Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings October 9, 2018

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 2012-In Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, Reds combined to strike out 16 Giants batters in 10 innings, setting a club record for a postseason game MLB.COM

Inbox: Could Lorenzen see time as a starter? Beat reporter Mark Sheldon answers questions from fans By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Oct. 8th, 2018

Will Michael Lorenzen get a chance to start next year? -- Jon J. Vera on Facebook

A lot depends before that could happen. First, the yet-to-be hired manager would likely have a say. Then, the Reds would have to see if they're successful at acquiring starting pitching from elsewhere. Finally, the front office and the new manager would have to evaluate whether having Lorenzen available to pitch once every fifth day (with pinch-hitting in between) is more valuable for the team than being able to work multiple innings a few days per week and batting for himself to extend his outings. Lorenzen definitely showed some good work during his three starts last month to give the Reds something to think about.

Would the Reds prefer a left-handed free agent for the rotation like Hyun-Jin Ryu or Derek Holland rather than a right-handed starter? -- Luke Dorsey on Facebook

Having a left-hander in the rotation would be good for a different look and to get opposing lineups to make changes, but it's not required. The most successful Reds rotation in recent memory, in 2012, got by very nicely with five right-handers. All that really matters are the 's numbers, the price it would take to get him and whether he's able to keep the ball down in Great American Ball Park.

If Jim Riggleman is not retained as manager (and he should be), will he be given a front office spot? He would be a great resource for the Reds. -- Jeff Greer on Facebook

Riggleman said on the final day of this season that he would like to remain with the organization in some capacity should he not be chosen as the permanent manager. He has a passion for working with players and managing/coaching.

Hi, Mark. Do you see the Reds trading one of their most reliable relievers such as Jared Hughes, David Hernandez or even Raisel Iglesias? I feel like their trade value is at its peak. -- @GoCincyReds_JPN on Twitter

I don't see them dealing Hughes or Hernandez, especially because their contracts are so reasonable for the club. Hernandez is set to make $2.5 million and Hughes will get $2.15 million in 2019 -- both the final seasons of their respective two-year deals. The front office did not appear serious about trading either veteran reliever over the summer.

As for Iglesias, he'll make $5.71 million in 2019, and he's an interesting case. He's a proven closer, and his contract has him under club control through 2021. That could make a return much more substantial since he's locked up for three more years. Contract aside, I think it should come down to this: if the Reds feel they can contend in '19 or '20, they won't trade Iglesias, because they would want him to close for them.

Throughout the summer, the Reds seemed to prey on first place teams, especially with their bats. By the end of the season, they couldn't produce runs any longer. It seems to me that the fall off in offensive production took a dip as soon as Adam Duvall was traded to the Braves. Did Duvall's trade take the air out of the clubhouse or did the Reds just out of gas at the end of the season? -- Kevin Y., Noblesville, Ind.

Duvall was well-liked inside the clubhouse, but his trade had little to do with the Reds' offensive slide. He was batting .205 with 15 homers when he left Cincinnati in the July 30 trade to Atlanta for pitchers Lucas Sims and Matt Wisler and outfielder Preston Tucker. After the trade, Duvall batted .132 in 33 games without a homer or RBI. The Braves re-acquired Tucker a month later.

The Reds' offensive dip had more to do with Jesse Winker being gone for the season not long after the All-Star break (right shoulder surgery), Scott Schebler spending an extended period of the disabled list (right shoulder) and Joey Votto's down year combined with his issues returning from a strike to the right leg by a Ryan Madson fastball on Aug. 4.

Is Barry Larkin a managerial candidate? -- Greg Marcum

No. President of baseball operations Dick Williams said late last month that Larkin would not be a candidate and that the Hall of Fame shortstop preferred to remain in his current role as a special assistant to the general manager and Minor League instructor.

Reds prospects get underway in AFL today Vlad Jr., Whitley among up-and-coming stars on Fall League rosters By Jim Callis MLB.com @JimCallisMLB Oct. 8th, 2018

Baseball's finishing school opens again on Tuesday, when the Arizona Fall League will begin its 27th season. Designed to enhance the development of advanced prospects while also serving as a testing ground for potential rule changes, the AFL has sent more than 2,700 players to the big leagues.

