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Home , Babe Pinelli, Caleb Cotham, Drew Hayes (baseball), Ed Bailey, George Grande, Great American Ball Park

Reds Press Clippings March 31, 2016

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY

2003-Cincinnati hosts the opening of . The Reds lose to the , 10-1, before a sellout crowd of 42,343

MLB.COM Get the season started with 30 cool Statcast stats for 30 teams MLB.com analyst Mike Petriello looks back at the some of the best Statcast findings in the inaugural year of the new analysis tool By Mike Petriello / MLB.com | @mike_petriello | March 30th, 2016 + 0 COMMENTS

This marks the second season of Statcast™, and that means we have an entire season of data about exit velocity, spin rate, extension, arm strength, lead distance, launch angle and just about anything else you can think of, for every team. Let's get the season started in style by running down an interesting Statcast™ stat for each team -- in many cases, something that never could have been measured prior to 2015.

AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST Blue Jays: 1.07 seconds: Ryan Goins' -leading exchange time, which is a way to measure the time that elapses between a fielder receiving the ball and releasing the throw. What that means is that no infielder in the game managed to get rid of the ball as quickly as Goins did, which makes sense given his stellar defensive reputation.

Orioles: 82.2 mph: Darren O'Day's average exit velocity against on four-seam , the second lowest among 407 who threw at least 100 of them. Despite averaging just 88 mph on his otherwise unimposing , O'Day's swing-and-miss rate of 36.8 percent was better than every other than , and the hitters that did make contact against O'Day's funky delivery failed to make good contact, leading to a .097 average against it.

Rays: 327 feet: Average feet from home plate, in terms of where star Kevin Kiermaier positions himself. Even when accounting for park dimensions, he's baseball's deepest center fielder, by nearly 60 feet over the shallowest.

Red Sox: 94.4 mph: That's ' exit velocity, the third highest in baseball behind and Jose Bautista (minimum 200 tracked batted balls). Even at age 39 last year, Ortiz cracked 37 homers, because he still crushes the ball -- a fact that went a long way towards expecting him to rebound from a sluggish start to 2015. (Spoiler alert: He did.)

Yankees: 97.3 mph: Nathan Eovaldi's four-seam fastball velocity, an elite number that was the second highest among starters, behind only Noah Syndergaard. Despite the heat, Eovaldi's fastball doesn't have particularly notable spin in either direction, which is why he's spent so much time attempting to supplement it with his other pitches.

AL CENTRAL Indians: 85.7 mph: The perceived velocity on Cody Allen's knuckle-curve, the second highest in baseball behind . Allen, among baseball's most underrated closers, allowed just two extra-base hits on the last year despite throwing it more than 400 times.

Royals: 2,540 rpm: That's the spin rate on ' , the second highest in baseball (of the 128 pitchers who threw 50) behind only Kenley Jansen, who has a cutter so elite it draws comparisons to Mariano Rivera's. Davis allowed just 10 hits on the cutter all year long, proving that he's about more than a high-velocity four-seam fastball.

Tigers: 2,491 rpm: had baseball's highest-spin four-seamer (among starters) last year, but it 't until he started using it more high in the zone that he rebounded to success. In his first seven starts, with a 5.56 ERA, he threw high four-seamers 15 percent of the time. In Verlander's final 13 starts, with a 2.36 ERA, he threw it high 24 percent of the time. High-spin fastballs, thrown high, tend to result in swinging strikes. That's exactly what he found.

Twins: 16.7 percent: Miguel Sano's league-leading rate of "barrels," defined as "balls over 100 mph at a launch angle between 10 and 25 degrees," which is about the best thing a hitter can do (hitters averaged .595 on such balls). Sano strikes out a lot, but when he makes contact, no one hits the ball as perfectly, as often.

White Sox: 97 mph: Avisail Garcia's average throwing arm on "competitive plays," the fourth best in baseball on throws defined as being at a fielder's 90th percentile capacity. In an otherwise disappointing season for the young , Garcia's excellent arm was at least a bright point.

AL WEST A's: 3.85 seconds: The home-to-first runnning speed (on "competitive plays") of outfielder Billy Burns, the fastest mark in the game. The second- and third-fastest players Dee Gordon and Billy Hamilton. Burns isn't just "sort of fast," he's incredibly fast.

Angels: 3,086 rpm: Garrett Richards' spin, making it the highest-spin pitch in the game. High-spin curves tend to drive themselves downward more then regular curves, and indeed, Richards had the second-most vertical curveball movement in the bigs -- and a massive 75 percent ground ball rate on the pitch.

Astros: 94.6 mph: Houston's average outfield throwing velocity on "competitive throws," the best in baseball. Defined as being throws at or above a fielder's displayed 90th percentile performance, Jake Marisnick and Carlos Gomez finished first and second in the individual standings, giving the Astros baseball's best outfield arms.

Mariners: 67 times: On balls hit at 100 mph or higher, Robinson Cano hit into an out 67 times, tied for the most in baseball. That points to more than a little bad luck -- as a whole, hit .621 on balls above 100 mph, while Cano hit just .571. A huge part of his second-half turnaround was finding more success on those crushed balls.

Rangers: 132 times: The number of times Delino DeShields reached 21 mph running the bases, easily the most in baseball. Only seven other players managed to reach that mark even 50 times, and it's that elite speed that has the Rangers hoping DeShields can use it to improve his outfield defense this year.

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST Braves: 1,148 rpm: The spin on Julio Teheran's , making it the lowest-spin slider from any starting pitcher, and hitters managed just a .200 average against it. The highest-spin slider was 2,486 rpm from Richards, our reigning king of spin, and he got 100 on the pitch, going to show being extreme on spin can often be a good thing, regardless in which direction.

Marlins: 1.87 seconds: From 's power to Gordon's speed to 's exit velocity to Carter Capps' perceived velocity, the Marlins have no shortage of Statcast™ stars, but let's not forget about J.T Realmuto's pop time, the fastest time of any regular catcher in baseball.

Mets: 29.7 percent: The best-in-baseball (using likely 2016 rosters) percentage of pitches that reached 95 mph, making the Mets baseball's foremost velocity kings. Could it be even higher this year? Remember, the Mets shipped Jonathon Niese (zero 95 mph pitches) to the Pirates, and they should at some point welcome back (1,093 pitches above 95 mph in 2014) back from injury.

Nationals: 98.1 mph: Ryan Zimmerman's post-injury batting exit velocity was elite, and far better than the 89.1 mph he was struggling through while attempting to play through a foot injury for the first three months. After taking a break in the middle of the year to rest the foot, he came back and had a 1.024 OPS, compared to the .611 mark he'd put up playing through pain.

Phillies: 12.2 percent: Maikel Franco's scorching spring was in part predicted by his 2015 Statcast™ data, since 12.2 percent is how often he hit a ball over 100 mph at a launch angle between 10 and 25 degrees, which is another way of saying "a hard-hit line drive." Only 11 players (minimum of 20 batted balls) did better, and the names were largely impressive: Sano, Trout, Cespedes and Stanton among them.

NL CENTRAL Brewers: 98.1 mph: New Milwaukee Chris Carter may have only hit .199 with Houston last year, but from August 1 through the end of the season, his exit velocity of 98.1 mph was baseball's highest. With evidence that he changed his stance and his hitting approach, there's reason to believe that the Brewers may have gotten a steal with the power-hitting first baseman, even if he'll always have plenty of swing-and-miss in his game.

Cardinals: 94.5 mph: "The guy drafted before Mike Trout" seems so long ago now, doesn't it? caught our eye early in the year as someone who was hitting the ball extremely hard, and that lasted all season long -- among hitters with 100 tracked batted balls, he was fifth out of 373. That's pretty heady company to be in for St. Louis' likely starting center fielder.

Cubs: 85 mph: 's overall average exit velocity, the best in baseball, proving that he does more than just miss bats (236 strikeouts in 229 innings last year), he ensures that nothing good happens when hitters do make contact. Is suppressing exit velocity a skill? Well, the two starters right behind him on the list are Dallas Keuchel and . You may have heard of them.

Pirates: 77 times: Arquimedes Caminero hit digits last year 77 times, the second most in baseball behind Chapman. With Chapman off to the Yankees, Caminero may become the 's leading flamethrower.

Reds: 0.38 seconds: The "plate time" of reliever Jumbo Diaz , which means that from the time he released the ball to the time the pitch made it to home plate, it took barely more than a third of a second, which is a combination of above-average velocity and above-average extension. That's the third best in baseball behind Diaz's former teammate, Chapman, and injured Miami reliever Carter Capps.

NL WEST D-backs: 13.5 feet: Paul Goldschmidt's average lead distance. How did a slugging first baseman not known for his speed manage to steal 21 bases, the most by any first baseman since 2003? Because Goldschmidt wasn't running 90 feet from first to second -- his best-in-baseball lead distance of 13.5 feet cut that down to a more manageable 76.5 feet.

Dodgers: 2,533 rpm: Yimi Garcia's four-seam fastball spin rate. Garcia's average velocity of 93.9 mph is good, but his spin rate is elite -- the best among any reliever, now that Rafael Betancourt has retired. It's how an unheralded rookie reliever struck out 68 in 56.2 innings, a better rate than or Jose Fernandez.

Giants: 2,332 rpm: Sergio Romo has long been known for his slider, and it's among baseball's most fascinating pitches. Among the 47 pitchers who threw at least 500 sliders last year, Romo's was the slowest (77.9 mph), but it had the second-highest spin behind only -- who else -- Garrett Richards. That goes to show that spin and velocity are not necessary correlated, and that low-speed/high- spin combination is one hitters rarely see. That they hit just .191 against Romo's slider last year goes to show how effective it remains.

Padres: 85.4 mph: Christian Bethancourt's average throwing speed to second base, the best among 40 who had at least 10 tracked throws. Even from a crouch, the young catcher's arm outshines some actual big league pitchers.

Rockies: 95 and 94 percent: New Rockies relievers (95 percent) and Jake McGee (94 percent) throw their fastballs more often than any other pitchers, which doesn't seem to be a coincidence. In the never-ending battle to overcome , the Rockies look to have prioritized pitchers who don't depend on breaking pitches.

Votto will again vie for NL MVP honors Despite Reds' struggles in '15, slugger finished in Top 3 in voting By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | 12:00 AM ET + 10 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- As the Reds aren't expected to contend for the playoffs this season, first baseman could be doing a large part of his work in relative anonymity. That was the case in 2015, when the Reds won 64 games, but Votto's performance still earned him a third-place finish in National League Most Valuable Player voting.

So here's the fearless prediction for 2016: regardless of what Cincinnati does as a team and who surrounds him in the , Votto's production will again warrant a Top 3 MVP finish. To briefly recap what earned Votto MVP consideration last season, he batted .314/.459/.541 with 29 home runs and 80 RBIs in 158 games. His 1.000 OPS was third in the Majors. His 172 weighted-runs-created-plus (wRC+) was tied for second in the Majors and his 7.4 WAR was ranked fifth.

But following a more pedestrian first half, it was what Votto did in the second half that had baseball begin to take notice. He led the Majors in hitting (.362), on-base percentage (.535), and also had a .617 .

"I think the thing that makes him as good as he is, is that he doesn't ever give away an at-bat," Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco said. "I catch myself at times where I try to have a good two-strike approach and really grind through an at-bat, and then I just do something really stupid and get out swinging at a dumb pitch or was too aggressive.

"For him, he's always grinding out every single at-bat. It doesn't matter if we're down 10 runs. It doesn't matter if the game is on the line. And that's just a very hard thing to do from a mental standpoint, to be that invested in every single at-bat. Man, that's hard to do and he does it better than anybody."

Mesoraco's observations are continually proven statistically. A lightning rod, partially because of the 10-year, $225 million contract extension he signed in 2012, Votto is often criticized for being too selective. But his is an approach that works.

