Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings October 27, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1998-President Bill Clinton signs the Curt Flood Act, overturning part of baseball’s 70-year-old antitrust exemption, putting baseball on par with other professional sports, when it relates to labor matters MLB.COM Four Reds named NL Gold Glove Award finalists Votto, Duvall, Hamilton, Barnhart one of 3 nominees at respective positions By Daniel Kramer / MLB.com | October 26th, 2017 + 9 COMMENTS The Reds felt they were among the best defensive teams in the National League in 2017, and on Thursday, they were given validation for that assertion. First baseman Joey Votto, left fielder Adam Duvall, center fielder Billy Hamilton and catcher Tucker Barnhart were named Rawlings NL Gold Glove Award finalists. Each player is one of three nominees at his respective position for the prestigious award that recognizes the best defensive player at each position for each league. The four nominations are an NL high for any club. The winners will be unveiled on Nov. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. "I think we've got legitimate candidates here to win the award," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "The four guys who have been acknowledged in the final vote is really good, and I'm excited. But I would really like to see us get acknowledged beyond getting into the finalists and actually win some awards." This is the fourth straight year Hamilton has been nominated, though he has yet to win. In 2017, Hamilton converted three five-star catches, rated by Statcast™ as the most elite such outfield plays, those with a catch probability of 25 percent or less. The MLB high on such plays was seven by Braves center fielder and fellow finalist Ender Inciarte. The Nationals' Michael Taylor, the other finalist, also converted three five-star catches. For Votto, Thursday's nomination was recognition for what has been a season-long goal of improving defensively. That objective was part of the reason he skipped playing in the World Baseball Classic. "I felt like that little window, whether it was a week, three weeks, however long, that window is the most important time in Spring Training to prep," Votto said. "Had I been locked in on meaningful games, I wouldn't have been able to put in the work that I felt was valuable, paired up with the offseason work that I did. I felt like the goal was accomplished." Votto, whose .324/.424/.600 line with 36 homers and 100 RBIs on offense are near mirror figures to what he posted when winning the 2010 NL MVP Award, is likely to be among the finalists for this year's MVP against the likes of Paul Goldschmidt, Giancarlo Stanton and Nolan Arenado, among others. Votto is also likely to be a finalist for the NL Silver Slugger Award at first base, which he has never won. For the Gold Glove, he is up against two-time winner Goldschmidt and reigning Platinum Glove winner Anthony Rizzo. Barnhart, the fourth-year Reds catcher, led the NL with a 44 percent caught-stealing rate and posted an average pop time to second base of 2.01 seconds on such attempts, above the MLB average. Buster Posey, who won his first Gold Glove Award last season, and Yadier Molina, who won the previous eight, are the other finalists. "If I were fortunate enough to win a Gold Glove, it would be like the No. 1 honor for me," Barnhart said. "It's what I am as a player, a defense-first guy. To me, it would be extremely special." Duvall is a finalist for the second straight year. He led the Majors with 15 outfield assists and ranked 13th with nine outs above average, per Statcast™. The other left-field finalists are the Rockies' Gerardo Parra and the Marlins' Marcell Ozuna. This year's Gold Glove Awards represent just one way the game's top performers will be recognized. Voting is underway now for the Esurance MLB Awards, which annually honor MLB's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process. MLB Awards season will culminate on Friday, Nov. 17, when winners are announced live on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 8 p.m. ET. Daniel Kramer is a reporter for MLB.com based in Denver. Follow him on Twitter at @DKramer_. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. Reds claim utility man Johnson from Braves By Daniel Kramer / MLB.com | October 26th, 2017 + 5 COMMENTS The Reds announced on Thursday that they've claimed utility second baseman and outfielder Micah Johnson off waivers from the Braves. Johnson, 26, played in just 18 games last year, 11 plate appearances, and was largely limited due to a wrist injury. He began the year on the disabled list and was eventually transferred to the 60-day DL. With Zack Cozart set to become a free agent and limited depth across the infield, the Reds could give Johnson -- a once-promising prospect in the White Sox system -- a chance to compete for a bench role in Spring Training. Johnson can also play the outfield, and his presence gives the Reds flexibility at several positions. At the very least, he'll be able to contribute at Triple-A Louisville. Daniel Kramer is a reporter for MLB.com based in Denver. Follow him on Twitter at @DKramer_. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Paul Daugherty: Welcome to the 4th Game Parade era Paul Daugherty, [email protected] Published 5:33 p.m. ET Oct. 26, 2017 Welcome back, RedsFans, to the 99th Annual 4th Game Parade. We love our traditions here, and none is better than the Opening Day Parade that occurs four days after Opening Day. There has never been a 4th Game Parade like this one, not in all of baseball history. It makes all the other 4th Game Parades look like 5th Game Parades. We here in the Republic of Cincinnati like to think we’re special. Different. Anybody can have an Opening Day Parade on Opening Day. We love Day 4. It’s sacred around here. Why Day 4? Some ancient Cincinnati legend – William H. Taft, maybe, or Buddy LaRosa – decreed that there was something magical about the 4th game of the year. Four balls to a walk, right? Let the mortals parade on Day 1. The pretenders, the arrivistes, the people who go to be Seen. A parade on Opening Day? That’s for amateurs. True Cincinnatians party on Day 4. Everyone knows that. To quote Nigel Tufnel, legendary guitarist for the mock-band Spinal Tap, about the group’s special amplifier, “Ours goes to 11.’’ OK, OK. For the first time, the Findlay Market Parade will not precede the first Reds game of the season. Major League Baseball has decided to commence its championship season a week earlier than normal, because if there’s one thing casual fans don’t like about baseball it’s that the season is just too short. This isn’t the Reds fault. They could cure the fuss by going on the road for the first three games, but they don’t want to do that, and why would they? Starting their season at home is no less traditional than a first-day parade. The merchants who fill Findlay Market could take a big, pre-Easter weekend hit, but they don’t want to do that, and why would they? Without the merchants there would be no market. Without the market, there would be no parade. So we can’t just dismiss the merchants. Besides, have you ever had the fresh sausages and homemade pastas at Findlay Market? To die for, people. Major League Baseball is the culprit. MLB doesn’t care about Cincinnati or the Reds, at least no more than any other team, and why should it? The goal is revenue enhancement. The Reds are not an outsized contributor to the baseball vault. “They think this is a bunch of farmland,’’ said Neil Neil Luken, parade committee chairman and owner of Neil Luken Meats. Yeah, that too. “You say you can bring half a million people downtown for a day, and Major League Baseball doesn’t care,’’ Luken said. This is the same enterprise that decided in 1994 that the season would no longer begin in Cincinnati. Then in 1999, the National Pastime opened with a game in Monterrey, Mexico. Luken isn’t overly distressed about the change. He thinks the Day 4 Parade will be better than the Opening Day model would have been. “The logistics aren’t good for setting up a parade down there if you have to shut down (streets) from Central Parkway all the way to Vine Street,’’ he said. “You’re cutting off the lifeline of Findlay Market.’’ That matters every Opening Day, or course. It matters more this year, because the opener is four days before Easter, when people are stocking up for Easter brunch and dinner. The following Monday, Luken explained, “We don’t have to worry about delivery trucks trying to get through a parade route.’’ His biggest issue is with the name. What do they call an Opening Day parade when it’s not on Opening Day? “Re-brand the parade,’’ said Luken. “Make sure it’s all about Findlay Market and the city of Cincinnati, our tradition and heritage.’’ He did say, “If we can make it work on Thursday, we’ll try,’’ but his head is overruling his heart for the moment.