped up. "Middle infield is not the worst area to have some depth in. We'll get to Spring Training. We'll get these guys some reps. We'll make sure we get everybody healthy and producing and worry about divvying the at-bats." One of the stickier issues could be Phillips, who is earning $14 million this season in the final year of his contract with full no-trade protection. Phillips, who has turned down three trades the past two offseasons, doesn't like missing playing time. "I don't know. Hard to predict," Williams said when asked how the club would handle the situation with Phillips. "I do expect Bryan and I to be open with him going forward, as we've been open in the past." Peraza, who turns 23 on April 30, batted.324 with a.352 on-base percentage over 72 games, including 56 starts. His primary position is shortstop, but he can play second base, left field and center field. "If there was an injury there, I would want [Peraza] to be able to go in there and immediately play and play regularly at that position," Price said. "Going into the season with Brandon, Cozart, [Adam] Duvall, [Billy] Hamilton -- those are our guys going into the season who will take the lion's share of the playing time at those positions. "That being said, Peraza is going to play. How I get him in there has yet to be seen, but he'll get in there. It may just have to be rotation through different spots until an everyday spot comes to light. We certainly feel that's going to be in the middle of the infield, shortstop or second base." Dilson Herrera, who was acquired Aug. 1 from the Mets in the Jay Bruce trade, isn't as versatile as Peraza. "[Herrera]'s value for our club is not to be sitting on the bench five days a week," Price said. "He's either playing regularly in the big leagues or he's playing in Triple-A." Price wasn't prepared to say how he might split up the playing time so Peraza can play regularly if there are no injuries. "I can't right now," Price said. "I think we have to get through Spring Training and see where we are. We've dealt with the injury bug. We certainly don't know what our Opening Day roster is going to look like. Instead of answering that question at the end of January, I'd rather wait until the first of April." More items from Sunday: The addition of veteran starting pitcher Scott Feldman to the rotation competition will make the battle for the fifth spot dense. Several young pitchers are vying for the job, like Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Amir Garrett, Tim Adleman and Sal Romano. Williams expects there to be enough innings to go around in camp, even if it means adding "B" games. "I would love to have a problem with guys stepping up, and we've got too many," Williams said. "Last year, we thought we had numbers, and you find out quickly what injuries can do to you. Knock on wood, we're due for a healthier spring." Catcher Devin Mesoraco, who is rehabilitating from right hip and left shoulder surgeries, appears to be progressing. Also rehabbing from a knee surgery, Williams frequently notices Mesoraco. "I go down to rehab my knee every morning and see him in the clubhouse working with our [physical therapists]," Williams said. "He's been in town a lot. I know he's doing catching drills. I know he's doing hitting drills and advancing through the progression. I know that's going well. Exactly what that means for timing, I can't say." Senzel highlights 4 prospects on Top 100 list By Mark Sheldon / January 28th, COMMENTS CINCINNATI -- The industry seems to be bullish on multiple Reds prospects heading into Four Minor Leaguers were included among MLBPipeline.com's pre-season Top 100 prospects.

4 Third baseman Nick Senzel ranks 26th and remains Cincinnati's No. 1 prospect. Senzel is followed by starting left-hander Amir Garrett (No. 66) and left fielder Jesse Winker, who is one spot behind Garrett. Starting right-hander Robert Stephenson checked in at No. 87. The annual ranking of MLB's Top 100 prospects is assembled by MLBPipeline.com Draft and prospect experts Jonathan Mayo, Jim Callis and Mike Rosenbaum, who compile input from industry sources, including scouts and scouting directors. It is based on analysis of players' skill sets, upsides, proximity to the Majors and potential immediate impact to their teams. Only players with rookie status entering the 2017 season are eligible for the list. Players who were at least 23 years old when they signed and played in leagues deemed to be professional (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Cuba) are not eligible. Rankings are done twice a year -- once in the preseason and again at midseason. Senzel, 21, jumped 18 spots from his 2016 midseason ranking. Following a slow start in 10 games at Rookie-level Billings, where he was still adjusting after being selected No. 2 overall in the '16 Draft, he finished the year strong. In 58 games for Class A Dayton, Senzel batted.329/.415/.567 with seven home runs and 36 RBIs. He is not expected to be in the Major Leagues during the upcoming season but still appears to be on an express route. The club is determining whether Senzel will begin 2017 at Class A Advanced Daytona or Double-A Pensacola. Garrett, 24, dropped 21 spots from last year's midseason ranking but enjoyed a very solid He began at Pensacola, going 5-3 with a 1.75 ERA and WHIP in 13 games (12 starts) over 77 innings. After moving up to Triple-A Louisville, he posted a 2-5 record with a 3.46 ERA and a WHIP in 12 games (11 starts) spanning 67 2/3 innings. Garrett appeared in the MLB All-Star Futures Game for the second straight year. This spring, Garrett will be among several young starters competing for one of two open spots in the Major League rotation. Winker fell 14 spots after batting.303/.397/.384 with three home runs and 45 RBIs in 106 games for Louisville. The 23-year-old also dealt with a disabled list stint because of a right wrist sprain in June that kept him out nearly a month. The mission for Winker this spring will be to try and earn a spot in the Reds' outfield during camp. Cincinnati added him to the 40- man roster this offseason. Stephenson dropped 30 spots to No. 87 after an up-and-down 