The best sports month of the year has just begun, as we have finally reached March.  March Madness, Reds baseball beginning, and Winter coming to a close always makes for an entertaining month.  The Reds open the regular season on March 27^th against the Giants at 4:10 and I can’t wait to be in right field watching Tito lead this team.  For now though, the Reds still have some kinks to work out, along with deciding the roles of each player and filling out this roster. 

Noelvi Marte

With roughly three weeks until the season begins, it’s safe to say that the Reds have a decision to make on Noelvi Marte.  He was 0-3 on the 2^nd, has 7 strikeouts in 15 plate appearances, and is batting .067.  In 2023, he looked like a star in the making in 35 games, but has been on a downward spiral ever since.  I’m rooting for Marte, but he simply cannot be on the roster as it stands right now.  I’m not giving up on Noelvi by any means, but I truly hope we aren’t running into a “Jose Barrero 2.0” situation. 

So Much to be Excited for

This Spring Training has been exciting to watch and I truly think this Reds team could have a breakout season under new leadership.  My main takeaways thus far include:

• Christian Encarnacion-Strand is hitting the ball HARD.  His power is needed and if healthy, he looks good enough to have a 30 home run year. 
• Elly De La Cruz is batting .500 with a team leading 3 home runs.  Protect him for the next three weeks, he is ready to go.  His swing looks like it has come changes and he has only struck out 3 times.  MVP season incoming?
• Matt McLain is 7/14 and is back to looking like his normal self.  Stay healthy Matt, this team needs you!
• Jacob Hurtubise is batting very well in his 10 at-bats, including 6 hits, 2 doubles, and a triple.  He is fighting for one of the last roster spots. 
• In 4 innings pitched, Chase Petty has yet to give up a run, along with only giving up 1 hit.  He really looks comfortable on the mound to begin the season.  The 21 year old might just find himself in a big league role this season. 
• Jake Fraley crushed a home run on Sunday.  If he could get back to hitting for power, I’d feel a lot better about our outfield. 
• Blake Dunn might be the most impressive player thus far.  He is batting .385, including1 home run, 1 double, and only a single strikeout.  He might be the fastest player on the roster outside of Elly and is making his case to be on the roster come March 27^th. 
• Spencer Steer is dealing with a right shoulder issue and he might begin the season on the injured list.  While this is a major bummer, injuries are expected, and this is why depth is so important. 

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At last, I can finally write about actual results and not just speculations or predictions, as Spring Training games have officially started.  As I do each season, it’s always a good reminder to ignore win-loss records during this time, focus on the “wins” for each player, and to keep in mind that this is a time for players to dial-in before the season begins in a month.  Younger players are competing for spots, pitchers are perfecting their craft, and batters are attempting to get their feel back at the plate.  Add in the new manager and the new additions, and you really have to take a step back and look at the positives individually. 

Impressive Beginning

• Elly De La Cruz hasn’t missed a step and is looking for a breakout season.  In his first two at-bats in the Cactus League, he smoked two home runs including one from each side.  If he stays healthy, we might just have an MVP on our favorite team in 2025.
• Santiago Espinal was highly impressive in his 5 at-bats, including a triple and a home run.  His depth should be talked about more. 
• Rece Hinds smoked a triple off the wall and I think we all know his ceiling.  If he could just be more consistent, he could certainly play a lot of major league ball this year.
• The new Red, Gavin Lux, had a great game, including 3 RBIs and a double. 
• 25-year-old catcher, Will Banfield smoked an impressive home run.  Banfield, Wynns, Trevino, and Stephenson will be fun to watch this season. 
• Chase Petty, Connor Phillips, Nick Martinez, and Graham Ashcraft all had impressive outings, including 2 scoreless innings from each of them.
• Cam Collier had a big double in his first at bat.  Collier and Stewart are some Reds on the Rise that are trying to get to the big league level. 

