Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings November 6, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY

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1 Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings November 6, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1869-In the final match of the season, the Red Stockings defeat the Mutuals of New York, 17-8, at Union Grounds, finishing the season with a perfect record of 57-0 MLB.COM Bernardino's spin turns heads in Fall Stars Game By Matt Kelly / MLB.com November 5th, COMMENTS While the stars of today were wrapping up the postseason, the stars of tomorrow have been showing off their skills out west in the Arizona Fall League. On Saturday, with the Major League calendar completed, many of baseball's best prospects took the stage in front of a national audience. The Fall Stars Game has offered first glimpses of many of the game's current superstars, from Mike Trout to Kris Bryant to Byron Buxton, as scouting reports met with the eye-test for fans looking toward the future. But with the game at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz., we've gained another tool at our disposal: Statcast 's player tracking technology. While characteristics like fastball command for pitchers or plate discipline for hitters usually takes time to develop, Statcast shows us some of the raw tools these prospects already possess. High spin rates, scorching exit velocities and off-the-chart speed are traits that don't necessarily need large sample sizes to analyze. With that in mind, here are the Statcast plays that stood out from the East's 4-2 victory, as well as the Major League stars that those plays reminded us of. Top 1st: Tomas Nido throws out Ronald Acuna on a caught stealing MLB comp: Austin Hedges, Padres C Acuna's 60-grade speed has generated about as many raves as his bat this fall, and he showed a glimpse of that when he led off the game with a single and then took off for second on a steal attempt. MLBPipeline.com's No. 5 overall prospect reached a top sprint speed of 29.4 feet per second, according to Statcast, which brushes up against the 30 ft/sec benchmark for elite speed inhabited only by Buxton and Billy Hamilton. Unfortunately for Acuna, an even better throw by Nido sent him jogging back to the dugout. Nido, the Mets' No. 9 prospect, rose and fired with a pop time of 1.91 seconds and fired an accurate 82.9-mph throw to second. For context, Yadier Molina's 82.9-mph average on "max effort" throws (or those within his 90th percentile or higher) ranked 11th among full-time MLB catchers in But Nido's pop time clocked in well under the MLB average of two seconds, and would likely have been a highlight for Hedges, who topped all full-time catchers with a 1.95-second average pop time on max effort throws to second this year. Nido might not pull off such a quick transfer on all his throws moving forward, but when faced with a tough test in Acuna, he passed with flying colors. Bot 1st: Victor Robles steals second base MLB comp: Buxton, Twins CF Robles, of course, was the other player who brought a reputation for game-changing speed into the Fall Stars Game. MLBPipeline's No. 2 overall prospect scored seemingly in the blink of an eye after leading off with a walk, and it was the way he did so that was as impressive as how fast he did it. Facing Pirates prospect Mitch Keller, Robles only ventured 12.3 feet into his secondary lead before darting for second base. That secondary lead was roughly eight feet shorter than the Major League average on successful steals of second over the first two years of Statcast data, meaning Robles gave himself an extra degree of difficulty. But Robles made it in safely with a headfirst slide after reaching a blazing top sprint speed of 30.2 feet per second. How fast is 30.2 feet per second? That happened to be the same sprint speed average that made Buxton MLB's fastest player in It should be noted that only max effort runs of at least two bases are factored into the averages on Statcast 's sprint speed leaderboard, but 30.2 ft/sec is still elite speed, no matter what kind of play it's recorded on. Furthermore, we already know Robles' speed translates to the Majors after he set the Nationals' fastest home-to-third time in Statcast history two months ago. Top 8th: Brennan Bernardino strikes out Austin Riley

2 MLB comp: Seth Lugo, Mets P Riley fouled off two consecutive curveballs in this at-bat before Bernardino froze him with another hook for strike three. Why are we focusing on this specific pitch? Because Bernardino's curve registered a spin rate that's hardly ever seen at the Major League level: 3,063 RPM. A curveball with over 3,000 RPM is a rare breed; only 2.5 percent of all curves thrown at the big league level this season rotated that much. In the first three years of Statcast, we've seen that higher-spin curves tend to generate more groundballs and swings and misses than average. In fact, MLB hitters as a unit slugged just.247 against 3,000-plus RPM fastballs in Unfortunately, we've yet to see a Major League pitcher find success by repeatedly throwinge 3,000-plus RPM curveballs. The best example is probably Lugo, who routinely rips off elite-spin curves but had to navigate a partial tear in the UCL of his pitching elbow in Lugo hasn't thrown his curve more than 18 percent of the time in either of his first two seasons, perhaps due in part to that injury concern. Still, the potential remains for Lugo as it does for the Reds' prospect Bernardino with that kind of stuff, and Astros teammates Lance McCullers Jr. and Charlie Morton showed how elite-spin curveballs can shut down a lineup during Houston's run to the World Series title this autumn. Matt Kelly is a reporter for MLB.com based in New York. Follow him on Twitter This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. 