2016 season. He made his big league debut in April with two solid spot starts, but he struggled upon his return as a September callup. Overall for Cincinnati, Stephenson went 2-3 with a 6.08 ERA and a WHIP in 37 innings over eight starts. During his time at Louisville, Stephenson compiled an 8-9 record with a 4.41 ERA and a WHIP in 24 starts and 136 2/3 innings. Set to turn 24 on Feb. 24, he will join Garrett in contending for a rotation spot on the big league pitching staff. Reds Caravan spreads cheer to kids at Dayton Children's Hospital By Mark Sheldon / January 28th, COMMENT DAYTON, Ohio -- Reds radio-broadcasting icon Marty Brennaman walked into the hospital room on Saturday morning and saw a 15-year-old boy named Ian lying in his bed. Brennaman did not hesitate to spread some cheer. "How you doin' young man?" Brennaman said with a big voice and smile. And just like that, everybody was at ease and some conversation flowed. Brennaman was joined by Reds right fielder Scott Schebler, Minor League prospect Blake Trahan, former Reds outfielder Dmitri Young, assistant general manager Nick Krall, Fox Sports Ohio broadcaster Brian Giesenschlag and mascot Gapper. The visit to Dayton Children's Hospital was the first stop of the day as part of the Reds Caravan's north leg. "It's tough. It's really tough," Brennaman said of seeing young people hospitalized. "It's human nature to have healthy kids and want to take it for granted. And then you see a situation like this and you realize the old saying, 'But for the grace of God, go I.'" Brennaman is a major supporter of the Dragonfly Foundation in Cincinnati, which seeks to bring care, comfort and joy to kids and young adults coping with cancer. "It's a sobering experience," Brennaman continued. "I think we bring some joy into to the lives of these kids, who might have some knowledge of who we are in a general sort of way -- or a specific way, if they are diehard baseball fans from a young age."

5 The Reds often visit hospitals on caravan trips and during the season. But Saturday's stop came after a special request made to the club in December by 18-year-old Rosie Westerbeck, a senior at Minster High School. Westerbeck, a former Miss Ohio's Outstanding Teen 2014, started the Red Wagon Campaign to benefit Dayton Children's Hospital and the Children's Miracle Network. Her nonprofit organization collects wagons to fill with toys and games for young patients. When Westerbeck was in first grade, she was a patient at Dayton Children's Hospital. "I remember the child-life specialists. There was someone who made blankets, and I got one when I was here," Westerbeck explained. "I don't remember anything else about the visit but getting the blanket and feeling so comfortable here. I was so at home. In high school and through volunteering, I wanted to give back. I wanted to let them know that this was the best hospital visit you can have. The hospital, for a kid, is super scary. It really is. But they have a way of making you feel comfortable here, and I wanted to give back to them and let them know I appreciated it. "They always need red wagons. They're like wheelchairs and they use them for transportation. That's what I wanted to do." As a freshman, Westerbeck donated five wagons and her school helped fill them with toys and other items. This year, she was able to provide 14 wagons with thousands of dollars in toys and games amassed via donations from her community. A couple of the wagons were loaded up with Reds gear on Saturday. Schebler and Trahan helped pull them from room to room. "It's always good to come here and brighten somebody's day [who] might be having a rough time," Schebler said. "I've had family members go through rough times. It's really cool to brighten their day. I know how tough it can be to be in the hospital all the time. It's not a fun place to be. But if we can bring any joy to them, it makes us feel good -- and if it ultimately makes them feel better, that's all that matters." Everyone made sure each kid visited got something to enjoy. Gapper particularly brought a smile to 17-year-old Brooke, who laughed as he came in bearing gifts. Down the hall, 12-year-old MeKensey and her father also got a nice lift for a few minutes. "This is the main man right here," Brennaman said of Gapper. "He brought the goody bag and hats." Westerbeck smiled as she joined the players walking the halls. "That was one of my goals, to get some notable people with me to come donate the next wagons," she said. "Definitely a goal was achieved." Brennaman and the group were pleased they could stop over for a little while before continuing the rest of their tour. "This is not the easiest thing in the world to do," Brennaman said. "But it's something you feel like you have to do and hope you put a smile on the face of a kid before you leave here." Duvall receives warm welcome in hometown By Mark Sheldon / January 27th, COMMENTS LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Left fielder Adam Duvall didn't just walk into the Reds Caravan stop at Louisville Slugger Field as a hometown-raised Major League player. The packed room recognized that Duvall did much more in Duvall not only hit 33 home runs with 103 RBIs last season -- his first as a full-time big leaguer -- but he also made the National League All-Star team and took part in the Home Run Derby. His defense made him a finalist for the NL Gold Glove Award. Therefore, it was no surprise that Duvall received the loudest applause from fans and took a lion's share of the queries during the open microphone Q&A session. "It's cool. This is where it all started," Duvall said. "It's where a lot of work was put in. I have a lot of memories in this city, and it's fun." Duvall, 28, was born and raised in Louisville, and he still calls the city home in the offseason. He also played two years at the University of Louisville. At the 2015 non-waiver Trade Deadline, the Reds acquired Duvall and prospect Keury Mella from the Giants for pitcher Mike Leake. Duvall appeared in 25 games for the Reds' Triple-A affiliate in Louisville, not a lot but enough to enjoy playing in front of friends and family.