When swinging inside the , Votto batted .352 last season, compared to .199 out of the zone. For his career, he's a .362 hitter in the zone and .176 out of it. That strongly indicates chasing bad pitches isn't in his, or the team's, best interests. Now 32, it will be more difficult for Votto to match the power that yielded his career-high 37 homers in the 2010 season where he was the NL MVP. But he will continually find ways to adjust and beat pitchers, whether it's choking up on the bat with two strikes or stepping closer to the mound in the batter's box. This spring, he has experimented more with bunting to the left side to beat the infield shift. He's even demonstrated a unique between-pitch move inside the batter's box late in spring to set himself.

Votto is batting 440/.516/.640, with a 1.156 OPS and three homers this spring. In past years, he's had bad springs and great seasons. He never sets statistical goals. But after what's been a strong camp, can he tell when a good season is in the cards? "Every year, I've felt like I can come out and have a better year than the past," Votto said. "I say that, realistically. What I'm saying is I felt there were things I could improve that would make me a better ballplayer and hopefully help the team perform better. But I haven't felt like there was a cap yet."

The key, of course, is good health. After Votto recovered from two 2012 left knee surgeries, his power numbers dipped. In 2014, a left quad strain and more knee issues gave him the worst numbers of his career and limited him to 62 games.

"In 2013, it was probably the one year I felt was limited because I felt like I was still rehabbing," Votto said. "It just didn't feel right and I couldn't do some of the things that I could do in the past, so I had to make some adjustments that were a bit short of what I expected. As long as I go into the season healthy, I think that's a good starting point for me personally."

Reds cut six; Duvall, De Jesus make roster Holt optioned to Triple-A, four relievers reassigned and O'Grady offered back to Angels By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 30th, 2016 + 135 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds got closer to their 25-man roster by making six cuts Wednesday.

Before the club's 6-3 win over the White Sox, outfielder Tyler Holt was optioned to Triple-A Louisville, while relievers , Ryan Mattheus, JC Ramirez and Pedro Villarreal were reassigned to the Minor League camp. Lefty reliever and pick Chris O'Grady has cleared waivers and was offered back to his former club, the Angels. The Angels have three days to decide if they want him back.

Of that group, Villarreal and Hayes had the best springs. Villarreal posted a 2.25 ERA in eight appearances while Hayes had a 0.90 ERA in his eight games. Neither pitcher was on the 40-man roster, however, which made it tougher.

"That poses part of the challenge," Reds said. "A lot of factors went into the decision. That No. 1, was a consideration -- creating roster spots for guys and having some flexibility with the guys we have on the roster. The other part is as we shrink this down, there are guys we really wanted to see first."

With J.J. Hoover locked in and an eight-man bullpen expected, the bullpen could have Jumbo Diaz, Tony Cingrani, Ross Ohlendorf, Caleb Cotham, Dayan Diaz, and Blake Wood.

Villarreal and Hayes could be summoned during the season, if needed.

"I think both of those guys can help us," Price said. "They can both pitch in the big leagues. It's been hard to get Pedro established. He had a good year for us last year. Drew just hasn't been to the big leagues yet. What he's done is put himself on the map. That's what you have to do first, much like [Ivan] De Jesus and Kris Negron and those guys before him -- non-roster guys that come in and have good springs and when that first opportunity comes, they're the best pitcher and the best option for us."

Price revealed that he told outfielder and utility infielder De Jesus that they will make the club.

Cincinnati has 35 players on the roster and must be at the 25-man limit before Opening Day against the Phillies on Monday. With O'Grady out, the 40-man roster is at 38.

Even with possibly six of the 35 likely to begin the season on the disabled list, there are some hard choices remaining. Jose Peraza, Jordan Pacheco, Jake Cave, Scott Schebler and Yorman Rodriguez are all vying for the final bench spots.

"At this time of the year, it is a lot of decisions," Price said. "There is no other way to say it. We have a lot of debating going on right now. That's just the reality of our situation is trying to get this right, have everyone have a voice and then come to some finality."

Pitching prospect Reed nearing big league readiness By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 30th, 2016 + 103 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Before arriving to his first big league camp, pitching prospect Cody Reed's reputation on the mound had largely preceded him. The Minor League numbers Reed accumulated in a short period of time were strong. The video clips were impressive.

And now that the big league coaching staff has gotten a good look, Reed corroborated that information and what Reds scouts and baseball operations people felt before trading for him last summer: This pitcher could be ready for the Majors very soon.

"I think the reason we sent him out was to get him a little more polished and prepared," manager Bryan Price said. "I feel very comfortable that we'll be seeing Cody here this season."

Reed, who turns 23 on April 15, was among the three lefty pitching prospects that the Reds received from the Royals for . The other two pieces in the deal -- John Lamb and Brandon Finnegan -- have already been in the big leagues since the transaction.

When camp opened, Reed had an outside shot at earning one of three open spots in the Cincinnati rotation. He had some of the strongest performances among the candidates.

In four Cactus League games (three starts), Reed posted a 3.97 ERA with two walks and 10 strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings. He also pitched two scoreless frames in a "B" game this spring. His two free passes and homer didn't come against him until his final start on March 21 against the Padres. He was cut from the spring roster the following day.

"You look at the Padres and I saw these guys on TV when I was in high school,' Reed said after that outing. "The nerves are there, but once I got on the mound, I didn't think anything about it. They called 's name and I was like, 'He's here just like I am. Me and him are just going to go at it.' I don't look at it like these are big league guys. I feel like I should be here, too. I'm competing for a spot just like everyone else is."

Ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Reds' No. 3 prospect and No. 66 overall, Reed stands at 6-foot-5 and looks imposing to hitters. His power fastball and slider come upon hitters quickly. Last season, he split time at Advanced and -A, where Reed went a combined 13-9 with a 2.41 ERA. Over 145 2/3 innings, he issued 42 walks and struck out 141 strikeouts with a 1.16 WHIP.

Reed will be summoned from Minor League camp to pitch on Thursday against the Indians. The team still has an opening for what will likely be a one-game spot start in the regular season's third game on April 7 against the Phillies. While it's unlikely Reed can tip the scales back into his favor, Price also noted that "anything can happen." The Reds would like to see him develop his at Triple-A Louisville and get more experience. That way when he does get called up to the Majors, there's an increased chance for it to be permanent.

"He's got a quality two-pitch mix -- fastball-slider," Price said. "The changeup is a pitch as a starter, it's an impactful pitch. It's a tough place to master it at the big league level. The other part is from an experience level, he had half a season at Double-A. Touching Triple-A is not the worst thing, developmentally, for him to get off to a start and play against that competition."

Piniella to throw first pitch at Reds' Opening Day Former slugger Vaughn to serve as honorary captain By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 30th, 2016 + 1 COMMENT

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Reds announced Wednesday that former manager has been tapped to throw the on Opening Day. Piniella was announced last month as the grand marshal for the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade.

The 72-year-old Piniella was Reds manager from 1990-92, and he led the club to the title wire to wire in his first season. In his three seasons with Cincinnati, he was 255-230.

Cincinnati will host its 140th Opening Day on Monday against the Phillies. will pitch against Jeremy Hellickson. Gates open at Great American Ball Park at 2:10 p.m. ET for the 4:10 p.m. game.

Also part of the festivities, former Reds will serve as the game's honorary captain. Vaughn was part of the 1999 Reds club that missed out in the postseason by losing a Game 163 tiebreaker vs. the Mets.

Marlana VanHoose from Denver, Ky., will sing the national anthem. VanHoose sang the national anthem for Opening Day 2015 as well as the 2015 Home Derby at Great American Ball Park.

Peraza adds left field to his spring positions Reds' No. 5 prospect competing for reserve role By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 30th, 2016 + 1 COMMENT

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- For the first time this spring, the Reds gave Jose Peraza a start in left field in a 6-3 win over the White Sox on Wednesday.

"He's been playing out there, taking balls and working out in left field," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "It's just one more place to give him a look. Since there's not an everyday position here at this point in time, it's really looking at different ways in which he can help the club."

Peraza, who is on the roster bubble, has also played shortstop, second base and center field during camp.

One of the issues the Reds have in their decision about Peraza is whether he can get enough at-bats as a role player in the big leagues. Set to turn 22 on April 30, he remains a young player who needs at-bats to keep developing.

Now the Reds' No. 5 prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com, Peraza was acquired from the Dodgers in December's three-team trade that sent Todd Frazier to the White Sox.

Peraza was 2-for-3 with a RBI triple and sacrifice Wednesday and is batting .305 in 20 games. He had a couple of plays in left field as he cleanly caught a screamer of a line drive hit by Frazier in the fourth. In the sixth, he made a long run trying to get Tyler Saladino's short fly to left-center field. The ball went off of Peraza's glove, but the play was ruled as a hit.

Peraza is competing for the final bench spots with Jordan Pacheco, Jake Cave and Yorman Rodriguez.

More notes from Wednesday

• Reds pitcher , who is entering the final stages of his rehab from Tommy John surgery, is scheduled to throw his second simulated game Thursday. Bailey will remain in Arizona for extended and could face Minor League hitters before eventually beginning a rehab assignment. He is due to return in May.

• Major League Baseball announced a new agreement with Apple to have iPad Pros in use for all teams in the and bullpen this season. The tablets will be used for players and coaches to get scouting reports, video and other information. In a coincidence, Reds closer J.J. Hoover was at his locker Wednesday morning with his personal iPad Pro and welcomed the news.

"It saves trees. Instead of having the reports on paper, we'll be able to have them on the iPads," Hoover said. "I think we'll even be able to have a little bit of video which will be good, too. It will be a little different, but we'll move with technology."

• Pitching in a Minor League game, Opening Day starter Raisel Iglesias threw 74 pitches in his final tuneup. Over 4 2/3 innings, Iglesias allowed five earned runs and seven hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Votto, Phillips back Smith's strong outing By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 30th, 2016 + 9 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Joey Votto continued his scorching spring with a 4-for-4 game as the Reds claimed a 6-3 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday at . It was Cincinnati's sixth consecutive win.

Votto, who went 3-for-4 in his previous game Monday, also had two RBIs, including a sixth-inning single that drove in Billy Hamilton. He was on base in the third when hit a 0-2 pitch from Jose Quintana for a two-run homer to left field.

"Some really nice offensive days from the guys sitting there in the middle of the order," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "A lot of good things came out of today. It was really good to see these guys playing really well here towards the end of spring."

Quintana worked three-plus innings, allowing four earned runs, nine hits and three walks while striking out three.

"My arm is good. Everything's good," Quintana said. "That's all for Spring Training, and I'm ready right now to focus on the season. Today I missed a lot of the zone. I think I threw too many pitches out. I tried to continue practicing on my cutter, but that's all done. And I can just focus on the season."

With Opening Day starter Raisel Iglesias pitching in a Minor League game, Minor League pitcher Josh Smith was summoned to start and had a nice performance. Smith's only run and hit over five innings came in the fourth when Tyler Saladino slugged a 2-2 pitch to left field for a homer. Before that, he retired the first 10 Chicago batters.

Saladino added a RBI single in the two-run White Sox sixth against J.J. Hoover that scored J.B. Shuck. In the bottom of the sixth, the Reds rallied again, and after the Votto RBI hit, he scored two batters later on Eugenio Suarez's RBI single to center field.

Up next for the Reds: The Reds wrap up Cactus League play Thursday with a 3:05 p.m. ET finale as the visiting team vs. the Indians at Goodyear Ballpark. While Brandon Finnegan pitches in a Minor League game, prospect Cody Reed will return to the big league side for the start. Much of the regular lineup is expected to start, including Votto, Devin Mesoraco and . The game will be broadcast on Gameday Audio.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Homer Bailey's return up to arm, but Reds in no rush C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] 12:56 a.m. EDT March 31, 2016

In a perfect world, Homer Bailey will return to a big-league mound in early May, a year from the time he underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm.

