The Cincinnati Reds return to the field this afternoon after having their first off day of the spring on Thursday. The Reds hit the road to take on the Chicago White Sox. First pitch is set for 3:05pm ET.
Reds (2-2-1) vs White Sox (3-3)
Reds |
White Sox |
|||
| 1 | Jonathan India | 2B | Tim Anderson | SS |
| 2 | Tyler Stephenson | C | Andrew Vaughn | 1B |
| 3 | Wil Myers | RF | Andrew Benintendi | LF |
| 4 | Jake Fraley | LF | Eloy Jimenez | DH |
| 5 | Chad Pinder | 1B | Yasmani Grandal | C |
| 6 | Curt Casali | DH | Gavin Sheets | RF |
| 7 | TJ Friedl | CF | Hanser Alberto | 2B |
| 8 | Kevin Newman | SS | Zach Remillard | 3B |
| 9 | Spencer Steer | 3B | Romy Gonzalez | CF |
| 10 | Luke Weaver | RHP | Dylan Cease | RHP |
Reserve players on today’s Reds roster:
Where to watch/listen/follow the game
There will be no televised broadcast of the game today. If you are looking to follow along on the radio you can tune into 1360 WSAI for the coverage.
Reds links and news
Nick Senzel expected to hit today
After his toe surgery that has kept him out for the early parts of the spring, Nick Senzel is expected to get into the batters box this afternoon in a simulated game according to Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Wil Myers is back in the lineup
Wednesday’s lineup originally included of Wil Myers getting the start at first base. But about an hour before the game was set to being he was scratched. No reason was given at the time, but the game notes today said that he had low back soreness.
Connor Overton and Luis Cessa to start this weekend
The Reds will be in Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday as they take on Oakland in a pair of games. While Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo have been listed as the starters for the games in Vegas over the weekend, the starters for the two games this weekend the team will play in Arizona were listed as TBA. Connor Overton will start on Saturday in Goodyear against Kansas City. Luis Cessa gets the nod on Sunday against the Angels.
The Reds are running wild…. and successfully
Here are the MLB teams that are running wild so far in spring training:
1. Reds 14 SB-14 ATT
2. Braves 12-14
3. Royals 10-11
3. Nationals 10-11
5. Yankees 10-12
6. Rockies 9-10
6. Rockies 9-10— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) March 3, 2023
I hope the base stealing carries over into the season. What have we got to lose? Run wild and manufacture some extra runs!
It’s been awhile since we’ve had a running Reds team.
Those stolen base percentages are off the charts. If this is a preview of what’s to come in regular season, it’s going to a crazy summer.
Nick Senzel is almost back and ready to play!
Catch the fevah!
And it looks like Chad Pinder will be on the team as some kind of utility player. David Bell can plug him into multiple positions. He’s Bell’s kind of guy. And I think he has Veteran Presence, on top of all that.
What young player will be exiled to keep him?
At least it’s still ST, otherwise a lineup with both Newman & Pinder would make me cringe. But you’re right, Pinder and Newman are Bell’s kind of players, so I expect to see that a lot this season.
No Benson?
Really hope they give that kid some more chances. He’s got tons of natural athletic ability.
We’ll see him this year but i wouldnt be surprised if they option him.
Not just with base stealing, I think there’s a real opportunity for opportunistic teams to gain a tactical advantage with pitchers and hitters. First and foremost, the pitch clock could create some interesting tendancies that could be exploited. Like, I’m sure they’re already collecting data on the frequency of hitters subconciously swinging early in the count now ….possibly the spillover effects of the game feeling ‘rushed’. Are first pitch strikes now more or less valuable? If there is a discernable trend you would think the teams quickest to adapt will have an advantage. With base stealing, are the Reds exploiting the expiring pitch clock to get better jumps knowing the pitcher is basically forced to throw home? Will teams hit and run more with left handed hitters knowing the probability without the shift could be significantly higher? For me, how quickly teams adjust to the new rules will be a very interesting subplot early in the season.
Not to mention the limited amounts of pick-off throws allowed. When the pitcher has reached his limit, you can take off at first move.
Yeah, that rule doesn’t make sense to me. Unless I’m missing something, once the pitcher has reached his disengagement limit, the base runner can take as big of a lead as he wants and go on first move. Pretty much a guaranteed stolen base at that point.
Except that the pitcher can still throw and pick the runner off for the third time; he just has to get an out. There was a story somewhere that Max Scherzer was actually using it in his favor, because the runners who got the extra big lead could not mentally get over the hump of being too far away from the bag. They were too befuddled to get a good jump.
Jon Lester would create a similar issue. Runners should have just taken off at first movement, big lead or normal lead, but even Billy Hamilton seemed confused by the situation. I wanted Billy to take off as soon as the catcher threw back to Lester.
I generally agree, though. The runners will adjust, and the rule ought to benefit the good baserunners.
Agree on Base stealing & overall more athletic team. Hopefully a few can stick & produce!
