The Cincinnati Reds are on the road once again this afternoon as they visit Mesa to take on the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is set for 3:05pm ET.
Reds (7-5-1) vs Chicago Cubs (8-4)
Reds |
Cubs |
|||
| 1 | Kevin Newman | DH | Nico Hoerner | 2B |
| 2 | TJ Friedl | RF | Ian Happ | LF |
| 3 | Chad Pinder | 3B | Dansby Swanson | SS |
| 4 | Will Benson | CF | Trey Mancini | 1B |
| 5 | Luke Maile | C | Eric Hosmer | DH |
| 6 | Elly De La Cruz | SS | Yan Gomes | C |
| 7 | Alejo Lopez | 2B | Patrick Wisdom | RF |
| 8 | Stuart Fairchild | LF | Christopher Morel | CF |
| 9 | Jason Vosler | 1B | Nick Madrigal | 3B |
| 10 | Hunter Greene | RHP | Jameson Taillon | RHP |
Reserve players on today’s Reds roster:
Where to watch/listen/follow the game
The game will be available on Bally Sports Ohio. If you want to listen to it on the radio you will need to turn the dial to 1360 WSAI AM.
Reds links and news
Getting into the World Baseball Classic
While not every country has begun pool play just yet, some of them have. And some other teams are playing in exhibitions against big league teams in Florida and Arizona during spring training. Over at RedsMinorLeagues.com we took a look at the six Cincinnati Reds players who got into games for their countries on Wednesday. This afternoon is chock full of more games, so we expect to have more reports as things get going.
The Reds have the best farm system in the division
The crew at MLB Pipeline ranked the best farm system within each division in Major League Baseball and they tabbed the Reds as the organization with the best one in the National League Central. The reasoning was having Elly De La Cruz at the top and a little bit better depth than the other teams in the central.
I love that Benson is being given a really long look. It shows they must really think he has a shot at making the team.
If his OBP from the minors can translate at all to the majors, he would be an excellent leadoff hitter with India batting second. His speed is almost like Billy Hamilton, he could score from 1st base on a single to the outfield.
Really rooting for him to make it. He could finally solve the black hole that has been centerfield for the Reds.
Kind it surprised Benson in center Friedl in right. I would have flip flopped them.
I think that Benson may be a bit faster, and definitely has a stronger arm.
And…right fielders are supposed to have the “strongest” throwing arm, to make the peg to 3rd base.
So that would make a good Opening Day outfield; Fraley (left), Benson (cf), Friedl (rf)
Myers at 1st base to start the season.
Against lefties, maybe Fairchild is out there in center, and Myers is in right, Stephenson plays first, and Casali catches.
CES at DH. Well, a fan can dream, can’t they?
That hit by Friedl would have been an out last year with the shift.
Friedl 15 HR 20+ SB season incoming
I hope Bell keeps giving them the green light during the season. These guys are aggressive and stealing alot of bases.
Hope so too. There’s a handful of potential 20 HR guys but no one you’d feel confident in saying they could hit 30 this year so they’ll need to manufacture runs that way.
The Cubs can’t be happy with that – a Maile HR. They see a lineup with Newman & Pinder making up 2 of the first 3, think easy, and suddenly they’re down 3. Now let’s see if Greene can settle down and have a couple of dominant innings.
I do hope that this little ST win streak isn’t the highlight of the 2023 Reds season. It’s been fun and it’s easy to get overly optimistic. But, in the meantime, beating the Cubs, while not up there with beating the Cards or the Dodgers, is still a lot of fun.
I kinda want to see the pitchers settle in an build innings and make their pitches the next 2 weeks, notably Greene and Lodolo and the bullpen arms Diaz/Sims/Farmer. It would be nice to be healthy and ready to hit the season strong, instead of some of the slow starts from years past.
Lot of coaching changes in the off-season from hitting coach to baserunning coach to bullpen coach to others. I wonder if some of that is rubbing off with the energy and baserunning and overall aggression. Maybe its just a bunch of young hungry fresh guys. Maybe its India speaking up and calling out the position players to show up early and ready February 1. They seem ready to be play.
Imagine what a couple of more coaching changes could accomplish
that was a Strickland center cut belt high 4 seam FB down broadway…. wasnt it.
Change is good, especially for our historic-centered Reds. A major coaching change would be most welcome at any appropriate time in my book.
Greene looked excellent against the majority of their opening day roster
When Vosler hit that homerun it reminded me of old-school’s comment in the previous article’s thread:
“Watch Vosler go off today and muddy the waters”
Pretty good call there old-school ?
I was due
I think I was 0-30 trying to predict Bells lineups last year
Charlie goldsmith reporting hunter greene starting opening day. Hopefully the first of many
I don’t think Stoudt is quite ready. But I’ll give the young man credit, he didn’t start nibbling and walking batters. This is how they learn before it counts for real.
Okay, so maybe not Stoudt’s time yet. He was destined for opening in Louisville anyway.
A Stricklandic performance today by Stoudt.
We will still get a CES at-bat.
We’ll see much more of Strickland later this year. I’d almost bet money.
“A Stricklandic performance today by Stoudt.”
Ace.
Stoudt and Legumina looking like AAAA arms. Reds will need them sooner or later, perhaps as early as June. Need them to develop in Louisville.