But neither the world nor the human body are perfect, and that’s why they’re being extremely careful as Bailey returns from the surgery.

That and the fact the Reds still have at least $86 million of payments left on that arm, so while they would like to see him return as soon as possible, they’d also like to see him perform up to his capability.

For now, though, everything has not only gone as planned, but better than planned. At this point, that will not expedite the timetable for his return from the surgery performed by team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek May 8, 2015.

“He’s doing everything he’s supposed to do and then some,” Reds manager Bryan Price said on Wednesday. “He was throwing in late August and early September as far as his rehab began. He’s been getting after it. He took a full off-season off from throwing and then started back up like a regular guy (in spring).”

Bailey is scheduled to throw a two-inning simulated game on Thursday, the Reds’ final day at their spring training complex in Goodyear. It will be the last time Price sees him until the regular season, but the Reds manager — a long-time pitching — said he’s been impressed with everything he’s seen so far.

“I couldn’t be happier with his rehab and how he’s throwing the ball currently,” Price said.

According to a study by Jon Roegele in the Hardball Times in late 2014, the median rate to return to the major leagues has been 13 months since 2002 and the mode for return has been 11 to 13 months since 1974, when Dr. Frank Jobe first performed the surgery on Tommy John.

Since then, the milestones and treatments have remained remarkably similar.

At this point — nearly 11 calendar months from surgery — Bailey is checked off every box and performed everything asked of him. A return to the mound anytime in the next two months would be well within the accepted timeframe, an independent orthopedic surgeon told The Enquirer.

Now it’s just up to Bailey’s arm.

“I don’t feel pain, that’s important,” Bailey said this week.

Some pitchers return slower because of setbacks or because of the time of year their surgery is done. Some teams, including the and the , dictate at least 14 months between surgery and return. That’s the time it took Marlins right-hander Jose Fernandez to return after his surgery on May 16, 2014. Fernandez returned to the big leagues on July 2 of last season.

“There’s a lot of guys who have had setbacks, elbow pain, nerve pain, complications that happen, it’s not an unusual thing to happen,” Kremchek said. “Homer just hasn’t had it.”

To make sure, Reds head athletic trainer Steve Baumann and physical therapist Christy Sweeney have kept daily tabs on Bailey’s progress and both say he’s done everything he’s been asked and his body has responded as they’ve hoped.

Kremchek said he’s also added regular ultrasounds on the elbow to make sure the ligament is healing.

“If we see any type of edema, any widening of the ligament, we slow them down. We haven’t see any of that,” Kremchek said. “In fact, I’ve had guys from other major league teams to ask me how we rehab these players and use the ultrasound because they want to get into that too.”

Bailey will begin throwing in minor-league games in extended spring training in early April and then work his way up, just as he would had he started in big-league camp in March. That would put him on the mound in a Reds uniform sometime in May — if all goes well.

Until then, he’ll be closely monitored.

“We look at the ultrasound, fatigue, mechanics, how he’s long-tossing, how he looks on the mound, has he had any changes in his mechanics at all,” Kremchek said. “What is his command? His arm slot?”

If anything there changes, the team will slow him down. There’s no rush to get him on the mound in this rebuilding year, but there are no artificial barriers, either. His body will dictate when he returns to the field. And at this point, Bailey’s confident, not just in his body, but the team’s course of action.

Before the surgery, he did his own research, talked to different pitchers — including former teammate Bronson Arroyo — and got input in their surgeries, recoveries and rehabilitations. That research, those answers are part of why he’s confident in how his rehab is going. The other part is that his arm is telling him that it’s right, just as a year ago it was telling him it wasn’t.

“If I didn’t have confidence in them, if I didn’t feel we were on the right track, then a voice would be raised,” Bailey said. “From the very first day of throwing in September, I knew I was ready to go throw. You throw enough , you know, you know when you don’t feel good, you know when you feel like you can throw. From the very first day, I knew I could throw.”

Reds make more roster cuts as Opening Day approaches C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] 7:03 p.m. EDT March 30, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Adam Duvall and Ivan De Jesus Jr. have made the Reds’ Opening Day roster, six other players were told they are not.

The Reds optioned outfielder Tyler Holt to Triple-A Louisville and reassigned right-handed pitchers Drew Hayes, Ryan Mattheus, JC Ramirez and Pedro Villarreal to minor-league camp.

Rule 5 pick Chris O’Grady, a left-handed pitcher, cleared waivers and has been offered back to the Angels.

“We have a lot of debating going on right now, that’s just the reality of this situation, trying to get this right and have everyone have a voice and then come to some finality,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

The team breaks camp in Goodyear on Thursday, flying back to Cincinnati before playing an exhibition in on Saturday.

“The sooner the better, but we’re also trying to do our best to find some common ground on our best 25-man roster,” Price said.

The team now has 35 players in camp, with at least five — pitcher Homer Bailey, Michael Lorenzen, Jon Moscot and John Lamb, as well as catcher Kyle Skipworth — expected to start the season on the disabled list. Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, who the team hopes will start on April 10, could also start the season on the DL.

Outfielder Juan Duran has been suspended 80 games for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, is in camp, but not on the 40-man roster.

The team now has 38 players on the 40-man roster and, for all intents and purposes, 28 players in camp.

Price has said the team would likely start the season with eight pitchers in the bullpen. Wednesday’s moves leaves eight — J.J. Hoover, Ross Ohlendorf, Tony Cingrani, Jumbo Diaz, Blake Wood, Keyvius Sampson, Caleb Cotham and Dayan Diaz.

With Duvall serving in a platoon position and De Jesus on the team — as well as backup catcher Tucker Barnhart — there are three bench spots, assuming the team starts the season with four starting pitchers before activating someone for the April 10 start.

That leaves infielder/outfielder Jose Peraza, Rule 5 outfielder Jake Cave, Yorman Rodriguez and Scott Schebler along with catcher Jordan Pacheco battling for the remaining three bench spots.

Of final five, only Pacheco is not on the 40-man roster. However, he adds flexibility behind the plate, something the team needs with Devin Mesoraco coming back from hip surgery.

Rodriguez, 22, is out of options, so the team would have to put him on waivers to send him to the minors — the same way the team got Brandon Phillips in 2005. Rodriguez was signed to a $2.5 million bonus in 2008, then the highest it had ever given to an amateur player. Rodriguez has struggled in spring training and was injured much of last season, but in 526 minor-league games, he’s faced a pitcher younger than him in just 38 plate appearances.

As a Rule 5 player, Cave must be offered back to the Yankees if he clears waivers — and there’s no guarantee the second pick in last December’s Rule 5 draft would clear waivers at this point.

Peraza and Schebler came over in the Frazier deal. Schebler has played all three outfield positions this spring, while Peraza has started in four spots — shortstop, second base, center field and left field. He provides a backup to Zack Cozart and Billy Hamilton, both of whom are coming off surgeries.

Hayes, Villarreal tough cuts for Reds C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] 6:58 p.m. EDT March 30, 2016

Although RHPs Drew Hayes and Pedro Villarreal didn’t make the roster, Reds manager Bryan Price said both certainly made positive impressions in camp.

“There’s going to be some fluctuation in the bullpen anyway over the course of the first two weeks of the season,” Price said. “There’s some guys we really want to see at the big-league level and know there’s a couple of guys who have had a very good spring training that allows us to keep them in mind if we need some help. Both of those guys can help us, I think both can pitch in the big leagues.”

Villarreal finished last season with the Reds, but was not on the 40-man roster. This spring he was 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in eight games. Hayes allowed just one earned run in eight games (10 innings).

“It’s been hard to get Pedro established. He had a good year for us last year and Drew just hasn’t been to the big leagues yet,” Price said. “What he’s done is put himself on the map and that’s what you have to do first — much like De Jesus and Kris Negron did before him, non-roster guys who came in and had good springs and when that first opportunity comes, they’re the best pitcher and the best option for us. That’s the challenge of Triple-A baseball, to be the best guy and have the best attitude while you’re in Triple- A.”

Joey Votto goes 4-for-4 in Reds' 6-3 victory over the White Sox C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] 7:46 p.m. EDT March 30, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Reds’ 6-3 win against the White Sox on Wednesday not only extended the team’s winning streak at the end of spring to six, but also evened their Cactus League record at 15-15-1 with one game remaining.

THE ARMS

RHP Josh Smith got the call up from minors and got the win, allowing just one run on one hit in five innings. He struck out six and walked a batter. The only run came on a by Tyler Saladino in the fourth inning.

“It was everything we had hoped he’d be after last year’s experience (in the big leagues),” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He was way more aggressive in the strike zone, challenging hitters and trusting his stuff.”

Closer J.J. Hoover allowed two runs on three hits over 2/3 of an inning. RHP Dayan Diaz threw two scoreless innings.

THE BATS

Joey Votto went 4-for-4 with two RBI and Brandon Phillips was 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI. Votto’s now hitting .440 on the spring and Phillips .373. Billy Hamilton had a double and a triple while Jose Peraza added a triple and a single.

THE REST

Opening Day starter Raisel Iglesias threw in a minor-league game on Wednesday in preparation for his assignment on Monday. He threw 74 pitches against the Triple-A team for the White Sox, going 4 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Afterward, he told The Enquirer he felt good and was ready for Opening Day.

UP NEXT

The Reds conclude Cactus League with LHP Cody Reed on the mound against . RHP Carlos Carrasco will start for the Indians. LHP Brandon Finnegan will start a minor-league game for the Reds. The game will be broadcast live on WSAI 1360 AM at 3:05 p.m. Eastern.

Pre-game parties add to Opening Day fun Shauna Steigerwald, [email protected] 1:58 p.m. EDT March 30, 2016

Get ready for the pre-game before the first game: Opening Day (Monday, April 4) always brings a sea of red-clad Reds fans to Downtown and Over-the-Rhine for some hometown camaraderie (and a beer or three). Looking to get in on the fun? Here are some places where fans are apt to gather.

Downtown

Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party

Head to , where the nearby streets will morph into the fifth annual Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party. The party kicks off at 11 a.m. and covers Way, Freedom Way and Walnut Street. Music will be by The Naked Karate Girls, and food and drinks from Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, LaRosa’s and Queen City Sausage will be for sale.

Proceeds benefit the P&G Cincinnati MLB Urban Youth Academy.

Rally on the Square

Give Back Cincinnati's 14th annual "Rally on the Square" – Fountain Square, that is – runs from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Grab a MadTree Brewing beer, take in music by DJ Diamond and watch the Findlay Market parade go by.

Fountain Square, 520 Vine St. http://myfountainsquare.com/event/rally-on-the-square16/

Arnold's Bar and Grill

Cincinnati's oldest bar gets Opening Day started at 9 a.m., with breakfast (served until 11 a.m.) and 16 rare and/or in-demand beers on tap. (The list: 50 West/Blank Slate's April Fool's Gold Golden Milk Stout, Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose, Bell's Hopslam, Braxton Deadblow with Coffee, Christian Moerlein 12/163 Brandy Barrel Belgian Quad, Founder's Mango Magnifico, Great Lakes Brewing (two-year aged) Rackhouse Bourbon Barrel Ale 2014, Jackie O's Anti-Gravity IPA, MadTree Orange Dreamsicle, MadTree Nitro Coffee Vanilla Gnarly Brown, New Belgium Blackberry Barleywine, Rhinegeist Sabertooth Tiger, Rhinegeist Honey Ginger Cougar, Short's Soft Parade, Three Floyd's Hopped in Half Pilsner and Warped Wing Bourbon Barrel Pirogue Tripel.) In keeping with tradition, one out of five beer cups will be marked; get one and you'll win one of more than 100 prizes, including autographed baseball cards and game-used memorabilia from , Joey Votto, Ken Griffey Jr., Aroldis Chapman, Brandon Phillips, , Billy Hamilton, Jay Bruce, and other players. Also on tap: Roving performances by Circus Mojo; Todd Hepburn playing baseball song on the piano (from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.); Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s Jeremy Dubin and Justin McCombs performing "Casey at the Bat" and "Who’s on First" and Jim Tarbell as Peanut Jim Shelton playing the mouth harp.