6 Entering 2016, Duvall was simply battling for a roster spot, expecting to platoon in left field with Scott Schebler. "They were going to share the position or one player was going to take the position and make it their own. That's exactly what Adam did," said Reds manager Bryan Price, who was also at the Louisville stop for the southern leg of the annual caravan. Duvall batted.241 with a.297 on-base percentage last season. In 2017, he doesn't have the pressure to fight for a job. But Duvall has used the offseason at home in Louisville to prepare himself for subtle improvement of his numbers at the plate. "I think the biggest thing that I want to do is have a good approach with two strikes," Duvall said. "That's really the only thing I'm changing this offseason. I want to do a better job with two strikes. Fifty percent of your at-bats will have two strikes. You have to be able to hit." Duvall will be making another return to Louisville Slugger Field with the Reds soon. Following Spring Training in Arizona, the Reds will visit and play their Triple-A affiliate at 6:15 p.m. ET on March 31. "I grew up here. It means a lot to me to come back to the city and play," Duvall said. "It will be fun, that game at the end of March." Price also felt it was significant for Louisville and some of its alumni, which includes Joey Votto, Billy Hamilton, Homer Bailey, Devin Mesoraco and more. Louisville has been a Reds affiliate since "It's good to come back to Louisville because so many of our players played here as a Triple-A stop on their way to the big leagues," Price said. "Any time you go to an affiliate, especially one where you played as a young Minor Leaguer, there's definitely a benefit to it. It's always wonderful to come back to the affiliates and re-connect with the people that you remembered from your times earlier." CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds' starter Homer Bailey says he should be ready for spring C. Trent Rosecrans, crosecrans@enquirer.com 11:29 a.m. ET Jan. 29, 2017 Homer Bailey flew into Cincinnati on Friday and he was scheduled to fly back home to Texas on Sunday, and for once his offseason visit didn t include any prodding or poking on his right elbow. Bailey was in town to participate in the Garth Brooks Teammates Baseball and Football ProCamp at the University of Cincinnati on Saturday along with Brooks, his wife Trisha Yearwood, former Reds pitcher J.J. Hoover and Pro Football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz. It s the type of offseason appearance that players often do in a normal offseason, the type of offseason Bailey is now enjoying. It's a foundation I've been involved with the last few years," Bailey said between working with 125 kids from various organizations in Cincinnati. "As soon as I got an a few months ago that they were going to be in Cincinnati, I knew I had to come to that. And then I'll check out one of Garth's shows. Once back in Texas, Bailey will continue throwing and is expected to throw off a mound a couple of times before pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Goodyear, Arizona, on Feb. 13. Bailey said he s already received his tentative schedule for spring from manager Bryan Price, and because of the extra week of spring training due to the World Baseball Classic, he should have plenty of time to be ready for the start of the season. After flexor mass surgery in September of 2014 and ulnar collateral ligament replacement surgery in May of 2015, Bailey has made just eight starts over the last two seasons. Last year his comeback was cut short after six starts with elbow issues. Last month Bailey began his throwing routine, but he balks at the use of the word normal to describe how he s feeling. I don't think there is such a thing as normal anymore, but everything is OK, he said. I m getting ready to play a baseball season. I haven't had a lot of time to think about how things have felt because I've been too busy just working out, throwing and getting in shape. For now, that s what he can do, prepare to be in the best position possible to pitch for a full season, something he hasn t done since With the Reds going through another year in their rebuild with Bailey, a pitcher that was signed to a long-term deal to be the

7 anchor of the rotation, a healthy Bailey would certainly benefit the team and its future. But even with the trade of veteran Dan Straily, Bailey said he didn t feel like there was more on his shoulders entering There's probably more on my elbow than my shoulders, he said. Opportunity available for young Reds pitchers in spring training C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan, Cincinnati 4:17 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2017 FLORENCE Of all the things that could keep Reds general manager Dick Williams up at night, finding innings for all the starters in Reds camp isn t one of them. When pitchers and catchers report to camp in Goodyear, Arizona, on Feb. 13, there are many more candidates than open spots in the team s rotation. Barring injuries, Anthony DeSclafani, Homer Bailey and Brandon Finnegan have spots locked up. Free-agent signing Scott Feldman is a clear leader for the fourth spot, Bryan Price said, leaving perhaps just one more spot for the team s bevy of young starting pitching talent. Among those battling for the rotation will be Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Amir Garrett, Sal Romano, Rookie Davis, Jackson Stephens, Tyler Mahle, Nick Travieso and Keury Mella. There s also 29-year-old Tim Adleman, who made 13 starts for the Reds a year ago. Williams noted the team isn t done adding players, either, although any addition at this point (including former Red Bronson Arroyo) is unlikely to have a big-league contract. The more the better. We can add B games to get innings if we need to, we'll get them innings, we'll get them a look, Williams said. I d love to have the problem of guys stepping up and having too many. Last year we thought we had numbers and you find out quickly what injuries can