Roughly 60 percent of all AFL participants have reached the Majors, including Hall of Famer Mike Piazza and future Cooperstown inductees Derek Jeter and . The league has produced 278 All-Stars, 17 Most Valuable Players, six Cy Young Award winners and 29 Rookies of the Year. That list of award winners could go grow this fall as MVP front-runners Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich, as well as leading Rookie of the Year candidates Ronald Acuna Jr. (the 2017 AFL MVP) and Gleyber Torres (the 2016 AFL MVP), all polished their skills in Arizona.

Each MLB organization sends six of more prospects to the Fall League, where they'll play a 30-game regular season from Oct. 9 through Nov. 15 at six Cactus League stadiums in Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Salt River, Scottsdale and Surprise. The two division winners will stage a one-game playoff for the championship, which will be broadcast live on MLB Network on Nov. 17. MLB Network also will televise the Fall Stars Game on Nov. 3 and the Military Appreciation Game on Nov. 10.

Fifteeen of MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects will play in Arizona this fall, highlighted by the game's best prospect (Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Surprise Saguaros) and top pitching prospect (Astros right-hander Forrest Whitley of the Scottsdale Scorpions). Scottsdale has five Top 100 Prospects, with Reds outfielder Taylor Trammell, Phillies righty Sixto Sanchez, Mets shortstop Andres Gimenez and Mets first baseman Peter Alonso joining Whitley.

The complete list of Top 100 Prospects in the AFL:

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B, Surprise/Blue Jays (No. 1 on Top 100) Forrest Whitley, RHP, Scottsdale/Astros (No. 8) Taylor Trammell, OF, Scottsdale/Reds (No. 17) Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Scottsdale/Phillies (No. 21) Keston Hiura, 2B, Peoria/Brewers (No. 30) Carter Kieboom, SS, Salt River/Nationals (No. 37) Keibert Ruiz, C, Glendale/Dodgers (No. 39) Luis Robert, OF, Glendale/White Sox (No. 44) Estevan Florial, OF, Glendale/Yankees (No. 45) Andres Gimenez, SS, Scottsdale/Mets (No. 55) Julio Pablo Martinez, OF, Surprise/Rangers (No. 56) Peter Alonso, 1B, Scottsdale/Mets (No. 58) Cristian Pache, OF, Peoria/Braves (No. 68) Michael Chavis, 3B, Mesa/Red Sox (No. 69) Jon Duplantier, RHP, Salt River/Diamondbacks (No. 80)

Once again, the Fall League will use a clock to regulate the time between pitches (15 seconds), between hitters (30 seconds), mound visits (30 seconds) and between innings (two minutes, 15 seconds). Additionally, all extra innings will begin with the player who made the final out the previous inning on second base, though games will continue to end if tied after 11 innings. Past AFL experiments have included instant replay, foul poles of different heights and colors, further pace-of-game initiatives and balls that don't require being rubbed down with mud.

Probables Tuesday Glendale (RHP Jordan Foley) at Peoria (RHP Bubba Derby), 3:35 p.m. ET Salt River (RHP Ryan Castellani) at Surprise (RHP Dario Agrazal), 3:35 p.m. ET Mesa (LHP ) at Scottsdale (RHP Forrest Whitley), 9:35 p.m. ET

Wednesday Peoria (RHP Miguel Diaz) at Glendale (LHP Ben Holmes), 3:35 p.m. ET Scottsdale (LHP Garrett Williams) at Mesa (RHP Teddy Stankiewicz), 9:35 p.m. ET Surprise (LHP Evan Kruczynski) at Salt River (RHP Luis Reyes), 9:35 p.m. ET

Thursday Peoria (RHP Jeremy Walker) at Mesa (LPH Justin Steele), 3:35 p.m. ET Surprise (RHP Tai Tiedemann) at Glendale (LHP Chris Lee), 3:35 p.m. ET Scottsdale (RHP J.B. Bukauskas) at Salt River (RHOP Jordan Yamamoto), 9:35 p.m. ET

Dates To Remember Oct. 9: Opening Day Oct. 13: Bowman Hitting Challenge, Sloan Park, Mesa, 9:35 pm ET Nov. 3: Fall Stars Game, Surprise Stadium, Scottsdale, 8 pm ET Nov. 10: Military Appreciation Game, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 8 pm ET Nov. 17: Championship Game, Scottsdale Stadium, 3 pm ET

Transactions

10/08/18 San Diego Padres sent LHP Jose Torres outright to San Antonio Missions.