210 E. Eighth St., Downtown. 513-421-6234; www.arnoldsbarandgrill.com

Holy Grail Tavern & Grille at The Banks

In its five years on Great American Ball Park's doorstep, Holy Grail has become an Opening Day tradition for some. This year, it will open at 9 a.m., with 700 WLW personalities Scott Sloan, Mo Egger, Mike Allen, Ken Broo, Eddie Fingers, Tracy Jones, Rocky Boiman, Bill Cunningham, Seg Dennison and Lance McAlister broadcasting throughout the day.

161 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. 513-621-2222; www.holygrailcincy.com

Moerlein Lager House

Early birds can head to Moerlein Lager House for a 6-10 a.m. live broadcast of the Bob & Tom Show. A breakfast buffet ($15.99) will be served during those hours. Later, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. former Reds' outfielder Greg Vaughn will be on hand in the tent on the adjacent Event Lawn.

115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Downtown. 513-421-2337; moerleinlagerhouse.com.

Top of the Park

Top of the Park is celebrating Opening Day by having ... its opening day, the first day the rooftop bar will be open for the season. Drink specials will be offered throughout the day (the bar opens at noon), and the Kelsey Mira Band will perform in the evening.

506 E. Fourth St., Downtown. 513-651-1234; http://bit.ly/1MQoF02.

Via Vite

Via Vite will celebrate the official reopening of its piazza bar overlooking Fountain Square. Opening Day specials, including $10 buckets of domestic beer, will be available beginning at 10 a.m. The restaurant's regular menu will be available, with its happy hour menu in effect from 3-6 p.m.

520 Vine St., Downtown. 513-721-8483; www.viaviterestaurant.com.

Kitty's Sports Grill

This will be the first Opening Day for Kitty's Sports Grill. To mark the occasion, the bar will open at 9 a.m. and serve $4 mimosas, screwdrivers and bloody marys. They'll also have 16-ounce cans of Budweiser and Bud Light for $2.50, and five for $12 buckets of domestic beer. You can stick around for a bite or to watch the game on one of the bar's TVs.

Knockback Nat's

Opening Day is the busiest day of the year at Knockback Nat's. The bar will open at 10 a.m. and will serve up $1 hot dogs and give away loads of Reds swag. There are plenty of TVs for those who want to hang around and watch the game.

10 W. Seventh St., Downtown. 513-621-1000; http://bit.ly/21RCNgp

O'Malley's in the Alley / The Blind Pig

O'Malley's and its sister bar behind it, The Blind Pig, will kick off Opening Day at 10 a.m. 96 Rock will broadcast live from the Blind Pig from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

25 Ogden Place, Downtown. 513-381-3114; www.omalleysinthealley.com

Over-the-Rhine

Opening Day Celebration at Washington Park

More free fun can be had at Washington Park, where music and games kick off at 11 a.m. (The Menus will take the stage from 2-4 p.m.) Beer and ballpark foods will be for sale, and The City Flea will have vendors available for your shopping pleasure from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Watch the parade pass the park on its way Downtown. And if you aren't headed to the game, you can watch it on the park's giant LED screen.

1230 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. www.WashingtonPark.org

Taft's Ale House

Last Opening Day, Taft’s Ale House celebrated its grand opening. Translation: They're throwing a big birthday bash this year. Dubbed "The Season Opener," the event kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with the release of Second Base. (The first 100 people to order a pint will get a free T-shirt.) The new beer, an American lager, was created by Jack Smith and was the winner of the “Beer and Sweat" homebrew competition, which Taft's sponsored this past year. Also being released is Old Wooden Tooth, a bourbon-barreled Russian Imperial stout. Named after George Washington, the beer is the first release from the brewery's Founding Fathers series. (That's a VIP newsletter that lets members access new beers first.) Packaged in a collectible wooden box and wrapped in a custom cherry wood label, the limited-edition release will be available at 8:30 a.m. for Founding Fathers members and at 9 a.m. to everyone else. (Join the list at www.taftsalehouse.com/foundingfathers.) You can also get an old-time photo taken and print a free vintage baseball card. Other giveaways will also be offered.

1429 Race St. in Over-the-Rhine. 513-334-1393; www.taftsalehouse.com.

Rhinegeist

Head to Rhinegeist for Opening Day Kegs 'n Eggs, beginning at 10 a.m. Beer and breakfast burritos from Tucker's restaurant will be for sale. Play some games (ping-pong, anyone?) and stick around to watch the game on the brewery's big-screen projector. Free shuttles to Great American Ball Park will run every half hour from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

1910 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-1367; bit.ly/1VNDasS.

Neon's

Neon's will open at noon for a party co-hosted by Jim Beam. Melt Eclectic Cafe will be making ballpark food all day, and a 12-foot screen will show the game (until then, check out old World Series games and baseball follies on the big screen). Come dressed in your Reds' best; at 3 p.m., the crowd will vote on which fan gets two tickets to the Opening Day game.

208 E. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-827-9361; neons-unplugged.com.

The Lackman

The Lackman opens at noon for drinks – and in keeping with the baseball theme, Rhinegeist Hustle Rye Pale Ale and MadTree Brewing Rounding Third American IPA will be on tap. If you stick around to watch the game, there will be happy hour deals, including $2 off drafts and $2.50 domestics, beginning at 4 p.m.

1237 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-0741; on.fb.me/1TOfN2M.

Also, join The Enquirer crew at the Opening Day Eve C Dot Show Sunday, April 3 at the Woodward Theater. Doors open at 7 p.m. at 1404 Main St. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Enquirer Reds reporters C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan will host the show alongside comedian Josh Sneed.

Reds Opening Day forecast: Partly sunny, warm Patrick Brennan, [email protected] 7:37 a.m. EDT March 31, 2016

Partly sunny skies and a daytime high temperature of 62 degrees are forecast for Monday, according to the weather service.

An overnight low in the upper 30s from Sunday night into Monday could be cause for baseball fans to bundle up for the 97th annual Findlay Market Opening Day Parade. The parade begins at noon.

The daytime high in the 60s should make for fine conditions to enjoy outdoor activities offered throughout the city.

Jackets and layered clothing might be called for later in the scheduled 4 p.m. Opening Day game between the Reds and . The temperature is expected to drop into the low 30s by night time, the weather service said.

The Enquirer will continue to update Opening Day weather conditions.

WCPO - Channel 9

The Reds have lots of options for left field, but none of them have a lock on the position At least five possible choices John Fay 9:00 AM, Mar 31, 2016

Longtime Reds beat writer John Fay will break down nine key questions about the Reds. A story addressing one of the questions will run each day between now and Opening Day.

Question 5: Who’s in left?

CINCINNATI -- Left field has been stopgap central since the Reds traded away Adam Dunn in 2008. Jerry Hairston Jr., Layne Nix, Jonny Gomes, Ryan Ludwick and Marlon Byrd have started on Opening Day in left since Dunn departed.

Only Ludwick made more than one start.

This year, the Reds skipped the stopgap, free-agent option and decided to go with what they had in the system -- or, more correctly, what they had just added to system. Adam Duvall and Scott Schebler, obtained in trades, and Rule 5 pickup Jake Cave are competing for the spot, along with holdover prospect Yorman Rodriguez.

As spring training winds down, no one has won the job outright. Reds manager Bryan Price and president of baseball operations Walt Jocketty have said all along that the Reds will go with a platoon of some sort.

One thing within the platoon plan: Rodriguez is the only right-handed hitter in the mix, and he’s had a rough spring. Duvall and Schebler both have fairly even right-left splits recently in the minors, although Duvall struggled vs. lefties after the trade last season.

Lots Of Choices

Duvall, obtained from San Francisco in the trade, has had the best spring of the bunch. He went into Tuesday hitting .321 with three home runs and a team-leading 13 RBI. Duvall is a converted infielder, but the Reds gave him 15 starts in the left in September and he held his own.

“I’m comfortable there,” he said. “I’ve played there enough.”

Duvall’s best tool is his power. He’s hit 30 home runs or more in three of the last four seasons. Between Triple-A and the majors, he hit 35 last year. Duvall also has made starts at first base and third base this spring.

Schebler, obtained from the Dodgers in the three-way Todd Frazier trade, has a lot of pop as well. He led the Southern League in home runs with 28 in 2014. He’s athletic too. He also led the Southern League in the triples in ’14 with 14.

He’s also had a decent spring. He went into Tuesday hitting .255 with a three home runs and 12 RBI.

Cave and Rodriguez haven’t hit as much as Duvall and Schebler. Both were hitting .225 through Monday. But there are roster considerations.

Cave, as a Rule 5 pickup, must stay on the 25-man roster all year or be offered back to the for $25,000.

Rodriguez is out of options. He would have to pass through waivers to be sent to the minors. Given his age (23) and the $2.5 million investment the Reds made in him, it will be hard to let him walk.

Wild Card Option

A wild card may be Jose Peraza. Peraza, obtained in the Frazier trade as well, is a middle infielder, but he has played center. He looks like a natural in the outfield. He was hitting .294 through Monday with six steals in the seven tries. He is a right-handed hitter. The Reds could use him in left to try to get his bat in the lineup.

The guess here is Duvall gets the bulk of the time early. If he hits, that will continue. If he struggles, the Reds will look at other alternatives.

The other factor is , the Reds top-hitting prospect, who could play his way into the picture with a good start at the plate.

DAYTON DAILY NEWS

Reds players with most Opening Day starts by position PRO SPORTS By Jay Morrison - Staff Writer Posted: 10:40 a.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016

When Spring Training began it didn’t appear as though Jay Bruce would be the right fielder on Opening Day.

But the closer it gets to Monday, the more it appears as if Bruce will in his familiar spot when the season begins. And if he is, he will become the Reds franchise leader for most Opening Day starts by a right fielder.

Bruce is currently tied with Ken Griffey Sr. and with seven Opening Day starts in right field.

Here is a look at which Reds players have made the most Opening Day starts at each position since such records began being kept in 1913:

Catcher

Johnny Bench, 12

Ernie Lombardi, 9

Ivey Wingo, 6

Ed Bailey, 6

First Base

Ted Kluszewski, 9

Dan Driessen, 8

Frank McCormick, 8

Second Base

Brandon Phillips, 9

Ron Oester, 8

Joe Morgan, 8

Third Base

Chris Sabo, 7

Grady Hatton, 6

Heinie Groh, 5

Babe Pinelli, 5

Shortstop

Barry Larkin, 17

Dave Concepcion, 15

Roy McMillan, 9

Left Field

Adam Dunn, 7

George Foster, 6

Pat Duncan, 5

Frank Robinson, 5

Pete Rose, 5

Center Field

Edd Roush, 8

Vada Pinson, 8

Eric Davis, 7

Right Field

Jay Bruce, 7

Ken Griffey, Jr., 7

Ival Goodman, 7

Pitcher

Mario Soto, 6

Pete Donohue, 5

Aaron Harang, 5

Posted: 7:06 pm Wednesday, March 30th, 2016 Josh Smith makes a solid statement By Hal McCoy

UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave while trying to watch the Cincinnati Reds- game on MLB-TV and mostly seeing a black screen or a potpourri of pale colors that look like a jumbled jigsaw puzzle. Fortunately, it cleared up by the fifth inning and, clear enough to see the Reds win their sixth straight exhibition game, 6-3.

AND SPEAKING OF jigsaw puzzles, the Reds roster is just that — a whole bunch of pieces that haven’t yet been fit together.

When Wednesday broke the Reds still had 41 players in camp. They made six moves, but the roster is still at 35. With five days until Opening Day they still have to make 10 cuts.

The pitching, both the rotation and the bullpen, remains as cloudy as a winter’s day in Chicago.