3 questions loom for Reds during offseason By Mark Sheldon / November 2nd, COMMENTS CINCINNATI -- The World Series is over and the immediate transition into the Hot Stove season is underway for the Reds. Following a 94-loss 2017 season -- their third in a row of more than 90 losses -- there is plenty of work to do for general manager Dick Williams and the front office. While Cincinnati featured a deep lineup that had a club-record six players with at least 20 home runs, the team's collection of pitchers fell well short of helping the team become more competitive. The Reds' staff ranked at the bottom of the National League in ERA. The rotation produced the fewest innings pitched, while the bullpen led the National League in walks and hit batters. Despite having a deep pool of young pitching, all indications are the Reds will look outside the organization for a veteran starting pitcher who can provide deep outings and guys who can shore up the bullpen. Let the Hot Stove intrigue begin. Free agents: SS Zack Cozart, RHPs Scott Feldman, Bronson Arroyo, Drew Storen and Asher Wojciechowski Arbitration-eligible players: 2B Scooter Gennett (second year), OF Billy Hamilton (second year), RHP Anthony DeSclafani (first year), RHP Michael Lorenzen (first year), 3B Eugenio Suarez (first year). RHP Raisel Iglesias will be eligible for the first time if he chooses to opt out of his contract, but that seems unlikely. 1. Which starters could the Reds land? It's not expected to be a robust market for starting pitchers, but notable hurlers like Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta will be out there. However, the Reds rarely jump into the deep end of the free-agent pool and will not enter bidding wars that would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Perhaps Andrew Cashner, Doug Fister, Alex Cobb, Derek Holland or Jaime Garcia would fit the profile. Amid injuries and poor performances, the Reds used 16 different starting pitchers in After a positive rookie season, Luis Castillo will be in the rotation, while Sal Romano and Robert Stephenson have strong chances. DeSclafani and Homer Bailey will be the veterans, but their injury histories makes it hard to assume they can provide 200 innings. That's where someone from the outside can help. 2. How to shore up the bullpen? In the Cincinnati bullpen, only closer Iglesias and left-handed setup man Wandy Peralta are locked in. Lorenzen led the staff with 70 games, but could get another shot at starting. The Reds liked what they saw from Kevin Shackelford and Deck McGuire late in the season, but there is definitely need for some veteran help. Some potential free-agent fits might be Sergio Romo, Jason Motte, Pat Neshek or Tyler Clippard. 3. Are there too many corner outfielders? Rookie Jesse Winker made the most of his extended opportunity late in the second half, which could provide a way to acquire the talent they need. If the Reds install Winker in either left or right field, that could make former All-Star Adam Duvall or Scott

3 Schebler potential trade chips, if they choose not to have a four-outfielder rotation with Hamilton in center field. Duvall and Schebler each hit 30 homers this past season. Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from Follow him on and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds lose Chad Wallach, Zach Vincej on waivers Zach Buchanan, zbuchanan@enquirer.com Published 3:24 p.m. ET Nov. 3, 2017 Updated 3:30 p.m. ET Nov. 3, 2017 A look at the nine teams that make up the Cincinnati Reds minor league system. Mike Nyerges In the process of the November ritual of tidying up the 40-man roster, losing a player on two isn't uncommon. That happened Friday to the Cincinnati Reds, with catcher Chad Wallach and shortstop Zach Vincej being claimed off waivers. Wallach was picked up by the Miami Marlins, who originally drafted him in Vincej was claimed by the Seattle Mariners. Two other players utility man Patrick Kivlehan and right-hander Deck McGuire were outrighted off the 40-man roster to Triple-A. Both Vincej and Wallach were only added to the 40-man roster late in the 2017 season. The 26-year-old Vincej was a somewhat surprising September call-up who played sparingly due to the presence of Zack Cozart and Jose Peraza ahead of him at shortstop. The 25-year-old Wallach was called up due to a roster crunch involving both of the Reds' top two catchers Tucker Barnhart and Stuart Turner going on paternity leave within a week of each other. The