Quotes from the Weekend

• Terry Francona on Nick Martinez: “I know there’s some versatility there and he’s willing to do it, but bouncing guys around unless you have to is not what we’re shooting for.” Welcome to the rotation, Nick. 
• Bent Suter: “I want to see us having a parade in Fountain Square at the end of the year.”
• Terry Francona on the Pete Rose Patch: “I will wear that as proudly as you can.”
• Terry Francona on Elly: “Don’t quote me, but he’s got a pretty good chance of sticking on our club.” (LOL)
• Terry Francona on Elly: “I want you to be the best player in baseball on the best team in baseball.”
• Terry Francona on playing the Guardians: “It’s just not the right time to have a hug fest.  I want these guys to know how important they are.  I’m a (explicative) Red.”

Upcoming Schedule

• Dodgers 2/24
• Angels 2/26
• Diamondbacks 2/27
• Athletics 2/28
• Padres 3/1
• Cubs 3/2

The post Reds Spring Training: De La Cruz impresses with home runs appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

• Important Dates: 2/10 Pitchers and Catchers Report, 2/17 Full Squad Workout, 2/22 First Spring Training Game vs. Guardians, 3/27 Reds Opening Day vs Giants
• Cincinnati had a record of 77-85 in 2024 with a ton of injuries.  The Reds currently have an O/U of 78.5.  I think they are 2 games better in comparison to last season.  I’d bet the over if I was a betting man (I am)
• Major Additions: Brady Singer, Jose Trevino, Gavin Lux, Owen White, Terry Francona
• Major Subtractions: David Bell, Jonathan India, Fernando Cruz, Luke Maile (Addition by subtraction with Luke), Buck Farmer, Jakob Junis, Ty France

Possible Rotation and Bullpen

• Rotation Mix – Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, Nick Lodolo, Nick Martinez, Rhett Lowder, Andrew Abbott
• Bullpen Mix – Graham Ashcraft, Julian Aguiar, Alexis Diaz, Casey Legumina, Sam Moll, Luis Mey, Connor Phillips, Lyon Richardson, Tony Santillan, Carson Spiers, Brent Suter, Yosver Zulueta
• Pitchers to keep an eye on – Chase Burns (Fast Track?), Chase Petty, Zach Maxwell

Possible Starting Lineups as the Roster Stands

Vs RHP

• McLain (2B)
• De La Cruz (SS)
• Steer (DH)
• Stephenson (C)
• Candelario (3B)
• Lux (LF)
• Encarnacion-Strand (1B)
• Friedl (CF)
• Fraley (RF)
• Bench – Marte, Espinal, Trevino, Fairchild

Vs LHP

• Friedl (RF?)
• De La Cruz (SS)
• McLain (CF?)
• Marte (DH)
• Fairchild (LF?)
• Espinal (2B)
• Trevino (C)
• Candelario (1B)
• Steer (3B)
• Bench – Fraley, Lux, Encarnacion-Strand, Stephenson

Others Who Could Improve and Get Playing Time

• Will Benson, Rece Hinds, Tyler Callihan, Blake Dunn, Jacob Hurtubise

Clear Needs

• Outfield Power Bat, Defined Positions, Clarity on Pitching Roles, Extended Bullpen Help, Young Players to Shine, Injuries to be Limited

Way Too Early Predictions

• Reds MVP – De La Cruz
• BA Leader – McLain
• HR Leader – De La Cruz
• OBP Leader – Steer
• Wins Leader – Greene
• ERA Leader – Singer
• Strikeout Leader – Greene
• Bullpen ERA Leader – Moll

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Lucky Charm

A lucky charm has arrived for the Cincinnati Reds over the weekend and no, I am not talking about the lucky buckeye from the Miami Valley Gaming Commercials. Over the weekend, the greatest blessing ever decided to make an early arrival and I can officially call myself a father to my first child, Creed Don McAdow. I am one lucky guy and evidently, he is quite the good luck charm for the Redlegs as well, as they haven’t lost a game since he decided to enter the world! While I could write an entire book on how grateful and lucky I am to be a father, I’ll try to focus on writing about the awesome sweep from the weekend!