THE REDS MADE TWO curious roster removals. They sent relief pitchers Drew Hayes, Pedro Villarreal and Ryan Mattheus to minor-league camp. It appeared both Hayes and Villarreal, especially Hayes, pitched well enough this spring to make the bullpen. The Mattheus demotion was not a surprise.

So now it shall be exceptionally interesting to see the makeup of the bullpen.

And the rotation? Still a work in progress with slow construction.

It is so messed up with all the injuries that before Wednesday’s game the Reds listed their starting pitcher as TBD, to be determined.

THEY FINALLY DETERMINED that it would be 28-year-old righthander Josh Smith. And wouldn’t you know it, he pitched the best game by a starter this spring.

He retired the first 10, gave up a home run, and that was it. Over five innings he gave up one run, one hit, walked one and struck out six.

Josh Smith? This was a guy to whom the Reds gave a chance last mid-season. He was called up on June 23 and went 0-and-4 with a 6.89 over seven starts and disappeared. Until Wednesday.

He certainly hasn’t impressed the folks at Fangraph. Their analysis of Smith: “Josh Smith is a Triple-A pitcher who got a chance to start a few 2015 MLB starts. For the sake of the Reds fans, let’s hope he doesn’t again.”

Maybe the Reds’ No. 21 draft pick in 2010, a six-year minor-leaguer for the most part, changed Fangraph’s mind.

IF THE OFFENSE continues to click the way it has this spring, scoring runs shouldn’t be a problem for the Reds. Joey Votto had hits in four at-bats to push his average to .440. Brandon Phillips, who was hitting .150 after eight games, is now showing the Reds why he should continue to be the regular . He had three hits, including a two-run home run, and has his average up to .380.

Votto and Phillips, batting third and fourth, had seven hits in eight at-bats. Votto singled in the third and Phillips homered for a 2-0 lead. With two outs and nobody on in the fourth, Billy Hamilton tripled, Jose Peeraza tripled to make it 3-0 and Votto singled to make it 4-0.

HAMILTON, A switch-hitter batting .200, hit his triple batting right handed. That is his natural side, but early in his professional career the Reds turned him into a switch-hitter. Maybe they should have let him continue batting righthanded and maybe they should have him bat righthanded all the time. He needs something to click in.

Smith turned a 5-1 lead over to closer J.J. Hoover in the sixth and he didn’t even make it out of the inning. He gave up two runs and three hits and left after recording only two outs. He left runners on second and third.

Brennan Bernadino replaced Hoover and didn’t have to get anybody out. Catcher Tucker Barnhart displayed his radar arm by picking Tyler Saladino off second base.

Adam Duvall makes Reds, could start in left BASEBALL By Gary Schatz - Contributing Writer Posted: 8:33 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Adam Duvall, who leads the Reds in the Cactus League with 20 hits, four home runs and 17 RBIs, was told Wednesday by manager Bryan Price that he had made the team.

And he might be in left field Monday when the Reds open the season at Great American Ball Park against the Phillies.

With Duvall securing a roster spot, the outfield picture cleared up a bit. Tyler Holt was optioned to Triple A Louisville, leaving Scott Schebler, Jake Cave and Yorman Rodriguez still competing as spring training winds to a close.

Price has a platoon in mind for left field but it’s not clear who will share the position with Duvall, who bats right-handed.

Schebler is making a late move, batting .288 with at least one RBI in the last four games, but Rodriguez (225, one double, one RBI) and Cave (.224 with a double, homer and three RBIs) have struggled.

Rodriguez is out of options and Cave, a Rule 5 draft pick, would have to clear waivers and be offered back to the Yankees if he does not make the 25-man roster.

Meanwhile, the pitching plans became less muddled as Drew Hayes, Ryan Mattheus, Pedro Villarreal and J.C Ramirez were re- assigned to minor league camp. All were on minor-league contracts. Lefty Chris O’Grady, a Rule 5 pick, cleared waivers and was offered back to the , who have three days to reclaim him for $25,000.

Thirty-five players remain in major-league camp, including Tim Melville, who is available to start the third game of the season against Philadelphia. The Reds would have to add him to one of the open spots on the 40-man roster or they can recall Robert Stephenson or allow Keyvius Sampson to make the start.

Melville pitched six strong innings against the Indians on Saturday. He has allowed 11 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings but the Reds like his stuff and his change-up has come along during camp.

Hayes being sent out was the surprise of the roster moves. The former Dayton Dragon did the best among the non-roster pitchers but his status cost him a spot.

“He pitched well and put himself on the map,” Price said of the reliever who pitched 10 innings in eight appearances, allowing one earned run, fanning 13 and walking four. “Roster considerations affected him but he put himself in position to be called up early in the season. When he gets his fastball down, he is really good.”

The late signing of veteran right-hander Ross Ohlendorf took up a roster spot that Hayes could have filled.

The last bench positions come down to Jordan Pacheco and Jose Peraza.

Peraza hit .305 and Pacheco .319 this spring. Both can play multiple positions with Pacheco providing the luxury of a third catcher.

There is internal debate about whether Peraza would benefit more from playing every day in Louisville or filling in three or four times a week in Cincinnati. He can play all of the infield and outfield positions and in particular center field to back up Billy Hamilton. Peraza could allow Zack Cozart extra days off as he builds endurance after his knee injury.

Infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. was also informed he will be on the roster.

Reds 6, White Sox 3: Joey Votto had four hits and Brandon Phillips homered. Votto has hit safely in 13 of his 19 appearances and reached safely in 17 games.

Minor leaguer Josh Smith pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first Cactus League start. The right-hander struck out six and walked one. Smith retired the first 10 batters before Tyler Saladino hit his fifth home run.

CBSSPORTS.COM

JONAH KERI Senior Writer NL Central Preview: Get ready for another three-team slugfest March 30, 2016 7:07 pm ET

Four down, two to go. Today, the CBS Sports division previews move to the NL Central.

The Cardinals head into 2016 coming off a 100-win season and a strong recent track record of success ... yet not as the favorites to win the division. That distinction belongs to the Cubs, who'll need to translate best-team-on-paper status into wins amid a likely three-team race. The third club likely to vie for NL Central supremacy, the Pirates, will need a big season from , and the 2013 version of Gerrit Cole in rookie form, to make a run. Meanwhile, the Brewers and Reds will continue their rebuilding jobs, already in progress.

Teams are listed in order of projected finish. Projected lineups and rotations courtesy of RosterResource.com.

Chicago Cubs

Projected lineup

CF RF Jason Heyward 2B Ben Zobrist 1B Anthony Rizzo 3B LF Kyle Schwarber C Miguel Montero SS

Projected rotation

RHP Jake Arrieta LHP RHP John Lackey RHP Jason Hammel RHP

The 2003 Marlins probably weren't the best team in baseball that year. Same goes for the 1987 Twins, 2006 Cardinals, and 2014 Giants. In baseball, the best team often doesn't win the World Series ... especially in the era of 10-team playoffs. With that established, there's also this: Heading into Opening Day, the Cubs are the best team in the majors.

It starts with their front-line talent. Arrieta will inevitably pull back after posting the best second half of a season in baseball history, but he should still rank among the game's top pitchers. Rizzo and Bryant form a hellacious duo at the infield corners, and they'll have tons of support from a deep and talented lineup that got significant upgrades with the arrival of Heyward and Zobrist.

But it's the Cubs' attention to detail that should scare the rest of the National League almost as much. Despite winning 97 games last year, the North Siders did show a few significant weaknesses. Schwarber crushed right-handed pitching in his rookie year but struggled against lefties and plays lousy defense ... so the Cubs re-signed Fowler. Hammel and Hendricks are capable fourth and fifth starters ... but the Cubs nabbed Adam Warren anyway, giving them not one, not two, not three, but four capable swingmen out of the pen who could either enter games early when a starter gets knocked out or fill rotation voids as injuries come up.

Throw in Joe Maddon being as strong tactically as any manager in the game and thus unlikely to get outfoxed in a playoff game, and you've got a team that should storm into the playoffs, and at least position themselves well to have a shot at the big prize. Even if the baseball gods often end up crowning teams that aren't the most obvious winners.

St. Louis Cardinals

Projected lineup

3B Matt Carpenter RF LF CF Randal Grichuk 1B Matt Adams C 2B Kolten Wong SS Ruben Tejada

Projected rotation

RHP RHP RHP Mike Leake LHP Jaime Garcia RHP Carlos Martinez

More often than not, spring training numbers don't tell us much. Teams routinely run up big preseason records, only to fizzle out during the regular season. Players often soar (or crash) in March, only to do the opposite from April through September. If you want to use spring training to help shape your opinion for the coming season, its greatest utility is probably as a gauge of health.

I'm slightly more bullish on the Cardinals now compared to four weeks ago, for that very reason. Martinez ended his 2015 season early due to a shoulder injury, and his questionable status entering camp was a red flag for St. Louis; he ended the spring with a 2.30 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings, along with the all-important clean bill of health. Wainwright's numbers haven't been as strong, but he's shown no issues with velocity or mechanics, making his own comeback hopes look good.

That pitching strength will be needed, given the forces working against the Cards. St. Louis allowed far fewer runs than you'd expect given normal hit distribution, due in large part to a microscopic, MLB-low, likely unsustainable .210 batting average allowed with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, the lineup has multiple potential weaknesses. Injuries and ineffectiveness last year thrust Adams' status as a reliable starter into doubt. Molina is still a defensive force, but the usefulness of his bat is drying up fast. And while Tejada won't embarrass himself at short, he's a mere stopgap while the Cards wait and hope for a rapid return.

Add it all up and you have a team that figures to contend, but also a potential third-place team. Given how highly competitive the top of the NL looks this year, it could lead to the Cards' first non-playoff season in six years.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Projected lineup

1B John Jaso CF Andrew McCutchen 3B David Freese LF C Francisco Cervelli RF Gregory Polanco 2B Josh Harrison SS Jordy Mercer

Projected rotation

LHP Francisco Liriano RHP Gerrit Cole LHP Jon Niese RHP Juan Nicasio LHP Jeff Locke

Call the Cards and Pirates No. 2 and No. 2a in the NL Central right now. They're both talented and battle-tested teams a half-notch below the Cubs, but also both capable of competing for a playoff spot and being dangerous if they can get into the dance. Beating that level of expectation will depend in large part on the kids.

The first of those kids is Polanco. For the past three years, we've heard about the right fielder's vast potential, but with only snippets of evidence showing up on the major league diamond. With nearly 1,000 big league plate appearances under his belt, Polanco's batting a mere .249/.316/.369, numbers that place him below the major-league average as a whole, and even more so for a corner outfielder. You can see signs of progress, though. Polanco's defense has become an asset, his speed generates tons of value, and that bat appears to be on the upswing too, with Polanco improving to .276/.324/.425 after the All-Star break last year.

More help could come from kids with little-to-no big-league experience. The Pirates have plenty of infielders even after Neil Walker's departure, but if David Freese doesn't pan out and Jung-Ho Kang takes a while to get healthy, 23-year-old Alen Hanson's speedy skillset becomes intriguing. Even more exciting is Tyler Glasnow. The 22-year-old skyscraper of a right-hander has struck out 501 batters in 383 1/3 minor-league innings, and he just needs to tweak his command a bit and also satisfy the penny-pinching Pirates' agenda for prospects' service time before we see him in June. Josh Bell owns some of the same on-base skills that made Jaso attractive to Pirates brass, and the veteran's history of injuries and limited defensive history at first could open a door there too.

Those are a few too many ifs to rely on Pittsburgh to do better than its fourth-straight wild-card berth this year. For that to happen, they'd need to harness all the quality player development, savvy scouting, and Ray Searage magic they can muster.