Reds traded for Wallach along with right-hander Anthony DeSclafani in the Mat Latos trade prior to the 2015 season. By going back to Miami, Wallach will be reunited with his father, former major-leaguer Tim Wallach, who is the bench coach under Marlins manager Don Mattingly. With DeSclafani and left-hander Brandon Finnegan returning to the 40-man roster from the 60-day disabled list, the Reds now have seven open spots for any prospects who need protection from the Rule 5 draft. Those prospects likely second baseman Shed Long, center fielder Jose Siri and right-hander Jose Lopez, among others must be added to the 40-man roster by Nov. 20. The Reds will stay on WLW through 2022 Zach Buchanan, zbuchanan@enquirer.com Published 3:05 p.m. ET Nov. 3, 2017 Updated 3:27 p.m. ET Nov. 3, 2017 The first Cincinnati Reds game ever broadcast on radio was in 1924, and it went out over the airwaves of 700 WLW. Since 1969, the channel has been the flagship station for Reds broadcasts. Nothing about that will change in foreseeable future. On Friday, the Reds announced they've extended their agreement with WLW through at least the 2022 season. The current deal expired at the end of the 2017 season. WLW carries games throughout the greater Cincinnati area, while 109 other affiliates like WLW, members of the Reds On Radio Network carry the games in markets farther away. The Reds are proud of our decades-long partnership with 700 WLW, Phil Castellini, the team's Chief Operating Officer, said in a team statement. Having Reds games broadcast on this powerhouse station is an important continuation of our shared histories, and we look forward to five more seasons with them as our flagship. The upcoming season will also be the 45th for radio announcer Marty Brennaman. Cincinnati Reds' 2018 World Series odds same as 2017 playoff team Dave Clark, dclark@cincinnati.com Published 11:43 a.m. ET Nov. 2, 2017 The Cincinnati Reds' 2018 World Series odds per Bovada aren't great at 66/1, but they do happen to be the same odds as the 2017 American League Wild Card Minnesota Twins. Don't get too excited though, Reds fans, as the Twins are the only team with 66/1 odds in 2018 that had a winning record in so it's more an indictment of their 2017 overachievement or anticipation of a drop-off from 2017 to Odds for each Major League Baseball team, per bovada.lv: Odds to win the 2018 World Series Houston Astros 5/1

4 Los Angeles Dodgers 11/2 Cleveland Indians 15/2 Washington Nationals 10/1 Boston Red Sox 11/1 Chicago Cubs 11/1 New York Yankees 11/1 New York Mets 22/1 St. Louis Cardinals 22/1 Arizona Diamondbacks 28/1 Toronto Blue Jays 28/1 Milwaukee Brewers 33/1 Seattle Mariners 33/1 Tampa Bay Rays 33/1 Colorado Rockies 40/1 San Francisco Giants 40/1 Atlanta Braves 50/1 Baltimore Orioles 50/1 Chicago White Sox 50/1 Los Angeles Angels 50/1 Kansas City Royals 50/1 Texas Rangers 50/1 Cincinnati Reds 66/1 Miami Marlins 66/1 Minnesota Twins 66/1 Oakland Athletics 66/1 Pittsburgh Pirates 66/1 Philadelphia Phillies 75/1 Detroit Tigers 100/1 San Diego Padres 100/1 Four teams finished the 2017 season with a record worse than the Reds': the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants. Joey Votto's World Series Game 6 analysis on Rogers Sportsnet earns rave review Dave Clark, dclark@cincinnati.com Published 4:45 p.m. ET Nov. 1, 2017 Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto was a guest analyst during the World Series Game 6 broadcast on Canada's Rogers Sportsnet team, and Vice Sports' Blake Murphy reports that Votto "was able to steal the quiet, otherwise empty moments between innings." More from Murphy: Votto delivered thoughtful, passionate analysis on the finer art of hitting and the emotion contained within each moment. The player's perspective is often an important part of broadcasts, and Votto conveys that nuance with a confident simplicity that relays institutional knowledge without skewing too "inside baseball." After George Springer hits a home run, Votto notes the impact of the elements rain and temperatures were well below the earlier games in Los Angeles and points to a crossover in Springer's step that allows for power the other way. When Joc Pederson goes to the opposite field for a home run of his own a few innings later and celebrates around the bases, Votto preempts Zaun's usual distaste for such displays by putting the viewer in Pederson's shoes, the "natural" emotion of the biggest moment of Pederson's professional life absorbed through the screen. (That Zaun largely concedes the point and lobs a joke that Votto fake-laughs at so well that he could be on Fox's panel makes the segment.) "I love unpredictable baseball, and tomorrow has a chance to be the most unpredictable," Votto said about Game 7, as he closed out the broadcast predictably well. Last week, Votto was one of four Reds named a Gold Glove finalist at his position. The winners will be announced on Nov. 7 on ESPN. The Enquirer's C. Trent Rosecrans also wrote in late September about whether Votto thinks he should win the National League MVP Award. Votto acknowledged the following week - when the 2017 season was complete - that it was the best of his career.

