Last night the Cincinnati Reds took on the Colorado Rockies out in Arizona. It was a big night for Cincinnati as the game saw Wade Miley return to the mound after he left his previous start when he felt something in his hamstring, Eugenio Suárez slide over to shortstop, and Mike Moustakas return to third base.
From a results standpoint, Wade Miley didn’t have a great showing. He allowed five hits and a walk, leading to four earned runs in 3.0 innings. The lefty felt that he had some things working for him on the night, but that he was still struggling elsewhere and will need to keep working before the end of the spring.
“I felt good,” said Miley following the game. “Out of the windup felt really good, felt sharp and crisp out of the windup. Obviously when I moved to the stretch, I was quick. Just had a hard time getting into rhythm and getting balls to the glove side, it costs me a little bit. Close though, really close to kind of getting where I want to get. Out of the windup I was able to get balls in on guys hands and move the ball around, change speeds a little bit. Out of the stretch, I just need to keep working a little bit there.”
The regular season begins in two weeks. With a late start to the spring, Wade Miley has had a little bit less time to get going than others, but he believes he’ll be ready to go when the season begins.
“Yeah, I think so,” Miley said when asked if he felt he would be ready. “I just need to clean a few things up. The results were there out of the windup. When I went over to the stretch, got in my head a little bit and just didn’t locate, really.”
The stretch has been a focus for Wade Miley and pitching coach Derek Johnson this spring. Miley’s had some struggles keeping his mechanics right from the stretch throughout his career.
“Just trying to stay back,” said Miley. “For whatever reason, my whole career when I go to the stretch I get in such a hurry and I get so top heavy and get down the slope, and it puts a lot more stress on my lower half and everything just slows down but my arm. I’m just not connected, so to speak. Just need to keep working on that.”
First look at Eugenio Suárez 2.0
There were a few baseballs hit towards Eugenio Suárez on Tuesday night. One of them saw him range to his right and get a glove on the ball, but he couldn’t come up with it cleanly. From the limited view that we saw of the play, it felt unlikely he was going to be able to get the runner at first even if he did field it cleanly. He was still charged with an error on the play.
Not ideal #Reds pic.twitter.com/bJXKeuUirk
— Steven Offenbaker (@soffenbaker) March 17, 2021
A little bit later with runners on the bases and the contact play on, a chopper came up the middle and Suárez fielding it and came up firing to the plate to get the runner from third.
That’s better Geno! #Reds pic.twitter.com/FbP4C2a1cD
— Steven Offenbaker (@soffenbaker) March 17, 2021
“It’s exactly what we talked about as far as trying to get him out there,” said manager David Bell of the first game at shortstop for Suárez this spring. “It’s just different. He needs to see the game speed situations and plays. Just like the one play he wasn’t able to handle – I’ve seen him handle that a hundred times on the backfield, it’s just a little bit different when you have the runners. He needs to have plays like that, so I’m glad that that happened.”
Sean Doolittle struggles again
Tuesday night was very much hit or miss for the Reds pitchers. Sean Doolittle was one of the guys on the mound who fell into the miss category. The lefty allowed three earned runs on three hits and two walks in his inning of work. He’s now pitched in four games, throwing 4.0 innings and allowed 17 baserunners – 10 hits and seven walks. He’s also allowed four home runs and struck out just three batters. That’s good for an ERA of 24.75 and a WHIP of 4.25. Small sample size here, and manager David Bell says he isn’t worried.
“What I saw was that he was missing up a little too much,” said Bell. “He likes to pitch up in the zone and he can get some chase up there. I think it was just a bit higher than he wanted it and he wasn’t able to get that chase and it kind of changed that inning for him, really. It might just be as simple as that. I think it was a good sign that his velo where it was. He made some adjustments this winter and it’s only been three or four outings, we kind of got to give it a little time to settle in. Really, still no concern there. “
I was happy to see Miley go 3 innings, I wasn’t concerned about the result. It’s hard to see anything positive about Doolittle’s performance this spring. Doo is a lock to make the roster, but I’d have him on a short leash. There are too many quality arms to let him keep a spot, and not produce.
Suarez looks like he’s playing 3B in the shift. We saw him there plenty last year.
I’m starting to wonder about Doolittle.
I’m rooting for Bedrosian… I wonder what it would be saying about the rest of the relief corp if he makes it… I also wonder what happens with Aquino even if he outplays the likes of Payton, Farmer, Strange-Gordon…He seems like a very capable outfielder to me… I like his arm. Having he, Senzel, Castellanos in the field at the same time is intimidating a bit in the lineup. I’m imagining the line-up vs a lefty starter… and it including these three with India, Suarez and Stephenson. I’d take that with the pesky lefties of Moustakas and Votto…heck, the way Blandino is hitting throw him in at first or third and give Votto a few innings off.
I like your lineup. Aquino deserves a chance, just don’t think he will get it with Bell as the manager.
totally agree on Blandino. like his approach, he is a nice setting the table guy for the big bats. And average wise he is definately grabbing his chance now.
With Suarez at short and moustakis moving to third, I hope to see him a second. Giving India and Garcia some time to grow in the minors.
Think India is ready now. If he goes down it’s for service time reasons and he’ll be back soon enough. Rather have India than Blandino on the active roster going forward. Blandino is a poor man’s JVM.
Agreed. India looks very ready. I always reference it took him until his jr. year in college ball to break out.
Suarez at SS again tonight
Bell may not be worried about Doolittle but we should be. And he’s actually only thrown 3.1 innings because of those rolled innings so his numbers are actually worse than reported here.
I agree about the first video showing a marginal error. The second one looked like he played it perfectly and the result was obviously good.
If it means India at 2B and Moose at 3B, I’ll reverse my previous position and say go for it. Then again, I don’t manage the team anyway …
Id like to look at who among Moose, India as well as Senzel has the best range at 3B, to support Geno at short.
Totally get that, but bat-wise you gotta move Senzel into the infield, so you can have Castellanos, Shogo and Winker in the outfield. Gives you the best lineup, and our run-scoring has been just dreadful. If India can hit MLB pitching, then fine but he has in no way proven that, and a lot of his Spring Training have been bloop hits off the fists.