Built for 162

Anyone who knows me or reads my articles understands how passionate I am about Reds baseball. I watch every single pitch and try to take games day by day. However, one thing that I have to comment on is being built for 162 games. As a fan, I have always been amazed of those who think a season is over after a bad weekend or a single bad game. The season is long, it is a marathon, and the Reds clearly showed they can get back on track in a hurry after going from sweeping the white Sox, getting swept by Seattle, and then sweeping the Angels at home. It’s going to be a roller coaster of a season, there will be bad droughts, there will be some winning streaks, but all true baseball fans understand that things can change in a hurry.  

Espinal No More

My articles are typically very positive. I love the front office and love the direction in which this organization is headed. However, I must state that Santiago Espinal shouldn’t be on the roster when I wake up in the morning. He has 5 hits on the year, is barely batting over .100, couldn’t lay down a bunt over the weekend, and really just isn’t a fit on this roster. You can probably include Bubba Thompson in this category for me as well. With Conner Capel (CF with 6 HR in AAA), and Mike Ford (. 292 in AAA), this roster can move pieces around enough to take Espinal and Thompson off this team. I will take a slightly worse defensive team and some position charades over watching Espinal take another AB in a Reds uniform. 

As it Stands

Cincinnati currently sits at 12-9 as I am writing this and find themselves 2.5 games back of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central. The Brewers are on a 4 game win streak and Cincinnati is currently on a 3 game win streak before hosting the Phillies for a 4 game series at Great American. Through 21 games, per Nick Kirby, the Reds are having the best start to a season since the 2013 Reds team. Someone new has stepped up for this team on multiple occasions and with all the injuries, illnesses, suspension, and everything in between, this team has shown that they are really playing for each other. When Montas went down, Suter came right in and put the team on his back. When the team needed a center fielder, Benson has shown that he is more than capable of filling that role. Need someone to eat innings? … Look no further than Nick Martinez. It’s someone new every day and I love that aspect of this Reds roster.  

Weekly Elly Praise

You might as well get used to an Elly paragraph every single week, as a star is truly being born right in front of the eyes of all MLB fans. He is slashing .306, 1.051 OPS, has 10 stolen bases, 6 home runs, and was literally just able to legally buy alcohol last year. His plate awareness is getting better, he is taking walks, reached base 9 out of 12 at-bats against the Angels, and is the 2^nd player in MLB history to have 5+ home runs and 10 steals through 20 games. He has the ability to be the best player in all of baseball and Cincinnati is lucky to have him suit up in a Reds uniform every single week. He is 4^th in MLB in OPS, 4^th in MLB in home runs, 20^th in MLB in RBIs, 10^th in MLB in OBP, 1^st in MLB in stolen bases, 25^th in MLB in walks, and 15^th in MLB in WAR. There is a reason every kid wants an Elly jersey right now, as he is different from anything that has ever stepped foot on a baseball field. Enjoy it!

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March is absolutely the best time of the year.  Enjoying the NCAA tournament, enjoying the best day of the entire year (Reds Opening Day), and soon being able to enjoy the Masters is a sports fans Heaven.  March signifies the movement from Winter to Spring and it is the beginning of the beloved mowing season (Wow, I am getting old). 

Enough with the other topics though, let’s focus on the greatest annual tradition in all of sports – Reds Opening Day.  Reds Opening Day is Thursday, March 28^th with the first pitch scheduled for 4:10.  Cincinnati will take on the Nationals, which will be quite interesting, as Ex-Reds – Nick Senzel and Jesse Winker are on the opposing team’s roster. Winker has returned previously, but I would expect a Senzel “Welcome Home and Thank You” video for his time spent in the organization.  At noon, you can tune in or attend the 104^th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade where grand marshals, Dmitri Young and Pokey Reese will make an appearance.  Other notable Cincinnati figures such as Kevin Huber, Marty Brennaman, and Anthony Munoz plan to be in attendance as well.  My wife and I attend every year, typically arriving as early as possible.  We usually eat some breakfast at Taste of Belgium before heading over for some cold drinks at Holy Grail before the parade.  Once entering the ballpark, make your way down to try some new food, as the Reds along with the taste-testers shared some new delicious food options that are new in 2024.  Mozzarella sticks, boneless wings, and a beer bat?  Sign me up twice!  I will be in left field this year and look forward to enjoying a sunny day with the rest of Reds country!

