Monday afternoon was the first true full team workouts for the Cincinnati Reds. Some position players had shown up early, but everyone was in camp on Sunday with the position players getting their physicals in and Monday having everyone in camp on the fields together. Not everything went smooth, either. Graham Ashcraft was scheduled to throw some live batting practice, and he and the batters took turns hitting each other. The last one led to Ashcraft shutting things down early.
C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic noted that Ashcraft hit Jake Fraley on the foot and then Tyler Stephenson on the hand in back-to-back at-bats. TJ Friedl was due up to follow and he hit a comebacker off of Ashcraft’s foot that resulted in the big right-handed starter walking off with the trainer.
The good news is that all three players say that they are fine. The not-so-great news is that you never want to see this kind of stuff happening.
Chase Anderson’s signing is official
Over the weekend it was reported that right-handed pitcher Chase Anderson was re-signing with the Cincinnati Reds. He spent the final six weeks of the 2022 season with the Reds after being released by Tampa Bay in late August. That deal became official today. The 35-year-old is on a minor league contract, but he did not get an invitation to big league camp.
Links and Notes
– The Reds assigned #44 to Elly De La Cruz. Over the last two years there have been some in the organization who have called him E.D. Jr. because he reminds some of Eric Davis and how he could just amaze you with all of the things that he could do. Speaking to the media today he noted (via Mark Sheldon of Reds.com) that it was an honor to wear that number.
– Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer spoke with Jake Fraley about his work with his mental skills coach, and Fraley wants to use some of what he learned last year to help his teammates out this year.
– The Cincinnati Enquirer has a photo gallery up from Sam Greene. If you’re into that kind of thing, here’s your link to go check everything out. One thing that stood out to me is that there is no Kroger patch on the jersey. If I were paying $5,000,000 a year for a patch on a sports uniform I’d have to think I would want it on the jerseys during spring training, too.
I saw the report on the Ashcraft incident earlier. It was accompanied by my unprintable response. Hopefully, just a bruise or two. As for EDLC? Being compared to Eric Davis is obviously flattering, but work on the nickname – ED Jr isn’t great. Sounds like a pharmaceutical commercial.
Lol…and yeah the injury sounds minor. If any of the 3 starters go down or underperform, it’s going to be a particularly gruesome season.
I am really really interested in these players and this team.
India has lost 10 pounds and hired a speed coach and says he can play every infield position. Stephenson can hit. DJ and Casali can coach young pitchers. Greene and Lodolo are really good. That EDLC guy might be good. Brandon Williamson is getting wows from hitters.
Let’s go Reds.
I’m glad India shed some weight. He bulked up last year as a means of maintaining his strength through the long season. But the requirements of the non shift defense obviously require more quickness. If 3B is open (it is) and he’s a better fit there, there’s no difference to me if the non EDLC kids take 2B as consolation prize rather than 3B. Arm strength willing, of course.
I been critical this off season, however reading the spring training reports and players talking has me pumped.
Here’s to 80 wins. LOL
Thanks for the optimism. Not often found here. Refreshing. Even if it is, perhaps, wishful. Ooops couldn’t help but add a little pessimism.
Sheehan, I really hope Ashcroft gets his stuff together. We don’t need any broken bones on hitters from wild pitchers and we sure don’t need him getting a case of the yips.
“….it was reported that right-handed pitcher Chase Anderson was re-signing with the Cincinnati Reds. …….. That deal became official today. The 35-year-old is on a minor league contract, but he did not get an invitation to big league camp.”
So Chase Anderson did not get an invitation to big league camp.
That is an unexpected spin to the story.
I believe there is a limit on the number of players allowed to be officially in the MLB camp. Maybe this is why Anderson did not get invited.
There is also a per diem which undoubtedly is higher for MLB campers than for MiLB campers.
Finally (and don’t take this as gospel because I couldn’t find it online anywhere), in the past there was a provision that guys with more than a threshold level of MLB service time (Anderson is just 11 days short of 8 years) in an MLB spring camp but not on the 40 man roster got a low 6 figure separation bonus if they remained in camp past a set deadline but ultimately did not make the 40 man roster for opening day.
If the Reds hope to retain Anderson as emergency organizational depth, it would probably make sense for the team and Amderson both just to avoid the bonus situation and just bundle more money into his minor league deal.
Unless they’ve recently altered the rules (which could be possible), the Reds have had more invites in recent years.
From the latest “Cactus League Notes” put out by the Reds, they have 66 players in camp this year, but had 69 guys in camp last year.
I spent 15 minutes looking for the new CBA online and couldn’t find it. MLBPA has the previous (2016-21) CBA on their site and no matter which way I Googled for the current one, I ended up back there. And then what I was looking for wasn’t in it.
I wonder if the “new: CBA is even officially completed or whether they are operating under some MOU of changes to the previous CBA.
It may be semantics, because Anderson will likely be used in ST games a whole lot like the 10-15 others in AAAA. The Reds also do several semi-structured games on the back fields in the mornings against other teams.
But I don’t see how Derek Johnson himself really gets a feel for how all of these guys are really throwing.
With all the pitchers we have going to world baseball classic it seems logical we will need some arms to just get thru spring. Perhaps this is the equivalent of extra catchers to play the spring.
Don’t do that to us Doug! A bruised foot I can handle, but of course I thought it was an arm or back issue with longer term implications. The Reds will need all hands (arms) on deck if they’re going to avoid another dismal year. Glad nobody is really hurt.
“The Reds assigned #44 to Elly De La Cruz. Over the last two years there have been some in the organization who have called him E.D. Jr. because he reminds some of Eric Davis and how he could just amaze you with all of the things that he could do.”
Centerfield here I come. Sooner or later. That’s my prediction. 🙂 Now he’s even got the right number. He’s got no choice. 🙂
Agree! Surely one of the other 15 SS Reds have acquired over last 2-3 yrs will make it @ SS.
I wonder if they would consider placing EDLC at CF like Davis?
With McLain, Barrero, EDLC, Arroyo, and Marte all playing SS, they can only move so many of them to 3B and 2B
You forgot the best one playing SS in the Reds organization and that’s-Kevin Newman. He hit a splended .274 last year in about 300 ABs. He has a steady hand at SS.
It would be a total disaster if Newman is anything more than a bench piece.
I’d like to see EDLC learn to hit even AAA sliders before adding the stress of changing positions.
What worked for Eric the Red (or others) isn’t automatically translatable.
I share the opinion that shuffling Senzel around added to his injury issues and may have delayed his focus at the plate.
We certainly saw it happen when Geno was moved to short.
I agree it would be great to have a tall, rangy five tool CF…meets all the classic John Fogerty criteria.
I’d also like to avoid having him diving after uncatchable balls, crashing into walls or other OFs and keeping his bat in the lineup as much as possible.
They aren’t mutually exclusive dreams, of course.
Except when it doesn’t work out that way.
The Reds can’t afford to mess this one up.
Scrolling thru the pictures……there’s Walt Jocketty glued to Bob Castellini’s hip. It truly boggles my mind how insular this organization is.
Almost missed that picture near the very end. Thanks for noting.
It’s hard to see what the vision is for the future when you look at this team and ownership.
Glued to his hip? It’s one picture.
I stood next to a playboy bunny once. Unfortunately, it didn’t prove anything.
If Ashcraft can keep from injuring Fraley, I think Fraley is going to have a big year.