sign in sign up
<<
Home , Crosley Field, Patrick Kivlehan, Riverfront Stadium, Scott Schebler, Zach Vincej

Reds Press Clippings September 20, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1956-Mt. Airy resident, James Denier, offers to sell 133 acres he owns at Compton and Pippin Roads in Groesbeck, to use as a site for a new for the Reds. Eventually the Reds move from to in 1970. MLB.COM Reds can't hang on to early lead, fall in extras By Mark Sheldon and Andrew Call / MLB.com | 12:04 AM ET + 82 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Trying to hang on to their quickly fading postseason hopes, the Cardinals needed an early comeback then some late clutch hitting. It added up to an 8-7 victory over the Reds in 10 on Tuesday night at .

Dexter Fowler was responsible for two big St. Louis runs with a solo in the eighth and an RBI double in the 10th. Reds reliever Tim Adleman began the extra frame by hitting Kolten Wong with a pitch. Wong stole second base and scored the go- ahead run on Fowler's RBI double to right field. An RBI single by Paul DeJong provided insurance.

Full Game Coverage

Scooter Gennett tightened the game when he led off the bottom of the 10th with a homer to right-center field, his 26th of the season. But lefty Tyler Lyons got the last two outs for the .

Victories by the first-place Cubs and second-place Brewers meant no ground was gained in the Central standings. St. Louis remains in third place, six games out of first, with an elimination number of seven. However, they improved to 3 1/2 games back for the second spot in the NL Wild Card race with the Rockies losing to the Giants.

"We're not out of it," Wong said. "People may talk about how we're done, but we don't believe that."

Fowler has been banged up this month with hand and knee injuries, but he's battling through them.

"Injuries are part of the game," Fowler said. "You wish you were not hurt, but you have to battle around it. When you're hurt and you go out and play, it builds mental toughness. We're trying to push for the playoffs and win a championship."

The Cardinals, who were held to six runs total in a three-game sweep by the Cubs over the weekend, scored their sixth run of the game in the eighth inning when Fowler hit the game-tying solo homer to right-center field. The drive against Kevin Shackelford barely cleared the wall and even touched the glove of center fielder Scott Schebler. It was the first hit allowed by the Reds' bullpen after 3 1/3 innings of work.

"We came up with big hits in big situations," Cardinals Mike Matheny said. "The one missing element has been the big hit."

In his second big league start, and first since July 1, Jackson Stephens briskly went from perfect game to being knocked out of the game. After he retired the first 10 batters, Stephens gave up five runs in the top of the fourth. Three straight singles, including Juan Martinez's RBI bloop to right field preceded back-to-back home runs. hit a three-run shot to left, and DeJong followed with a solo homer to center field to give the Cardinals a 5-4 lead.

"I just didn't execute pitches," Stephens said. "I was pounding the zone pretty much all night, then kind of got behind in some counts. I had fastball counts and didn't execute the pitch. They hit it."

The night was even briefer for Cardinals rookie starter Jack Flaherty, who was pulled after allowing two earned runs and three hits over two innings. Cincinnati, which was making hard contact from the get-go, got a first-inning RBI single from Joey Votto and a sacrifice fly from Patrick Kivlehan in the second inning for a quick 2-0 lead. Zack Cozart's two-run homer in the third inning against reliever John Gant made it a four-run game, but the night was far from over.

It was a game that underscored what managers can do with expanded rosters in September, as the teams combined to use 16 , eight each. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Molina mashed it: After a 1-for-11 showing vs. the Cubs at , Molina gave the Cards a big lift in the fourth-inning rally. Molina deposited a 1-1 fastball from Stephens into the left-field upper deck to tie the game at 4. It was Molina's 18th homer of the season and the 19th of his career vs. Cincinnati -- his most vs. any opponent.

Jam escaped: Lefty reliever Ryan Sherriff, who worked out of an inherited jam in the seventh inning by striking out Votto, created his own mess in the eighth by walking a batter and hitting another with one out. Right-hander Matt Bowman was summoned, and he came through by striking out Kivlehan before getting Stuart Turner to ground out to second base to keep the score tied, 6-6. Cincinnati was 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

QUOTABLE

"It is beneficial this time of year to have a lot of extra players. The thing that doesn't benefit you is when you take a look at a bullpen or bench, it's hard to get a matchup. They can burn a couple of guys to get the right guy up there. Not a lot of matchup baseball left in September." -- Reds manager Bryan Price

WHAT'S NEXT

Cardinals: The series in Cincinnati continues Wednesday at 6:10 p.m. CT at Great American Ball Park with Luke Weaver (6-1, 1.89) trying to win his seventh consecutive decision. Weaver allowed only an unearned run in six innings vs. the Reds in a 5-2 St. Louis victory Thursday.