Cincinnati Reds

Projected lineup

CF Billy Hamilton 3B Eugenio Suarez 1B Joey Votto 2B Brandon Phillips RF Jay Bruce C Devin Mesoraco SS Zack Cozart LF Scott Schebler

Projected rotation

RHP Raisel Iglesias LHP Brandon Finnegan RHP Jon Moscot RHP Alfredo Simon RHP Anthony DeSclafani

Last season, the Reds executed one of the most ambitious pitching experiments in recent memory. Worn to the nub by injuries and departed talent, Cincinnati's rotation consisted entirely of newbies by year's end, leading to a new baseball record for most starts made by rookie hurlers. The benefits weren't immediately apparent, as the kids struggled and the bullpen buckled under the weight of excessive use.

We might see the experiment start to bear fruit this year. Iglesias flashed elite strikeout stuff and could become a star if he can sustain his success deeper into games. DeSclafani reduced the use of his four-seam fastball last summer, pitched much better as a result, and has breakout potential of his own. More help could arrive soon, with Cody Reed, Robert Stephenson and other talented prospects likely to be up later this season.

That probably won't mean much in terms of 2016 results. If anything, the Reds will likely strip down further, with Bruce and the rest of his contract available to anyone who wants him, plus Phillips and the two years and $27 million left on his deal up for grabs.

Votto will be a force of nature as he always is. The young arms will bear watching, and occasionally cheering. After that, it's a race to the cellar with Milwaukee, and a long game that will require plenty of patience.

Milwaukee Brewers

Projected lineup

2B Scooter Gennett C Jonathan Lucroy LF 1B Chris Carter RF Domingo Santana SS Jonathan Villar 3B CF Keon Broxton

Projected rotation

RHP Wily Peralta RHP Jimmy Nelson RHP Matt Garza RHP Taylor Jungmann RHP

If you're a Brewers fan, root for the veterans to play well. Not because that will lead to anything close to contention. It's because the better they play, the better the return might be when they're all put up for sale in June and July.

The likely trade bonanza starts with Lucroy, who was widely believed to be on his way out this spring, only for the Brewers to strike out in finding a package that worked for them. An elite defensive catcher with a good bat and two dirt-cheap years left on his deal with fetch a lot, so look for GM David Stearns to be aggressive in shopping him as the season wears on. The Crew won't stop at shopping top commodities either. If Garza shows even a whiff of his 2014 stuff (after a 5.63 ERA last year), Stearns will almost certainly try to sell high. Can Carter mash like he did in late 2014? If so, he'll probably be gone soon too.

As painful as seeing your favorite team sold off for parts, Stearns has shown that he's a skilled seller. He parlayed light-hitting shortstop into an impressive package led by talented infield prospect Isan Diaz. And when went to Oakland, he fetched promising young catcher Jacob Nottingham.

The work started by Stearns' predecessor, including the 2015 Carlos Gomez deadline deal that netted new right fielder Domingo Santana and others, continues apace. For the Brewers to get back to 2011 form, they should abide by one credo: Everything must go.

ABCSPORTS.COM

Bold fantasy predictions for 2016 By TRISTAN H. COCKCROFT via ESPN Mar 30, 2016, 2:03 PM ET

And I don't mean crown molding or laminate flooring. No, ceilings and floors are oft-used terms in the fantasy baseball lexicon, meant to describe a player's best- and worst-case statistical scenarios.

Any experienced fantasy baseball owner knows how projections, and the rankings that result from them, work. They set specific, median-level expectations for each player, and are largely the basis for most of our drafting decisions.

But the flaw in basic projections and rankings -- ones quickly pulled from a site without second thought -- is complete ignorance of player volatility; they put every player's skills, playing time and health into the proverbial blender and hit puree. They ignore that most players' best- and worst-case scenarios differ, so if you do not do the homework determining where they reside, you're doing yourself a disservice.

Take Anthony Rendon, for instance. He's a player with an unusually high ceiling, but also a rather low floor; these are players I'll sometimes describe as possessing a wide range of outcomes. If Rendon can stay healthy, and hit like he has this spring, he might match -- or potentially exceed in the batting average and/or home run categories -- his 2014 numbers. But because of his injury history, there's also significant risk that he might endure another year as disappointing as his 2015.

Neil Walker, meanwhile, has a low ceiling but also a high floor; he is a player I'll sometimes describe as possessing a narrow range of outcomes. He's likely to play his typical 135-150 games, batting .260-.280 with 18-22 home runs. In other words, he'd be termed a predictable player.

Not that there's anything wrong with Walker, but this column is for the Rendons of the fantasy baseball world. It's the space in which I make some wild claims, some bold predictions, helping you to potentially unearth that gem that will win you your league. It is trying to find the highest ceilings and the lowest floors.

To be clear upfront, these are not guarantees -- they're in fact far from it -- and they are not predictions I'm using to drive my draft- day valuations. After all, last season in this space, I predicted that Shane Greene would strike out 180 batters. (He would strike out 50 and be a flat-out bust.)

They are merely educated guesses at high-value opportunities to exploit (or the converse, low-value scenarios to avoid), like another prediction from 2015: Manny Machado's career high for home runs in a season was 14, set in 2013. He'll hit at least that many after the All-Star break. (He hit 16 after the All-Star break.)

Use these predictions however you wish, be it to identify high-upside targets at bargain prices, for friendly banter with your buddies at your live draft or auction, or merely as something to comment on to me, whether in the comments below now or after the season, "Tristan, you are/were nuts about this one."

Tristan's bold predictions for 2016

Brad Ziegler will finish with more saves than strikeouts. Not bold enough? He'll do it while notching at least 35 saves.

Robbie Ray will finish higher on the Player Rater than Shelby Miller , thanks in large part to the greater strikeout total between the two.

And, keeping with the theme of the Arizona Diamondbacks getting entirely beneath-the-radar seasons from corner outfielders this decade, Socrates Brito will manage at least 10 home runs, 20 stolen bases and 130 games played.

Mallex Smith will make his big league debut for the before Aug. 1, and in the season's final two months, he'll steal at least 20 bases.

Arodys Vizcaino will be one of only eight relief pitchers with at least 20 saves and 80 strikeouts, but more important, he'll be one of the five most valuable fantasy relief pitchers during the season's second half.

After seven long big league years, Matt Wieters will finally reach the 25-homer plateau, leading all catchers in the category.

Though it'll require a second-half surge for him to get there, Blake Swihart will lead all catchers with a .291 mark.

Mookie Betts will lead the majors in runs scored en route to winning the American League's MVP award.

Addison Russell might not overtake Francisco Lindor on the Player Rater during their sophomore seasons -- Lindor's speed will make it mathematically difficult -- but Russell's 20/10 numbers will make it extremely close.

Anthony Rizzo will generate the largest fantasy point total of any hitter, using ESPN's standard points league scoring.

Proving once and for all the folly of projecting wins, Jose Quintana will double his 2013, 2014 and 2015 wins totals (nine, so 18 in 2016).

Raisel Iglesias will double his rookie-year strikeout total (104 then, so 208).

Anthony DeSclafani , meanwhile, will strike out at least 175 batters while shaving a full run off his ERA (4.05 in 2015).

Adam Duvall will finish the season with almost identical numbers to Marlon Byrd 's 2015; Byrd finished 231st on the Player Rater.

Byrd will finish the season with almost identical numbers to Duvall's 2015; Duvall had 72 plate appearances of .219-5-9.

Four members of the ' rotation will strike out at least 200 batters and the group will total 1,000, making them the first team in history to accomplish either feat. In the process, will recapture the American League's Award.

In their 24th season of existence, the will finally have a closer notch at least 30 saves with a sub-2.50 ERA: Jake McGee .

Miguel Cabrera will enjoy his 10th career season with at least a .300 batting average, 25 home runs, 100 RBIs and 145 games played, giving him the second-most years in history meeting all four thresholds; Lou Gehrig had 11.

J.D. Martinez will lead the American League in home runs.

Justin Upton will hit more home runs than the Cincinnati Reds' pitching staff will total saves. It's an odd one, I know, but it's a legitimate home-league board bet I have with a fellow owner.

George Springer will be baseball's only 30/30 man, becoming the first to do so since Ryan Braun and Mike Trout both did it in 2012.

A.J. Reed, Tyler White and Marwin Gonzalez will all finish higher on the Player Rater than Evan Gattis .

The ' team leader in strikeouts will be Mike Fiers .

Ken Giles will finish with at least 30 more strikeouts than Luke Gregerson , but he'll also finish with at least 15 fewer saves.

Only one member of the ' rotation will finish among the Player Rater's top 75 starting pitchers, but he'll be a top- 25 starter: Yordano Ventura .

Garrett Richards will finish with at least 200 strikeouts and a sub-3.00 ERA.

That might not surprise you, so how about this: Come season's end, fantasy owners will look at the Player Rater and remark, "Wow, how did wind up a top-40 starter?"

Christian Yelich will triple his 2015 home run total -- seven then, so 21 now -- becoming one of only three 20/20 players in baseball.

That'll be fewer home runs, however, than Marcell Ozuna hits, as the 25-year-old outfielder who was heavily rumored to be traded this winter hits 28 of his own.

Jonathan Villar will steal at least 40 bases while adding third-base eligibility (that the result of a mid-July Orlando Arcia promotion).

Chris Carter will hit at least 30 home runs, but bat no higher than .210.

Keon Broxton will steal 30 bases.

The will make John Ryan Murphy their regular catcher by Memorial Day, and he will finish among the top 10 at his position on the Player Rater.

The American League's Rookie of the Year race will be a runaway, won by , who will display elite defense, 30-steal speed and 15-homer power.

For the second consecutive season, Kyle Gibson will add exactly 38 strikeouts to his seasonal total, going from 145 in 2015 to 183 in 2016.

Kevin Jepsen will finish with more saves than .

Trevor May will finish with at least 25 holds, 75 strikeouts and a sub-3.00 ERA, ranking as one of the five most valuable non- closers in fantasy.

Jacob deGrom will be a top-five fantasy starting pitcher. Not that bold, I know, but look at that roster; not a lot that inspires boldness. Perhaps: Noah Syndergaard has a better year than Matt Harvey ?

Not only will Starlin Castro finish the season as the highest-ranked Yankees infielder, but Aaron Hicks will come thisclose to being the highest-ranked Yankees outfielder, on the Player Rater.

Three New York Yankees relievers -- , Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller , in no particular order -- will finish higher on the Player Rater than every member of 11 other teams' bullpens.

The will not be one of those 11 bullpens.

Both Bay Area teams, the and , will. Three A's relievers will at least 10 games: Sean Doolittle , Ryan Madson and Liam Hendriks .

Sean Manaea will be recalled by the Athletics before the All-Star break, and at one point will enjoy a 10-start span during which he'll have 67 K's.

Jesse Hahn will make 20 starts of a sub-3.50 ERA.

Khris Davis will hit at least 30 home runs, including 19 at O.co Coliseum, the most by any player at that venue since Jack Cust hit 20 there in 2008.

Billy Burns will lead the American League in stolen bases by a margin of at least eight.

Despite signing with the Philadelphia Phillies only a couple of days ago, Will Venable will finish the year as their highest-ranked outfielder on the Player Rater.

Vincent Velasquez will be the Phillies' highest-ranking starting pitcher on the Player Rater, and thanks to his team-leading 170 strikeouts, he'll rank among the top 50 in the majors at the position.

At least 10 Phillies pitchers will record at least one save but no individual will manage more than 15, the number accrued by team leader Dalier Hinojosa .

Juan Nicasio will strike out more than 150 batters.

The Pittsburgh Pirates will finish two Gregory Polanco home runs shy of having all three of their starting outfielders ranked among the top 10 at the position on the Player Rater. Between Polanco, Andrew McCutchen and Starling Marte , the Pirates will get at least 60 homers and 90 steals from their trio.

Adam Wainwright will pitch at least 32 games and 220 innings, posting a sub-3.00 ERA.

Stephen Piscotty will hit 20 home runs and score 100 runs, making him one of only 10 players to reach both thresholds.