do to you. Knock on wood, we're due for a healthier spring. Spring training is a week longer this season because of the World Baseball Classic, and the Reds are scheduled to play four more Cactus League games (36) than a year ago (32). Mesoraco progressing Williams has gotten an up-close look at catcher Devin Mesoraco s workouts as he tries to come back from hip and shoulder injury, as Williams himself has used the Great American Ball Park facilities for his recovery from knee surgery. I go down every morning, so I see him in the clubhouse working with our (physical trainers), he's been in town a lot, Williams said. I know he's doing catching drills, I know he's doing hitting drills, advancing through the progression. I know that's going well. Exactly what that means for timing, I can't say, but it's been positive. Mesoraco has played in just 39 games over the last two years because of hip and shoulder injuries. The 28-year-old former All-Star catcher is expected to ease into spring training drills, but with the hope he ll be ready for the season. The Reds took a catcher, Stuart Turner, in the Rule 5 draft in December and could still add another veteran for camp, Williams has said. Tucker Barnhart caught a career-best 108 games last season, hitting well enough to show he can shoulder a bigger load behind the plate if needed. Déjà vu for Adleman As the Cincinnati Reds Caravan wrapped up Sunday at the Florence Mall, right-hander Tim Adleman had a bit of déjà vu. He d spent plenty of time in this mall back in 2012 when he was in spring training with the independent league Florence Freedom. He didn t make the team. Now he was back, this time wearing a Reds jersey after an unlikely but successful stint in the majors last year with Cincinnati. People lined up to get his autograph. I just texted a buddy who was on that team with me for a brief period, and I was like, I m in the Florence Mall right now, right across from the theater that we used to go check out a couple movies at, Adleman said. It s funny how some things come full circle. I guess I m glad to be back here in this capacity. Adleman went on to play for three other independent league teams after the Freedom cut him loose, and eventually rejoined affiliated baseball when the Reds signed him to a minor-league deal in Last year, he made the big leagues and posted a 4.13 ERA in 13 starts.

8 He ll be in the mix for the final spot in the rotation again, although team brass often lists his name last among the young arms vying for that slot. The Reds have a bevy of higher-upside prospects approaching the majors, but Adleman is confident in his chances. If I didn t feel like I had a good chance to win that spot, then it s maybe time to hang them up and do something, Adleman said. How do the Reds handle their middle infield conundrum? C. Trent Rosecrans, crosecrans@enquirer.com Published 4:09 p.m. ET Jan. 29, 2017 FLORENCE The Reds caravan may have ended Sunday, but the questions about the Reds middle infield won t. As Reds manager Bryan Price and members of the team s front office traveled across five states on four different legs, culminating at the Florence Mall on Sunday, they faced some version of the same question all along the way what happens with Brandon Phillips and Zack Cozart? Both of the team s middle infielders will be free agents after the 2017 season and there is a possible heir apparent at both spots in Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera. The team s attempts to trade Phillips have been an ongoing storyline since 2013, but the 35-year-old second baseman has used his no-trade rights to nix several deals since then. He had a limited no-trade clause in his six-year, $72.5 million deal signed in 2012 and then he earned full no-trade rights during the 2014 season having reached 10 years of total service time including the last five with the Reds. Since then, Phillips has nixed deals to the Diamondbacks, the Nationals and his hometown Atlanta Braves. As the Reds enter spring training next month, it appears Phillips will be there. Brandon's going to play, but the thing is, they're all going to play, let's put it that way," Price said during a question-and-answer session at the Florence Mall on Sunday. "We're all going to play and have a heck of a time doing it. Brandon's a big part of our team, we haven't forgotten about him. We love what Brandon's done, we've got a lot of guys who are going to contribute to the team this year. Earlier this week, Price was asked about how that may work, with the needs of Peraza to get regular time and the prospect of Herrera playing more. Peraza played four defensive positions for the Reds last year second base, shortstop, center field and left field and that could happen again, Price said. I can't right now because I think we're going to have to get through spring training and see where we are, Price said. We've dealt with the injury bug. We certainly don't know what our Opening Day roster is going to look like, so instead of answering that question at the end of January, I'd rather wait until the first of April, just to know exactly what our roster is going to look like from a health perspective and an overall 25-man roster perspective. Other teams could also suffer injuries between now and Opening Day, making some of the Reds veteran assets more attractive, or the Reds could have injuries that make the subject moot. You're always going to have strength in some areas, more depth in some areas and less depth in others," Reds General Manager Dick Williams said. "Middle infield is not the worst area to have some depth in. We'll get to spring training, we'll get these guys healthy and producing and then we'll worry about divvying up at-bats. Peraza showed promise in his 79 games in 2016, hitting.324/.352/.411, and took over the everyday shortstop spot over the final 21 games of the season after Cozart missed the final three weeks of the season with issues relating to his 2015 knee surgery. Going into the season with Brandon, Cozart, (Adam) Duvall, (Billy) Hamilton, those