Let’s Talk Baseball

Let’s dive into the game.  Josiah Gray and Frankie Montas look to battle it off as the Opening Day starters.  Montas looks to win on Opening Day and break the streak of 3 straight losses on Reds Home Opening Day.  With a fully packed crowd, Cincinnati needs to set the tone early and get off to a hot start, as we cannot afford fighting back all season long.  With Williamson battling an injury, I would expect the rotation to look like Montas, Greene, Martinez, Abbott, and Ashcraft to begin the campaign. 

Opening Day Lineup

Cincinnati still has an empty roster spot as I am writing this, so I am not sure what Krall exactly has up his sleeve.  I’ll still make an attempt at what I think will be the lineup order for Thursday without knowledge of any new additions or call-ups.

• 2B – Jonathan India
• SS- Elly De La Cruz
• LF – Spencer Steer
• RF – Jake Fraley
• 3B – Jeimer Candelario
• 1B – Christian Encarnacion-Strand
• CF – Will Benson
• DH – Stuart Fairchild
• C – Tyler Stephenson

Santiago Espinal and Nick Martini could find themselves entering the game as later additions.  With the injuries to McLain and Friedl, Cincinnati will need some production from call-ups or whoever they decide to add to this club, as Cincinnati certainly went from loaded depth to Martini being the first guy to come off the bench.  However, I still feel like this lineup is solid and has enough talent to really make a run at the National League Central Title should they stay healthy.  I’d be lying though if I said Marte, Friedl, and McLain’s absences didn’t damper my optimism though.  Bell recently stated Friedl may only be out 6 weeks, which would be quite the turnaround as we wait for the second opinion results with McLain.  Second opinion to me though means we might not even see McLain in 2024-but hey, what do I know?  I’m just a Labor Relations guy who likes the Reds!

2024 Will be a Change

The 2024 Reds season will certainly be different for the McAdow household, although this is a great thing!  Our little man, Creed, will be arriving in Early May to help cheer on the Redlegs with his Mom and Dad from home.  I believe I attended over 25 games last season, but this season, it may look more like 10 – and that is Ok, as our second favorite place to watch Reds baseball is right at home in the best town in Ohio – Peebles, of course.  Sure, we might be an hour and 15 minutes from the ballpark, but it is full of Reds fans who have a long history of supporting the local team.  Whether you’re watching from home or attending a game, there is really a different feeling this season with our young ballclub.  Expectations are higher than in years past and the pressure is on after a bad Bengals season.  Let’s Go Reds, let the best rollercoaster ever created begin!

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By Matthew McAdow

Herald Sports Contributor

At last, Cincinnati has finally played a couple Spring Training games and I can officially write about results on the field instead of projections. While we’ve had some cold days as of recent, the next three days are all 62 degrees or above, which means baseball weather is quickly approaching! Our beloved Redlegs are enjoying some good weather in Goodyear, Arizona now as well, as they are working on their game and many are competing for a roster spot on this very deep Reds roster. 

Some early players who shined in the first two games included Will Benson (smoked a homer), Carson Spiers (2 IP, 4 K’s), Tyler Callihan (HR, 3 RBI), Bubba Thompson (3 hits, 2 RBI), Stuart Fairchild (3 hits, 1 RBI), Hunter Greene (4 K’s, Working on two new pitches), and Luke Maile (1 homerun, 3 RBI). There were more that played well and were flashy, but these players really stood out in the first two days. With Fairchild fighting for his roster spot, he played very solid and hopes to improve from his 2023 campaign. 