Jaime Garcia will stay healthy enough to make 30-plus starts for the first time since 2011; he'll also have an ERA at least a quarter- run beneath his 3.56 in that year.

Cory Spangenberg will have the quietest 25 steals in baseball.

Jabari Blash will mount a serious challenge to Matt Kemp for the ' team home run crown. Both will hit at least 20.

No Padres reliever will save more than 20 games, but Brandon Maurer will save a team-high 18 and finish as their highest-ranked on the Player Rater.

Drew Pomeranz will be the Padres' second-highest ranked pitcher -- that is, among either their starters or relievers -- on the final Player Rater.

Hunter Strickland will save at least 25 games.

Only one reliever will save 20-plus games, except that it won't be Steve Cishek . It'll be Tony Zych .

Nori Aoki will score 90-plus runs as the Mariners' leadoff hitter for at least 140 of their games.

Taijuan Walker will finish the season with more wins and a lower ERA than Felix Hernandez .

The will place all five members of their rotation among the Player Rater's top 250 overall; only the could claim that in 2015, and one of their five, , spent two-thirds of the year with the .

Alex Colome will have twice as many saves as anyone else in the Rays' bullpen, and he'll finish among the top 30 relief pitchers on the Player Rater.

Though his batting average will plummet by at least 25 points from either of his past two seasons playing half his games at Coors Field, Corey Dickerson will set a new career high in home runs (his previous best was 24, set in 2014).

We'll see Nomar Mazara in the majors before we see again. In fact, Gallo won't even get 50 plate appearances in the bigs this year.

Rougned Odor will lead all second basemen with 25 home runs.

The second-highest-rated member of the Blue Jays' staff on our Player Rater will be Aaron Sanchez .

Trea Turner won't return to the before Sept. 1.

Stephen Strasburg will win the National League's Cy Young Award. I know, I keep going back to that well.

The National League's Rookie of the Year winner will be , despite a post-Memorial Day debut and only 20 starts.

ESPN.COM Amid rumors and nearly completed deals, Jay Bruce still a Red -- for now 1:58 PM ET Buster Olney ESPN Senior Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce parked his car in a lot outside of left field here the other day before an exhibition game against the Dodgers, then strolled toward the gate, with teammate Joey Votto just ahead of him. Both were in full uniform and walking among fans, and either they were dismissed as crazy reenactors or they weren't noticed, because nobody looked at or said anything to them.

Or maybe some fans were just shocked to see Bruce in a Reds uniform, after nine months of trade rumors, at least two would-be deals that weren't finished and countless other swap discussions. Last July 31, Cincinnati and the Mets were on the cusp of a deal that would've sent Bruce to New York, and when those talks didn't get across the finish line, the Mets turned to the Tigers, who had been dangling Yoenis Cespedes.

Then, earlier this spring, Bruce appeared on his way to the Blue Jays in a three-team deal that also included the Angels, but that deal collapsed as well.

So Bruce is still with the Reds, and in conversation the other day, he chuckled at the circumstances. He feels great, he said, now two years removed from knee surgery, and he has had a good spring, batting .326 with an OPS of .936, five walks and seven strikeouts in 51 plate appearances. He has even worked on exploiting the shift with some well-placed bunts.

Bruce turns 29 next week and is still with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2005, but he has become something of an old guy on a team committed to rebuilding. Cincinnati has traded Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Aroldis Chapman and Todd Frazier, and they tried to move Brandon Phillips, but he exercised his veto power and rejected a deal to Washington. The Reds have turned over their pitching staff almost entirely in the past two years, and scouts who have seen them confirm the obvious: They will struggle to stop opposing offenses this year.

The offense should be OK, with Votto, Devin Mesoraco, Bruce, Phillips and others. But it figures that at some point the Reds will continue their push to move Bruce -- maybe Phillips as well -- and there could be some natural fits for Bruce. The White Sox have a need for a left-handed hitter and have some money available now that Adam LaRoche has retired, and Bruce would upgrade their defense. If Chicago still has payroll concerns, it should be noted that in the proposed deal to move Bruce to Toronto, the Reds would've eaten $5 million of his $12.5 million salary, to improve the quality of the prospect package returned to them. The Orioles also had discussions about Bruce earlier in the year, with some involved being skeptical about whether the prospect-thin Baltimore farm system would offer enough to meet the Reds' asking price. Injuries with other teams could always alter the trade landscape for Cincinnati, too.

Until then, Bruce will keep showing up in a Reds uniform, ready to play.

Bruce has made the most of a trying spring, writes C. Trent Rosecrans.

MLBTRADERUMORS.COM

MLBTR College Series: Reds GM Dick Williams (University of Virginia) By Chuck Wasserstrom | March 30, 2016 at 10:46am CDT

MLBTR is beginning a series where we interview top baseball executives about their college years. We’ll ask about why those chose their school, memorable moments, their favorite professor, important connections made, college learnings they still use today, etc.

Leading off the question-and-answer series is Cincinnati Reds Senior Vice President/General Manager Dick Williams – a graduate of the University of Virginia.

* * * * *

First off, sorry about the basketball game Sunday. Why did you choose Virginia?

“I’m still reeling from the loss. Feel free to put that in the article. It was tough. I was so bummed. It’s been a while since we’ve gone to the Final Four. Why Virginia? It’s tough to pinpoint exactly. I went to boarding school in the northeast and I loved it. After two years in the northeast, I thought I would try a different part of the country. I’ve always been a bit of a wandering soul, and I wanted to try something new. So I applied to some northeastern schools, but I also applied to schools in the southeast and on the West Coast. I kind of had it in my mind that I was going to try a new part of the country.

The real tipping point was that I was a finalist for an award called the Jefferson Scholar, and they award a handful of these each year to incoming freshman. It’s a prestigious academic leadership award. They invite the finalists down their senior year to participate in a multi-day forum. They interview you and they have you participate in activities … and take tests … and they observe you. Then they award the scholarships for the next year. I didn’t get picked as a Jefferson Scholar, but I got to go down there for three days in March of my senior year in high school. And I spent three days on the Charlottesville campus – which was more than I spent on any other college visit. I think I just got more familiar with it. It didn’t hurt that it was St. Patty’s Day while I was there, so they had all these fraternity parties and all of the social activity going on. This beautiful campus … it was spring … it was gorgeous … and we’re just running around having the time of our lives. I really got a good feel from being there. I think that just gave it a leg up over other great schools that I was looking at. I think going there for that long weekend made all the difference.”

Although you weren’t selected a Jefferson Scholar, you did decide to go to UVA. Did you end up going there on an academic scholarship?

“They have another program called the Echols Scholars, and that’s for the top incoming freshmen academically. It is not a monetary scholarship. What it allows you to do is it gives you academic freedom when you get there. And I was an Echols Scholar. It gives you priority to sign up for any classes. Instead of classes based on age or what your major was, if you were an Echols Scholar, you got a free pass into any class you wanted to take. That really shaped my experience there, because I made it a point of trying to take classes in every discipline. I took a class from the engineering school. I took classes from the nursing school. I took classes from the architecture school. I did a little bit of everything – just because I was given that freedom. You didn’t have to meet typical major requirements as an Echols Scholar. You could build your own field of study. So you could really spread it around, and I took full advantage of it. I just took a lot of things that interested me that I would never get a chance to study again. When I look back on my transcript, it wasn’t all finance or all politics. It really was a melting pot of things I was interested in.”

So, what was your major?

“Well, my diploma says Echols Scholar Interdisciplinary Studies. So I had to explain that in job interviews for years. Just telling people that I really didn’t have a major. But I majored in being a liberal arts student – taking a little bit of everything.”

Looking back, should you have focused on a specific major – or are you comfortable with the route you took?

“I’m really comfortable with the route I went. I loved doing it the way I did. And when I got out of college, I went right into investment banking on Wall Street – and they put us through a training program of accounting and finance. I had a very good base in that. I learned plenty there and on the job. I ended up getting my chartered financial analyst designation – my CFA – a few years later, and that was self-study. Once my career took me on a path, then I began to do a lot of that follow-up work on my own.”

Did you have a favorite class or favorite professor?

“I would have to say my favorite class was what they called ‘Bice Psych.’ Professor Bice. Everybody took that. It was Intro to Psychology. Every class was like a Broadway show. He always brought something very interesting to class. A lot of practical examples. A lot of funny stories. A lot of interactive exhibits. It also didn’t hurt that it was a pretty easy ‘A’ … For me, you got out of high school and you get to college – and you don’t know what to expect. I received some good advice to sign up for this class. It reminded you that academics could be fun and interesting. Not every class was big textbooks that you can’t read and worrying about copying down notes. ‘Bice Psych’ was like going to recess.”

Can you share any memorable moments from your college days?

“I went abroad for a semester. I went to Australia; that was one of my formative experiences. I had a great time going down there. It’s kind of different being on the other side of the world. It was more about the travel and being able to travel around Australia and New Zealand. I kind of cheated a little bit … I went abroad, but there was no language barrier. That made it easier to meet people.”

Any college learnings that you utilize today?

“Statistics and probability – I took them there and really got a good understanding of them. I was surprised at how much that played into my business career, both in baseball and investment banking. Just the foundation for statistics and probability. It really affects everything you do in your daily life.”

Keep reading after the break for more …

Did you follow the college baseball team when you were there?

“Not a lot. When I was there, the college football team was ranked No. 1 in the country. People who follow UVA football know that doesn’t come along very often. My sophomore year (1990), we were the No. 1-ranked team in the country. I still remember the game vividly. We lost a shootout to Georgia Tech at home 41-38. Georgia Tech went on to become co-national champs that year. We lost that game, and what I also remember about it was that the Allman Brothers played UVA that night at University Hall. The campus was in mourning, so nobody went to the concert. I had these buddies come in from out of town. It was one of the great concert experiences of my life, because we were watching an Allman Brothers concert – and there were about 100 people there. We were able to walk right up to the edge of the stage. We could go anywhere we wanted. It was like having a private Allman Brothers show … I’m sure it was one of the hardest shows they ever had to play. There weren’t many people there to get them fired up. But my memory of it was that it was a pretty great show.

I don’t remember the college baseball team that well. I had a couple buddies who played. I don’t remember watching them very much. But the program has certainly ascended to a whole other level. They have an unbelievable new facility. I’ve been back there a couple times and I’ve been able to see the facility they have. And the team now is just a rocket ship. They’ve had several good years there. They’re a lot of fun to watch. We actually had a first rounder a couple years ago from UVA (RHP Nick Howard in 2014). I promise I didn’t have any undue influence on our scouting director. That was all him, but it was kind of neat to have a pick from my alma mater.”

Do you know Virginia coach Brian O’Connor a little bit?

“Not very well. I’ve met him once. I don’t get real involved in our amateur scouting, so I don’t get down to Charlottesville much. But I’d like to get to know him better.”

Obviously, you do get back to Virginia from time to time. As an alum, what emotions were going through your head while watching the Cavaliers play against Syracuse on Sunday?

“I was so disappointed. I know how many people were planning to watch them play in the Final Four. They’re such an easy team to root for, and I’m not just saying that as a UVA grad. They’re likable guys with a likable coach. Hard-nosed defense. This year, their offense kind of exploded. For three quarters of (Sunday’s) game, it was all UVA. Then that (Syracuse) run the last 8-to-10 minutes took all the wind out of our sails. It was just a bummer. But they’ll be back.”

Were you wearing your Ralph Sampson jersey during the game?

“Well, my era was Bryant Stith. So I had my Bryant Stith jersey handy. Ralph was a little before my time.”

What advice would you give to high school and college students looking to work in a major league front office down the road?

“If you’re serious about it, it’s never too early to start and there’s no job too small. Everybody now has pretty good academic credentials. It just gives you a leg up if you can show some practical experience around the sport. I’ve got one guy on my staff that started on the grounds crew. I’ve got one guy who started as a clubhouse attendant. I know guys who have worn a mascot costume. I know some guys who worked in media relations. At a young age, no job is too small to be around the game and get familiarity with it. But you have to have some patience. There aren’t that many job openings. You have to start early and have patience.”