are our guys going into the season that are going to take up the lion's share of the playing time at those positions, Price said. That being said, Peraza's gonna play. How I get him in there is yet to be seen. He'll get in. It may just have to be a rotation in different spots until an everyday spot comes to light. I certainly feel that's going to be in the middle infield short or second base. But Peraza isn t the only young player who needs to find playing time in the middle infield. Herrera was acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline in exchange for Jay Bruce. Herrera, who turns 23 in March, was seen as the Mets second baseman of the future and one of the reasons the Mets let Daniel Murphy go via free agency following the 2015 season. Herrera played 49 games over the 2014 and 2015 seasons and was expected to be ready to assume the Mets full-time duties at his position in Now, it s the Reds who must see where he fits in their future plans. Unlike Peraza, Herrera is likely tied to one position second base. His value, for our club, is not to be sitting on the bench five days a week, Price said. He's either playing regularly in the big leagues or he's playing regularly at Triple-A. That's going to be based on if anything changes with our roster. He's a second

9 baseman, really, primarily, exclusively a second baseman. In order for him to play on a regular basis, that position would have to be vacated. Loyal fans flock to Reds Caravan John Fay 9:56 PM, Jan 29, 2017 WCPO - Channel 9 FLORENCE, Ky. A fan at Florence Mall for the Reds Caravan finale asked manager Bryan Price a simple question: Is this the year the Reds are going to win the World Series? There s no reason to think it s not, Price said. That got some mild chuckles from the crowd, but Price continued. We have a good team, he said. It s a matter of battling the teams in the National League Central. The Cubs have separated themselves from the pack. But we would love to surprise the world. It would be more than a surprise. It would be absolute stunner if the Reds won it all. But Price s assessment that the team would be better pleased the fans who showed up in numbers on a snowy Sunday morning. They waited patiently for autographs and pictures. The folks who show up at Caravan and Redsfest are the core of the fan base. They love their Reds thick and thin and the last three years have been mighty thin. I think they understand the rebuild. They are a patient group. During the question-and-answer session, no one asked owner Bob Castellini why he hadn t spent more on the free agents. Fans know those days are over for the near future. There were years when we put every dollar we could into the Major League payroll, president of baseball operation Dick Williams said. That money is now invested in player development. One fan did ask Williams if he was going to trade for Mike Trout. I like our outfield, Williams said before nixing the idea that the baseball s best player was coming to the Reds. Another fan wanted to know if Brandon Phillips was going to play. They re all going to play, Price said. Brandon is still part of our team. That pleased the crowd. Most of whom knew Phillips is part of the team because the Reds can t get rid of him. He s vetoed three trades. The crowd was also pleased to hear Williams say that there s possibility of Bronson Arroyo returning. Sunday s crowd was not hard to please. Again, they are the loyal believers. But the broader fan base isn t as loyal or as understanding. Three straight years losing seasons has kept them away. That s why attendance was 1.7 million in 2016, down from 2.4 million in 15. That s why this is a critical year. The Reds don t have to shock the world, as Price alluded to. But I think the Reds have to make progress. I think they have to get back.500 at least or the loyal believers are going to be all they have left. Schebler not taking starting job in right field for granted SPORTS By Jeff Gilbert - Contributing Writer Posted: 5:17 p.m. Sunday, January 29, 2017 DAYTON DAILY NEWS

10 Scott Schebler plans to enter spring training without expecting the thing most teammates, front-office types and fans expect to be a sure thing: that he will be the Cincinnati Reds everyday right fielder. I m not going in with any expectations of having a job, he said at Saturday s Reds Caravan stop at the Air Force Museum. I want to have the job. I m just saying I m not going in there thinking I have something won already that I haven t earned. The Reds hope is that Schebler s 82 big-league games were enough to prove he is good enough to flourish in the position Jay Bruce owned for eight-plus years. I think you re looking at your starting right fielder, said assistant general manager Nick Krall. We ve got high hopes for him that he can be a solid player going forward. The Reds might enter this season as settled in the outfield as they have been in a long time. Left field was somebody new every year until now because of Adam Duvall. Billy Hamilton is anchored in center after a strong finish in Now right field is the question that most think Schebler is the answer for. Schebler opened 2016 platooning in left with Duvall. That situation didn t last long. Duvall became an All-Star with 33 homers and 103 RBIs. Schebler went to AAA Louisville and found his swing. When Bruce was traded to the New York Mets, Schebler came back. In those 44 games, he hit.329 with seven homers and 28 RBIs. Schebler came to the Reds from the Los Angeles Dodgers before last season in the three-way deal that also brought Jose Peraza to the Reds and sent Todd Frazier to the Chicago White Sox. Schebler said the trade was the best thing for him, but the change in organizations took time to get used to. The key moment was the day he came back to Cincinnati. Bruce was traded the day before, which was not a popular move in the clubhouse. Schebler, who had just been named International League player of the month, changed the somber mood with a three-run walk-off homer to beat the St. Louis Cardinals. Obviously