Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings November 25, 2015 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1966 - Tommy Helms is named the National League Rookie of the Year. Helms bats .284 with 23 doubles and 49 RBI in his first full season with the Reds. MLB.COM After steady 2015, DeSclafani shows promise Righty proved reliable in first year with Reds, plans to work on curveball By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com / [email protected] / @m_sheldon CINCINNATI -- When the Reds traded starting pitcher Mat Latos to the Marlins for two prospects on the final day of the 2014 Winter Meetings, it was correctly viewed as a cost-saving move. Before the 2015 season was over, it was already clear that the Reds benefited most from the deal because of Anthony DeSclafani. A 25-year-old right-handed starter, DeSclafani started the season as somewhat untested. He finished it as the Reds' most dependable -- and consistent -- rotation member. "In the end, the kid topped the 180-innings mark, went all the way through, made all of his starts, and we think the world of this guy," Reds manager Bryan Price said after DeSclafani's final start of the season on Sept. 30. "He's going to have a terrific career in Cincinnati. He finally really did pitch a full Major League season, and it will pay dividends down the road." DeSclafani, who was acquired along with catcher Chad Wallach, was 9-13 with a 4.05 ERA, 55 walks, 194 hits allowed, 151 strikeouts and a 1.35 WHIP. Although some numbers didn't appear sparkling for a 98-loss last-place club that began its rebuild midseason, there was plenty to like overall. DeSclafani led all Major League rookies with 184 2/3 innings and was tied for first with 31 starts. Meanwhile, Latos had a lackluster stint for Miami and was traded to the Dodgers on July 30. He was released in September before finishing the final week of the season with the Angels. In 2014, DeSclafani worked 162 1/3 innings -- combining his big league stint for Miami, the Minor Leagues and Arizona Fall League. Fatigue caught up to him over his final three 2015 starts as he struggled, but his steadiness overall left him pleased. "I'm glad I could do that most of the time this year," DeSclafani said in the final days of the season. "It's something I take pride in. I want to continue to do that. Obviously, I can get better at limiting damage in some games, which will help. I don't think it's necessary next year to put pressure on myself to try and do better. I think it's about consistency. … Repeating what I did this year would be awesome." Looking ahead to 2016, DeSclafani and Raisel Iglesias appear to be the only two from the last half-season's all-rookie rotation that are locks for the starting five. Homer Bailey is expected to join the group in May after he rehabs fully from Tommy John surgery. DeSclafani was eagerly anticipating a rest at home this winter but was also excited about enhancing the tools at his disposal next season. According to pitch F/x data on Fangraphs, he used his curveball just 23 times this year, but it was a pitch he was trying to develop throughout. "I want to bring that back next year and learn how to use it more effectively from outing to outing," DeSclafani said. "I was talking to Tucker [Barnhart, a Reds catcher], most of the year it was always a pitch I wanted to progress with. We kind of throw it in counts where it wouldn't hurt us, and I'd try to flip it in there for a strike. It's been an average Major League curveball. "I want to learn how to throw with the curveball now that it can be a strikeout pitch." CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Column: Cincinnati Reds RBI programs helping kids By Evelyn Perkins / Cincinnati Enquirer ‘Tis the season to be jolly, supportive and generous and so it was on Saturday, Nov. 14. Glendale Police Chief Dave Warman had been at Glenwood Kroger for food donations to provide 25 families a Thanksgiving meal for the eighth year, but he had already left when I arrived. If you missed him, come to Glendale’s Square Dec. 2 to fill a large sleigh with food for Christmas. However, I found another interesting story. Wyoming resident Becky Dunehew was at a table in the lobby of the store with a sign that read “Cincinnati Reds RBI.” On the table were free bubble gum and bite-sized Three Musketeers candy bars, and McDonald’s coupons for your donation. Becky, along with teens, Emoni Steele from North College Hill and Caleb Tubbs from Forest Park, were there to raise money for uniforms, equipment, tournaments, bats, bat bags and helmets for RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities). Becky has been with the program four years. Many of the players were in the Classic Junior RBI Tournament at Roselawn’s Urban Youth Academy for participants from all over the country. Her son is an RBI player and she loves being the team mom. She calls the boys her baseball sons. This wonderful program began in 1989 and serves under-served youth in a big way. Becky said it gives the boys experience talking to strangers and makes them responsible. I called Emoni’s and Caleb’s coach, Rodney Sears, for more information. It has been a great experience for him as well as the kids. He was with the Reds Community Fund for 10 years, and has coached RBI for five or six years. It puts city and suburban boys and girls from ages 7-18 on age appropriate teams. The girls play softball. Sears coaches the 13-year-old youth. He is so excited to watch the kids grow up and mature into great young men. He’s coached some since they were 6-years-old when they were playing rec ball. Parents used to head up the fundraisers, but Sears realized that wasn’t teaching kids the values he wanted them to learn. This year he decided on the McDonald’s coupons that made the kids meet people, and gives people something immediate for their donations. Caleb and Emoni were so personable that customers who promised them they would donate after they shopped actually did so. After every practice Sears asks the boys to name the three most important things, and they reply God, family and school. He teaches them if they want something, they must work to get it. They learn life skills, master interpersonal communication and how to work as a team. Sears says it is amazing how well they take care of their equipment year after year. As part of their community service, the children help assemble packets of food at the Free Store Food Bank. This is great character building stuff. The Cincinnati Reds do a ton of things for the RBI program including paying their league fees. Without RBI, the youngsters would not have experienced being part of the 2015 All Star Game and the Home Run Derby and rooming at Xavier University’s campus. Sears’s ambition is to have all these kids go to college on baseball scholarships. TRANSACTIONS Date Transaction 11/24/15 Atlanta Braves invited non-roster C Braeden Schlehuber to spring training. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent C Geovany Soto. Toronto Blue Jays released 1B Matt Hague. Colorado Rockies traded RHP Tommy Kahnle to Chicago White Sox for RHP Yency Almonte. New York Yankees signed free agent RHP Daniel Marten to a minor league contract. Atlanta Braves invited non-roster C Ryan Lavarnway to spring training. Atlanta Braves invited non-roster C Matt Kennelly to spring training. Atlanta Braves signed free agent RHP David Carpenter to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. .