WHY does Bell insist on using utility INF at 1B?? It cheapens an important position! Why not Myers’s, Stephenson, CES, McCarry or even Steer?? All r viable options @ 1B & need the practice there. Let Pinder DH if u have to get him n the lineup today.
Bell thinks just because you are a MLB player you can pay any position. I sometimes believe he would like to have 13 utility players and 2 Cs.
I think you are some kind of savant, divining what David Bell thinks. 🙂
Yeah, that’s David Bell. 13 utility players and two catchers. Kyle Farmer was just such a guy. I think he was the ideal player for Bell. Too bad Nick Krall traded him away. Bell must be heartbroken.
See, that’s what you call a “clue”. Why Pinder? Because Bell wants him on the team, and will give him EVERY chance to make it. There was a feature article on the Reds home page about him, preparing the way for this.
Bell will play him all over, and then that will justify just how “valuable” he is on the roster.
Yeah, I would be playing McGarry or CES. Myers has a bit of a stiff back and they will take it easy on him for a couple of days.
Glad to see Friedl play today; he tweaked his leg the other day, but he seems to be alright. I mean, he’s no Nick Senzel, that’s for sure.
Agree on Myers, if he was going to play, why not DH him, TS @ 1B & Pinder anywhere else. Votto’s outstanding career made it easy to overlook the need 4 a backup. That hasn’t been try over the last several yrs w/ injures and especially now w/ the end in sight
The team needs guys as backups, not just your favorite prospects that play the same positions as other guys on the team. Im just assuming everyone who wants this also wants the three catcher system too which is the main thing blocking McGarey and CES.
Little things compound and turn a 1 run inning into a 5 run inning
We can’t see it on radio but Pinder pulling his foot off the bag and Stephenson not hanging on to the foul tip changed the outcome of that inning big time
Oh well. Cleaning this stuff up is what spring is for
You didn’t blame it on Stephenson, but there is no skill to catching foul tips. They either land in a catchable place in the mitt, or they don’t.
You are right that giving up extra outs and extra bases is a killer.
Absolutely not blaming it on Stephenson. I caught when I played too so I realize how tough it is to hang onto. Just stating it was one of several tough luck occurrences that inning
I don’t think the catcher has all that much control over hanging on to a foul tip. He has positioned his glove to catch the pitch in the optimal part of the mitt and suddenly the ball is redirected. There is no time for the catcher to react. A ball thrown at 70-90 mph covers the distance from home plate to the catchers mitt in many orders of magnitude less time than a human being’s reaction time. It’s a matter of luck whether the redirected ball hits a part of the mitt in which it can stick.
In order to clean that up, as you suggest, just how does one go about doing that cleaning up? And do you really want to subject your catchers to such clean up activity, especially considering it was a foul tip that broke Stephenson’s clavicle last season.
Cleaning up the little things was supposed to be a separate thought than mentioning the dropped foul tip. Just was pointing out the 2 tough luck things that changed a 1 run inning to a 5 run inning
It is interesting the Rockies are tied with themselves for sixth place per stat box above. That is hard to do! LOL
Love me some Fraley! If not for Friedl I’d say he was the most underrated player on the team.
If he stays healthy and Bell allows him to hit against some left handed pitching (he just singled off of the other day) then he’s hitting 25+ HR this year
Its possible Fraley outplays Winker going forward. Im high on him as a hitter.
Williamson up to 94 in that inning according to Brantley. Says he likes what he’s seeing from him a lot more this year compared to how he looked last spring
That’ll do!
At least the Reds pitchers haven’t walked anyone yet. That’s something. Logged back in just in time for Newman’s AB. It’s like being Jerry Seinfeld – “Newman”.
Still amazed TJ Hopkins didn’t get taken in the rule 5 draft when the reds didn’t protect him.
26 years old / kills left handed pitching / can play all 3 outfield spots
For awhile I was really hopeful he’d be the other end of the platoon with Fraley but now I like the idea of having a right handed bat who can also play some in the infield.
After the trade deadline (likely post Myers) if the reds ever have to go back to 2 catchers I hope he gets his opportunity with the big club. Lots of other outfield options to compete with though (Senzel, Pinder Fairchild, Cerda, Siani, Solak, Ramos, any converted shortstop)
Really hard trying to predict the bullpen
Diaz
Sims
Farmer
Sanmartin
Gibaut
Cessa
Cruz
Young
That look about right for now
I could see Cessa moved at the deadline around the time Antone is thought to be coming back but who gets sent down when Santillan back?
Maybe Cessa becomes a starter?
Looks like Encarnacion-Strand is in and Weaver is out
I detect quite a philosophy difference between White Sox and Reds managers. 1 week in and the White Sox position players are playing almost whole game. Reds players are typically only in for 2 at bats. Will be interesting to see what that means in April.
The Reds had the day off Thursday, and have split-squad games both on Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday was a good day to let a lot of guys have a couple of ABs.
They will all get plenty of playing time this weekend.