that was a huge moment for me, but it was just contributing to the team and feeling a part of the team, he said. It set me on a path that I played out the rest of the year. The expectation this year is that Duvall and Schebler and will bring power to the offense and be strong on defense again. That leaves Hamilton to patrol center field and beyond with his speed. But the key to a Reds offense that should not have trouble scoring runs is what Hamilton can do batting lead-off for an entire season. Last year Hamilton had career highs in batting average (.260), on-base percentage (.321) and stolen bases (58) in 119 games. Hamilton s hitting improved greatly in the second half of the season after working with Joey Votto. If he can hit.260 and be willing to take a walk he showed much more patience the last two months of the year, much more selective at the plate he s the most impactful player I ve seen in a Reds uniform in the years I ve been here, because he can take a game over by himself, said Reds hall of fame radio voice Marty Brennaman, who is about to start his 44th season. And the only way you can do that is to get on base. So guys like Schebler and Duvall can knock him in. FOXSPORTS.COM Cincinnati Reds fill minor league coaching staffs with former major leaguers Nick Vorholt/FanSided via Blog Red Machine Fansided Jan 29, 2017 at 3:58p ET The Cincinnati Reds have once again added mostly major leaguers to the coaching staffs for their minor league teams. The Cincinnati Reds have a former big league second baseman at the helm of their Triple-A and Double-A teams. They also added a fourth coach to each staff. The Reds want their minor leaguers to have access to successful former major leaguers before they get to Cincinnati. Former Montreal Expo second baseman, Delino DeShields, returns as the manager for Triple-A Louisville. He played in the majors for 13 seasons including playing for both the Chicago Cubs and the Saint Louis Cardinals. He never won any major individual awards, but he did lead the National League in triples in 1997.

11 Another former Montreal Expo, Jeff Fassero, is Louisville s pitching coach. He also pitched for both the Chicago Cubs and the Saint Louis Cardinals in his 16 year MLB career. He helped close for the Cubs in 2001, but his career highlight was starting 35 games for the Seattle Mariners in Former Chicago Cubs catcher, Jody Davis, is the hitting coach for the Louisville Bats. He played 10 years for the Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, twice making the All-Star team for the NL. In 1986 he won the Gold Glove award, but by 1988 he was a part-time player. The Pensacola Blue Wahoos staff is completely filled by former major leaguers for the Cincinnati Reds. Former Yankees second baseman, Pat Kelly, is the manager for the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. He was the starting second baseman for the 1992 and 1993 Yankees team. He also played for the Saint Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays. The Blue Wahoos pitching coach is former Houston Astros hurler, Danny Darwin. He led the NL with a 2.21 ERA in 1990 as a 34-year old. Perhaps he should spend some more time in Cincinnati this year, as he led the American League in home runs in 1985 before returning to mostly normal numbers for the rest of his career. Maybe he could help Brandon Finnegan. The bench coach for the Blue Wahoos is Dick Schofield, who spent most of his 14 year MLB career as the shortstop for the California Angels. During his rather anonymous career, his only accolade was finishing 22nd in the AL MVP voting in 1986 as a 23-year old. Other than that, he spent nine years as a starter in one of the most physical positions on the field. The goal is for the minor leaguers to reach Cincinnati some day. Single-A Daytona also has former major leaguers, Eli Marrero and Ricky Gutierrez, on their bench. There is definitely still a Saint Louis Cardinals feel to the coaching staff from the Walk Jocketty era. That doesn t matter, but turning minor leaguers into major leaguers does. Cincinnati Reds What If What would have happened if the Reds had signed Logan Schafer? Nick Vorholt/FanSided via Blog Red Machine Fansided Jan 25, 2017 at 8:28a ET The Cincinnati Reds had an interesting chance to add an elite defensive outfielder by signing Logan Schafer. The Cincinnati Reds have no real back-up center fielder headed into 2017, instead relying on back-up infielders Arismendy Alcantara and Jose Peraza. The Reds waived their back-up center fielder Tyler Holt at the end of the season. This is a look at Logan Schafer, but there are other fielding-first outfielders in the free agent market. Drew Stubbs, Will Venable and Eric Young are all available among others. Schafer is a former Milwaukee Brewers prospect who never quite made it in the big leagues. He has always had a higher than expected OBP based on batting average, but only has one year of starting experience. In that one year he only batted.211. Schafer is a good base runner and plus defensive center fielder. He is also a left handed batter. That would have made Schafer a good match-up to back-up Billy Hamilton and Adam Duvall. Schafer is light on power. He only has 5 career home runs in over 300 career games. He also only has 34 doubles, so he really has very little power. Schafer s lack of power and overall offense has been what s held him back in his career. He is good enough to hold down a job as a defensive specialist if a team has a spot available for that. Schafer has been able to get better with getting on base as his career has progressed. Schafer signed a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. The Cincinnati Reds need to find someone besides Jose Peraza to be the back-up center fielder. Jose Peraza and Triple-A infielder Hernan Iribarren had to fill in at center field when Billy Hamilton wore out in Peraza then had to close out the season as the team s shortstop when Zack Cozart injured his knee. That left Iribarren and right fielder Scott Schebler in center.