5 DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds lose pair of players via waivers, send two others to Triple-A CINCINNATI, OH - AUGUST 27: Chad Wallach of the Cincinnati Reds makes his Major League Baseball debut at catcher in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park on August 27, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Cincinnati Reds lost a pair of players Friday via waivers. The Miami Marlins claimed catcher Chad Wallach and the Seattle Mariners claimed infielder Zach Vincej. Both players spent nearly all of the 2017 season with in Triple-A with the Louisville Bats. Wallach, 25, hit.226 with nine home runs and 18 RBI in 64 games with Louisville. He made two starts with the Reds and had one hit in 11 at-bats. Vincej, 26, hit.270 with three homers and 38 RBI in 110 games with the Bats. He made one start with the Reds and had one hit in nine at-bats. Also Friday, the Reds reinstated pitchers Brandon Finnegan and Anthony DeSclafani from the 60-day disabled list and outrighted outfielder Patrick Kivlehan and pitcher Deck McGuire to Louisville. The moves leave the Reds 40-man roster at 33. Reds staying on radio home until 2022 News Staff 2:20 p.m Friday, Nov. 3, 2017 Sports Facebook Twitter Share 0 SPORTS The Reds Zack Cozart, left, slaps hands with Joey Votto after hitting a home run against the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. David Jablonski/Staff The Cincinnati Reds and 700 WLW-AM are staying together. The team and radio station announced Friday a five-year extension that keeps 700 WLW as the flagship station for the Reds on Radio Network through the 2022 season. The network has 110 affiliates in 80 markets across eight states. WLW has served as the Reds flagship station since It first broadcast a Reds game in The 2018 season will mark Marty Brennaman s 45th year of broadcasting the Reds on WLW. He is one of three Reds radio broadcasters to receive the National Baseball Hall of Fame s Ford C. Frick Award, joined by Red Barber and Russ Hodges. TRANSACTIONS 11/03/17 Detroit Tigers sent RHP Myles Jaye outright to Toledo Mud Hens. LHP Wade Miley elected free agency. Detroit Tigers activated DH Victor Martinez from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals activated RHP Joe Ross from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals activated RHP Shawn Kelley from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals activated RHP Koda Glover from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals activated RHP Erick Fedde from the 60-day disabled list. New York Yankees activated RHP Luis Cessa from the 60-day disabled list. LHP Mike Minor elected free agency. RHP Huston Street elected free agency. RHP Ricky Nolasco elected free agency. Miami Marlins claimed C Chad Wallach off waivers from Cincinnati Reds. RF Ichiro Suzuki elected free agency. Chicago Cubs claimed Randy Rosario off waivers from Minnesota Twins. Cincinnati Reds activated RHP Anthony DeSclafani from the 60-day disabled list. Cincinnati Reds activated LHP Brandon Finnegan from the 60-day disabled list. Cincinnati Reds sent Patrick Kivlehan outright to Louisville Bats.

6 Cincinnati Reds sent Deck McGuire outright to Louisville Bats. Seattle Mariners claimed Zach Vincej off waivers from Cincinnati Reds. Pittsburgh Pirates sent Wade LeBlanc outright to Indianapolis Indians. Chicago White Sox claimed OF Daniel Palka off waivers from Minnesota Twins. Detroit Tigers sent LHP Kyle Ryan outright to Toledo Mud Hens. SS J.J. Hardy elected free agency. Detroit Tigers sent 1B Efren Navarro outright to Toledo Mud Hens. Detroit Tigers sent C Bryan Holaday outright to Toledo Mud Hens. Los Angeles Angels sent RHP Deolis Guerra outright to Salt Lake Bees. LF Eric Young Jr. elected free agency. CF Shane Robinson elected free agency. Arizona Diamondbacks activated SS Nick Ahmed from the 60-day disabled list. Arizona Diamondbacks activated RHP Randall Delgado from the 60-day disabled list. Arizona Diamondbacks activated RHP Shelby Miller from the 60-day disabled list. Arizona Diamondbacks activated SS Chris Owings from the 60-day disabled list. Arizona Diamondbacks activated LF Yasmany Tomas from the 60-day disabled list. Atlanta Braves activated LF Danny Santana from the 60-day disabled list. Atlanta Braves activated LHP Jacob Lindgren from the 60-day disabled list. Colorado Rockies activated RHP Jairo Diaz from the 60-day disabled list. RHP Carlos Torres elected free agency. New York Mets activated LHP Steven Matz from the 60-day disabled list. New York Mets activated 3B David Wright from the 60-day disabled list. New York Mets activated RHP Zack Wheeler from the 60-day disabled list. San Francisco Giants sent C Tim Federowicz outright to Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants activated 1B Brandon Belt from the 60-day disabled list. San Francisco Giants activated LHP Will Smith from the 60-day disabled list. Washington Nationals selected the contract of RHP Wander Suero from Syracuse Chiefs. Washington Nationals activated CF Adam Eaton from the 60-day disabled list.