Odd

Year after year, there are a few people throughout the Reds community who already jump to conclusions with the Reds roster and I have always found it quite odd. Without seeing how they play in Spring Training or anything, there is always the crowd of “if this guy makes the roster, we are in trouble.” Take Josh Harrison for example. There are a few people who believe if he makes this roster, Cincinnati is in trouble. He is a two-time All-Star who literally batted .279 in 2021 and .278 in 2020. I don’t know about you, but I would like to see what he has left in the tank before I automatically assume the likes of Jose Barrero or Stuart Fairchild are on this roster. Yes, I know this team needs right-handed outfield bats, but seeing what these guys are capable of in the current year is what the front office is doing. Imagine if we would have automatically cut someone like Will Benson based off his 2022 and early 2023 performance…Just my two cents

The Splitcinnati Reds?

As we brought in a few new names to this Reds pitching staff over the offseason, we are also going to see some new pitches even with our returning pitchers. Cruz, Pagan, Montas, Martinez, Greene, Sims, and others are working to develop or enhance their splitter. For those unfamiliar with a splitter, it is a pitch thrown with the effort of a fastball, but drops hard is it nears the plate. They are becoming more relevant in the game and the pitch is very common in Japan. If you’ve ever heard of a forkball, it is much like the forkball in regard to grip. I already can’t wait to listen to Chris Welsh dive into the importance of the splitter for this Reds team and how it can be an effective pitch going forward. 

National League Central

As we are roughly one month shy from the MLB season beginning, this is probably the most anticipated season I can recall in quite some time. However, FanGraphs still has Cincinnati projected to get second to last in the Central. How is that? I understand if you want to put the Cubs as the front runner, as they just inked Bellinger to a deal…But how are we projected below the Cardinals and Brewers? I am not saying Cincinnati will win the Central, but if you ever wanted to bet the “over,” I do believe Cincinnati can win over 78 games.

The post Matt’s Take – The Splitcinnati Reds?; Early Shiners appeared first on The Cincinnati Herald .

By Conrad Clowers

Cincinnati Herald Contributor

It’s the final week of the regular season in Major League Baseball. Season started waaayyy back in April when the flowers were just blooming and we were still in cold weather. At present time, the Reds go into the final week at two and a half games out of the playoff hunt. Whether it ends with a playoff birth or the Reds  on the outside looking in, it has been a year of excitement, surprise, disappointment and belief.

If this is it the magic the 2023 Reds brought, was real. Multiple players nobody had ever heard of came out of nowhere to capture the heart of the city.  Elle De La Cruz has multiple All Star Game appearances in his future. True, he will have to mature at the plate and on the base pads. He showed his youth and inexperience by swinging at unhittable pitches and being picked off base in game costing base running errors. At the same time, Cruz provided a spark to the Reds local and nationally they sorely needed to be in contention. Along with Cruz came the winning. The attitude changed and so did the expectations.

It’l be a tough mountain to climb for the Reds to make the 23 playoffs. Standing in the way are the upstart Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs. Both are ahead of the Reds and fighting for the final playoff spot. This past weekend may have been the dagger in the heart. In a game played on Saturday September 23, Cincinnati had a  9-0 lead against Pittsburg. Despite the lead and the momentum,  the Reds were unable to finish off the Pittsburg Pirates and lost the game. It was a crucial swing game that may cost Cincinnati a playoff birth.

Coming off a season where the Reds lost 100 game, the expectations were pretty much about the same for this season. Not many changes were made in the off season with the team. Once veteran players stated getting hurt and young minor league rookies started coming to the majors showing what they can do, the outlook changed.  Reds fan attendance started to rise and the ‘same ole Reds all of a sudden became an eye opener.

The team closes with the Cleveland Guardians and the St. Louis Cardinals this final week. To get to the post season Cincy will have to win and hope for help. For a team that has had magic all season, there’s no reason to end the hope for more magic now. Nobody wants to switch their hope for 2024. As long as there is hope for ’23, excitement for Reds baseball will stay in effect. If the time comes the team gets eliminated from playoff contention, all eyes will be focused on ’24. Unlike ’23, the bar and standards have been raised. We’ll just have to wait until it comes. 

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