12 The Reds could use a player like Schafer. He could come in on a minor league deal and stay in Triple-A if there was no need for him to start the season in Cincinnati. The Reds do not need a true center field back-up until they trade Cozart or Hamilton wears down again. As a left-handed hitter Schafer would have provided good support for Adam Duvall in left. It also would have made him a decent choice for a bat off of the bench. Most of the players that the Reds like as bench players bat right handed. While it won t be Schafer, but rather another veteran outfielder, the Reds could definitely improve their roster by adding a minor league center fielder. Peraza is a nice choice as a super sub, but his future is starting everyday. In the mean time the Reds depth will remain questionable. Cincinnati Reds should make a run at trading for Mike Trout this off-season Nick Vorholt/FanSided via Blog Red Machine Fansided Jan 26, 2017 at 11:58a ET The Cincinnati Reds are in the unique position to have a set of young prospects and major leaguers to make an offer for Mike Trout. The Cincinnati Reds could make a big splash to accelerate their rebuilding process. The Los Angeles Angels are a team on the way down. The Reds could use that to their advantage. The buzz from Los Angeles this off-season is that the Angels want to make one more run at the World Series with Mike Trout before Albert Pujols retires. With a talent like Mike Trout, much like perennial MVP candidate Joey Votto, the goal should be to win every year. Rebuilds are not the way to manage the career of an elite player. The Reds have the players that make sense for both organizations. The Reds could start the deal with Brandon Phillips, Raisel Iglesias and Blake Wood. Then they could add Robert Stephenson and Jesse Winker. Phillips gets included so the Reds can financially afford to do it, but sending their top two prospects not named Nick Senzel should get the conversation started. The great part of this is that the Reds have the depth of mid-level prospects to add more to the deal. Barrett Astin and Wandy Peralta, a pair of relievers, could be added with little impact on the Reds pitching plans for the next few years. The Reds could also offer Billy Hamilton, if the Angels were interested. The Reds could go with other prospect options, as well. They have some younger prospects like shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez that the Reds don t have in their long term plans yet. The Reds need a shopping list from the Angels and to decide whether or not to go for a World Series. The Cincinnati Reds would put Mike Trout on top of a line-up with Joey Votto batting at the heart of it. The key to this radical idea is that Trout would have to bat lead-off. There just isn t anyone else, unless the Reds move Trout to right. Hamilton could stay in center in that case. Another key is that the Reds would need to keep their current big two in the rotation together for multiple years. Trout would improve the offense in the outfield with either Dilson Herrera or Jose Peraza replacing Brandon Phillips at second. The pitching staff would consist of the young pitchers not involved in the deal. The Angels have fooled themselves into thinking that they are close to competing, but their pitching tells another story. The Angels made the mistake of not investing enough in pitching during the past several years of Trout s career. Instead, they have wasted a year or two of Trout s career by not accumulating enough pitching talent. They let themselves believe the core was going to be good enough for another few years with Trout at center. If the Reds are able to convince Trout to embrace the lead-off role again and keep the core of Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan together, they could compete with either the Chicago Cubs or the Los Angeles Dodgers. The trick in today s MLB is to get into a short series with the dominant team in the playoffs, but not a long one. The Reds could lean heavily on Michael Lorenzen during a five game series. Instead of this, the Reds aren t asking and the Angels are not shopping Mike Trout. However, the point is that the Reds must take more action. Even if this sort of idea is a year early, it cannot wait. The conversation finally needs to happen at Great American Ballpark on a weekly basis.

13 Cincinnati Reds: Prospects That Will Contribute In 2017 Frank Spencer/FanSided via Blog Red Machine Fansided Jan 27, 2017 at 12:48p ET The Cincinnati Reds have built themselves a tremendous farm system loaded with talent. Who can the Reds depend on to help the club in 2017? With all the talk of a rebuild, it s important to take a deeper look into the Cincinnati Reds minor league teams and see what the future holds. Are the current prospects going to be a part of the rebuild? Or will new faces surface to take the Reds to the promised land? There is a great chance that you will see a few new guys taking the field this season for the Reds. The majority of the players that will make their mark known are pitchers. It is not a secret that the Reds need depth in the bullpen. After a few free agent signings, Cincinnati has improved upon last years disappointment of a staff. Guys like Drew Storen, Louis Coleman and recently acquired veteran Scott Feldman will likely be the grey beards of the group. Long Relievers The area in which the Reds need depth, is currently in the long reliever role. At this point in the offseason, piecing together a late inning rotation is difficult. The Drew Storen signing all but sured up his value as the Closer. But who will the set-up man be? My pick is for Michael Lorenzen or Raisel Iglesias to step into that role. The Reds have some evaluating to do in that position. Look for the set-up guy to be an experiment. Tony Cingrani was slated to close in 2017 before the Storen signing. With Storen now the Reds projected closer, Cingrani will be free to take on the long reliever role alongside possibly Blake Wood and Jumbo Diaz. Iglesias and Lorenzen will contribute to the multi-inning relief positions once the battle for the 8th inning is locked down. Amir Garrett Deserves A Call Depending on the health of the starting