Any important connections that you made in college that still play a part in what you do today?

“That’s a tough one. One of the other GM’s went to the same grade school I did in Cincinnati –Mike Hill of the Marlins. So I have that connection from grade school. For college, not sure I have a good one for that question. All of my UVA buddies were too smart to get into baseball. They all went and got real jobs.”

Any memorable stories from your college days that you can share?

“A couple come to mind. I used to go to a bar called Trax every Tuesday night and pay a $5 cover to see Dave Matthews and Boyd Tinsley before they made it big. I also had the opportunity to eat dinner in the rotunda one year. Any time you got to do something in one of the historical buildings on campus, it was pretty special.”

FOXSPORTS.COM FOX Sports Announces Reds Opening Day Coverage Tune in to FOX Sports Ohio Monday, April 4th starting at 9:00 a.m. for Reds programming, including coverage of Opening Day Parade, Reds Block Party and more. Mar 30, 2016 at 3:49p ET

CINCINNATI, OHIO -- As Cincinnati celebrates the return of Reds baseball, FOX Sports Ohio is excited to announce its coverage of Cincinnati Reds Opening Day on Monday, April 4th.

Fans should tune in to FOX Sports Ohio starting at 9:00 a.m. for a full day of coverage of one of the biggest Opening Day celebrations in all of MLB. The network will feature interviews with guests from the Reds and local community with live coverage of the city-wide celebration. See below for the complete schedule.

A broadcast team of nine, including Reds broadcasters Chris Welsh, , Jim Day, Jeff Piecoro, George Grande and Brian Giesenschlag, will all play a role. Cincinnati weathercaster Pat Barry and local WXIX FOX19 anchor Tricia Macke will return and WXIX FOX19 sports anchor Joe Danneman will join the team for day. Cincinnati radio legend Jim Scott will also be a guest during the network's coverage of the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade.

The FOX Sports Ohio Reds Fan Express will also be part of celebration. Look for the Reds-themed bus and its passengers, the Cincinnati RBI 10U team from North College Hill, FOX Sports Ohio's sponsored youth baseball team in partnership with the Reds Community Fund, in the Opening Day Parade.

FOX Sports Ohio's coverage of the Opening Day Parade starting at 12 noon will be simulcast on WXIX FOX19 in Cincinnati.

FOX Sports Ohio's pre-game show and game telecast will be simulcast on Local 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati and WRGT FOX45 in Dayton beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Cincinnati Reds Opening Day on FOX Sports Ohio

9:00 a.m.: Reds Roundtable with Walt Jocketty & Dick Williams

10:00 a.m.: Live coverage of Reds Opening Day celebration throughout Cincinnati

- Piecoro and Giesenschlag will host from Washington Park.

- Grande will anchor from the Reds Live set at Great American Ball Park.

- Barry will be live from Findlay Market.

- Day will provide updates from Great American Ball Park leading up to the Opening Day Parade.

12 noon: Opening Day Parade

- Day and Macke will host parade coverage from Washington Park. Barry will report from parade step off area. Jim Scott will be a featured guest.

- Williams will update from the Reds Community Fund Charity Block Party at The Banks.

- Parade coverage will be simulcast on WXIX FOX19.

2:30 p.m.: Reds Live pre-game show

- A special 90-minute Reds Live pre-game show will begin at 2:30 p.m. Giesenschlag and Piecoro will host from the desk and Day will report from the field. The show, presented by Ray St. Clair Roofing, will provide fans commentary, features, and in-depth pre- game coverage including the on-field ceremonies.

- Beginning at 2:30 p.m., Local 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati and WRGT FOX45 in Dayton will simulcast Reds Live pre-game show and the game.

4:00 p.m.: Reds vs. Phillies

- Coverage of Reds-Phillies will begin at 4:00 p.m. Welsh and Brennaman will call the action.

Reds Live postgame show

- Immediately following the final out, Reds Live postgame show, presented by Performance Kings Honda, will include highlights, player interviews and analysis. Day will host from the desk and Piecoro will report from the dugout.

USA TODAY 10 bold fantasy baseball predictions from Tim Heaney By Tim Heaney 19 hours ago

Consider these bold fantasy baseball predictions before your draft and/or league start:

1. Carlos Carrasco will become the second Cleveland Indians pitcher in three years to win the American League Cy Young Award and finally fulfill the prophecy as fantasy’s next big breakout ace. New nickname: Neo?

2. In fact, the Tribe’s trio of Carrasco, Corey Kluber and Danny Salazar will outperform the New York Mets’ threesome of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. The AL’s big three will all finish in the top 10 in ERA and K/9 among qualified starting pitchers.

3. Speaking of pitchers victimized by a bloated ERA last year, New York Yankees starter Michael Pineda will post a 3.20 ERA and win 18 games as one of the Cy runners-up.

4. Philadelphia Phillies Maikel Franco will finish among the top 10 major leaguers in home runs. Let’s say 33 big flies for the middle-rounds breakout candidate.

5. A trio of middle-round or later catchers — the Indians’ Yan Gomes, the Reds’ Devin Mesoraco and the Dodgers’ Yasmani Grandal — outperform Cubs hype machine Kyle Schwarber in the home run column.

6. shortstop will post a line quite similar to division rival Brandon Crawford’s despite the big difference in their draft-day prices.

7. San Diego Padres 1B/OF Wil Myers will finally cash in on long-lost hype at age 25, swatting 24 home runs, stealing 20 bases and driving in 85 runs.

8. Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos will find similar breakout success with his own 20-tater season while hitting .290.

9. Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Raisel Iglesias will defy his dangerous home park on his way to a sub-3.50 ERA, with 14 wins and a 9.2 K/9.

10. Reliever Tony Zych will emerge as the Seattle Mariners’ closer, saving 24 games and striking out around 13 batters per nine innings.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Posted: 3:51 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016 Reds send reliever Ryan Mattheus, 4 others to minors By GARY SCHATZ The Associated Press

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Cincinnati Reds sent right-handed reliever Ryan Mattheus and four others to the minors on Wednesday, leaving 38 players in camp.

Mattheus was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels last May and appeared in 57 games, going 2-4 with a 4.09 ERA.

Mattheus and right-handers Drew Hayes, J.C. Ramirez and Pedro Villarreal were reassigned to the minor league camp. Outfielder Tyler Holt was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.

The Reds announced that left-hander Chris O'Grady, a Rule 5 draft pick from the Angels, has cleared waivers and been offered back to Los Angeles, which has three days to decide whether to take him.

Cincinnati has three non-roster players remaining in camp: catcher Jordan Pacheco and right-handers Dayan Diaz and Tim Melville.

Posted: 8:38 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2016 Votto collects 4 hits as Reds beat White Sox 6-3 By GARY SCHATZ The Associated Press

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Joey Votto had four hits, Brandon Phillips homered and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago White Sox 6- 3 at spring training on Wednesday.

Votto scored twice and drove in two runs. The slugger has hit safely in 13 of his 19 appearances and reached safely in 17 games.

Votto was aboard for Phillips' second spring homer in the third against Jose Quintana. Phillips also doubled in the first and singled in the sixth.

"Some really nice offensive days from those guys in the middle of the order," Reds manager Bryan Price said. Quintana was charged with four runs and nine hits in three-plus innings. He struck out three and walked three.

"Today, I missed a lot in the zone. I threw too many pitches. My cutter was bad. It was a tough day," Quintana said. "It was just one bad day."

Reds minor leaguer Josh Smith pitched five innings of one-run ball in his first Cactus League start. The right-hander struck out six and walked one.

Smith retired his first 10 batters before Tyler Saladino hit his fifth home run.

Saladino had two of Chicago's four hits.

AMAZING RACE On Phillips' homer, Votto waited for the fly ball to clear the fence. Phillips chased Votto around the bases about a step behind. Both smiled as Votto maintained his slight lead.

STARTING TIME Reds: Smith made his major league debut with Cincinnati last season and went 0-4 with a 6.89 ERA in nine games, seven starts.

"It was everything we hoped that he would do after last year's experience," Price said. "He was challenging hitters and was way more aggressive in the strike zone. They had some pretty good hitters. It was nice to see him attack that lineup."

ROSTER MOVES The Reds optioned outfielder Tyler Holt to Triple-A Louisville. They also re-assigned right-handers Drew Hayes, Pedro Villarreal, Ryan Mattheus and J.C. Ramirez to minor league camp. Rule 5 selection LHP Chris O'Grady cleared waivers and was offered back to the Los Angeles Angels, who have three days to decide if they want to take him back for $25,000.

UP NEXT Reds: LHP Cody Reed is scheduled to pitch against Indians RHP Carlos Carrasco on Thursday.

TRANSACTIONS 03/30/16

SS Angel Miguel assigned to Cleveland Indians. Miami Marlins signed free agent 3B Don Kelly to a minor league contract. signed free agent 3B Casey McGehee to a minor league contract. Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Peter Moylan to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins released 1B Tommy Medica. Atlanta Braves signed free agent CF to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Kansas City Royals released RF Travis Snider. optioned Pat Venditte to . Toronto Blue Jays optioned Darrell Ceciliani to Buffalo Bisons. Tampa Bay Rays released C Rene Rivera. Tampa Bay Rays optioned Richie Shaffer to . Tampa Bay Rays optioned Matt Andriese to Durham Bulls. released RHP Miguel Gonzalez. RHP assigned to Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay Rays released RHP David Carpenter. RHP assigned to Detroit Tigers. OF Jiwan James assigned to Detroit Tigers. C Drew Longley assigned to Detroit Tigers. LHP Chris O'Grady returned to Los Angeles Angels from Cincinnati Reds. Cincinnati Reds optioned Tyler Holt to . OF Wilson Soriano assigned to Colorado Rockies. RHP Matt Flemer assigned to Colorado Rockies. New York Mets traded Ricardo Jacquez to Toros de Tijuana. RHP Troy Neiman assigned to Colorado Rockies. SS Javier Guerra assigned to San Diego Padres. Detroit Tigers signed free agent RHP Bobby Parnell to a minor league contract. C Sicnarf Loopstok assigned to Cleveland Indians. Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Edward Mujica to a minor league contract. OF Joe Bennie assigned to Oakland Athletics. RHP Andres Avila assigned to Oakland Athletics. 1B Daniel Paolini assigned to Seattle Mariners. Detroit Tigers optioned Matt Boyd to . Seattle Mariners optioned Mayckol Guaipe to Tacoma Rainiers. Chicago White Sox optioned Scott Carroll to . Chicago White Sox selected the contract of SS Jimmy Rollins from Charlotte Knights. 2B Ronnier Mustelier assigned to Atlanta Braves. OF Hunter Cole assigned to San Francisco Giants. SS Cory Thompson assigned to Cincinnati Reds. RHP Josh Smith assigned to Cincinnati Reds. RHP Scott Brattvet assigned to Cincinnati Reds. RHP German Taveras assigned to . San Diego Padres traded RHP Nick Vincent to Seattle Mariners for Player To Be Named Later. C Rainis Silva assigned to Minnesota Twins. Atlanta Braves optioned Mike Foltynewicz to Gwinnett Braves. Boston Red Sox optioned Roenis Elias to Pawtucket Red Sox. OF Maikis De La Cruz assigned to New York Mets. OF Champ Stuart assigned to New York Mets. OF Victor Cruzado assigned to New York Mets. RHP Yankory Pimentel assigned to Boston Red Sox. OF Derrick Loveless assigned to Toronto Blue Jays. RHP John Stilson assigned to Toronto Blue Jays. New York Yankees optioned Branden Pinder to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New York Yankees optioned Tyler Olson to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. New York Yankees optioned Nick Goody to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. Los Angeles Angels optioned Chris Jones to .