rotation, the Reds would be smart to utilize the pitching talent wherever they can. MLB Pipeline ranks Amir Garrett as the second best prospect in the Reds system. Garrett is an older minor league pitcher. The 6 5, 230 pound lefty is projected to be a starter in the show however, if the reds need an arm, they need to give Garrett the call. The knock on Garrett is his off-speed stuff. He hasn t mastered a put out pitch. The bullpen is a great place to work on his slider. A starting role isn t out of the question either depending on the status of Homer Bailey and the recent departure of Dan Straily. The 24 year old has to be included somewhere on this staff. Robert Stephenson has already seen time at the major league level. Rookie Davis is also a name who could give the Reds some innings. You can expect to see young pitchers routinely in A Position Player To Keep an Eye On A position player to be on the lookout for is Jesse Winker. The hype surrounding Winker has been substantial. Winker is 23 years old and ready for the show. With little outfield depth, Winker may look to make his debut sooner, rather than later for the Red Legs. Great American Ballpark is a hitter-friendly place to play. The lefty projects to be a threat at the plate. He also hits for a solid average. In Triple-A Louisville last season Winker hit.303 with an OBP flirting at.400. The Reds could use some consistent base hits from the outfield positions. In addition, although Jose Peraza is no longer just a prospect, he is still a young name to know. Fans should look for the utility player to make an impact everywhere on the field this season. "Oct. The Time is Now If the Reds want to compete in the near future, it s inevitable that the youth movement must take place. Rebuild or not, these prospects finally need to see the field. With little to no Major League experience, top prospects could essentially not be what the club had hoped for. Once these young talents make their debuts, then we will know the clock is ticking for many current Reds. Before all else, these names must prove themselves to be worthy of a long term investment before the coaching staff should bet all of their chips on them. Oft-injured Reds catcher Mesoraco keeps looking forward Jeff Gilbert Contributing Writer 6:54 p.m Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 Journal-News Sports JOURNAL NEWS

14 A large crowd of Reds fans came out for the annual winter caravan at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force on Saturday. Devin Mesoraco isn t thinking much these days about his hometown of Groundhog Day fame, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. His thoughts are much sunnier and much farther south. So Mesoraco was caught off guard by a submitted question from a fan at the Reds Caravan gathering Saturday at the Air Force Museum. What will Groundhog Day mean for us this year? Mesoraco couldn t remember what it means if Phil sees his shadow or not. More winter or less winter? Then he made the crowd laugh. It ll be spring for me out in Arizona, so I don t really care, Mesoraco said. This spring is the most important one of Mesoraco s career. The shadow of the past two years is the only one he cares about. A troublesome hip and a torn labrum in his left shoulder limited him to 18 starts at catcher and 22 overall. He wants to come out of that shadow swinging. Reds players and broadcaster Marty Brennaman meet fans and talk about the 2017 team at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Saturday morning. I ve tried to look forward as opposed to looking in the past and know that one of these days I m going to get everything taken care of and be able to be back out there, he said. But we re getting towards the end of that. I fully expect to be ready to go and be back to my normal self. Mesoraco was an All-Star in 2014 when he had 25 home runs and 80 RBIs. He says he s on schedule to be the starting catcher again on opening day after starting catching drills earlier this month. I m doing all kinds of baseball stuff, he said. We re going slow but everything so far s been very smooth. Catchers and pitchers report to Goodyear, Arizona, in 15 days. The World Baseball Classic in March has added five days to spring training, which will only help Mesoraco s preparation. You don t have to push him at the beginning of camp, you can just let him progress at his own timetable, Reds assistant general manager Nick Krall said. And hopefully at the end of camp he s ready to go. Maybe the biggest adjustment for Mesoraco will be a staff full of pitchers he s never caught. He knows Homer Bailey and Anthony DeSclafani, but after those two he has little to no experience with the staff. We have some good young guys who obviously have good stuff, Mesoraco said. There s more young guys coming that have good stuff. Hopefully I can pass on some things that the veterans have passed on to me and help them as much as I can. Tucker Barnhart has filled in well for Mesoraco and will be on the opening day roster. The third catcher right now is Stuart Turner, a former third-round pick of the Minnesota Twins with no major-league experience. There has been talk of the Reds acquiring another veteran catcher. If something makes sense, we re always open to it, Krall said. But we re not saying we need this or we need that. We like the guys that are coming in. Four-day tour: The north end of the Reds Caravan tour also visited Miami-Hamilton University later in the day. The four points of the tour cover 3,300 miles, 17 stops and five states. It concludes today at 11 a.m. at the Florence Mall in Kentucky. Dayton was Mesoraco s only appearance. He was joined by Krall, Reds radio voice Marty Brennaman, outfielder Scott Schebler, minor-league infielder Blake Trahan and former Red Dmitri Young. Marty s future: The question was posed as to whether the Reds can win another World Series before Brennaman retires. He said he believes that could happen. And he didn t sound like his 44th year would be his last. The retirement thing is quite honestly something I ve thought an awful lot about, and it scares me to death, he said. The unknowns in retirement can overwhelm you. 01/29/17 TRANSACTIONS