Reds: Rookie Davis will return to the rotation and start Wednesday's 7:10 p.m. ET game vs. St. Louis. Davis, 24, made five starts earlier this season and was 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA before being sent to Triple-A Louisville. Since his recall earlier this month, he has made one relief appearance, allowing two earned runs in two innings vs. the Cardinals on Sept. 12 in a 13-4 Reds loss at .

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast.

Andrew Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati and covered the Cardinals on Tuesday.

This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

Hamilton (thumb) frustrated he's still inactive Speedy outfielder has not been cleared, but itching to return

Hamilton (thumb) frustrated he's still inactive By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | September 19th, 2017 + 6 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton has shed the brace that immobilized his fractured left thumb, but not the disappointment over not being activated from the disabled list.

"I'm in a bad, frustrated mood right now. I want to get out there and play," Hamilton said Tuesday.

Full Game Coverage

Hamilton has already hit off a tee, played catch and feels pain-free. But he was not cleared to take batting practice on the field Tuesday like he had hoped. He was under the impression he could be activated Wednesday.

"I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm ready," Hamilton said. "I feel like I am pain-free. I want to be out there with my team. I feel like it's still a step behind, especially when you feel like you're ready to go."

Hamilton fractured his thumb Sept. 6 while trying to bunt vs. the Brewers and was placed on the 10-day DL. His thumb was put in a brace for 10 days, with no baseball activity permitted. Reds manager Bryan Price said the club is considering activating Hamilton specifically to be a pinch-runner until he's cleared to hit.

"I'd say it's more of a probability than a possibility at this point," Price said. "We've all talked about it. I want to talk to Billy about it and make sure we're all on board. I don't think the first time you see him activated is when he's starting in center field. He'll be able to help us in other ways prior to that."

September injuries have plagued Hamilton, and they have cost him multiple stolen-base crowns. His 58 steals in 2017 lead the Majors, but Miami's Dee Gordon entered the night three behind at 55.

Hamilton missed the final 27 games of last season after he suffered a strained left oblique. He didn't play the final week in 2015 because he needed shoulder surgery, and he missed the final four games of '14 with a concussion after running into a wall. "Ever since I've been here, I haven't finished one season. It's important to get out there and finish the season strong," Hamilton said. Hamilton understands there likely will be pain in his thumb from bat vibration if he makes contact in game situations. He's prepared for that.

"I know for a fact I'm going to be hurting. Just give me a chance," Hamilton said. "I'm telling you this right now. If a week passes [without playing], I'm just going to say 'I'm done.' There's no point in me coming back for just three games. I'm ready to play now. I want to play now. We'll see how it goes."

Worth noting

• Third baseman Eugenio Suarez was not with the club on Tuesday because he was at the hospital with his wife awaiting the arrival of their first baby.

• Infielder D.J. Peterson, who was claimed off waivers from the White Sox on Sunday, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Louisville.

• The Reds Community Fund announced that the 13th annual CBTS Marty Brennaman Golf Classic at Belterra Casino Resort raised $185,000 on Sunday and Monday for the charitable organization that supports youth baseball and outreach initiatives. Brennaman's event has raised about $2.7 million since its inception in 2005.

Mark Sheldon has covered the Reds for MLB.com since 2006, and previously covered the Twins from 2001-05. Follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon and Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Davis returns to Reds' rotation to face Cards Cardinals right-hander Luke Weaver is set to take the hill opposite Reds Rookie Davis in Cincinnati By Andy Call / Special to MLB.com | 12:37 AM ET + 0 COMMENTS

The Cardinals will start red-hot rookie Luke Weaver on Wednesday against the Reds at Great American Ball Park as they try to keep their postseason hopes alive. St. Louis trails the Cubs by six games in the NL Central and the Rockies by 3 1/2 games in the NL Wild Card race.

Weaver (6-1, 1.89) has been nothing short of sensational since replacing Adam Wainwright in the rotation, allowing two or fewer earned runs in six of his seven starts and winning six consecutive decisions, the longest active streak among starters in the Majors.

Full Game Coverage

The 24-year-old right-hander started against the Reds on Thursday, allowing only an unearned run on two hits over six innings in a 5-2 St. Louis victory. Over his past five starts, Weaver has 42 strikeouts and just four walks. The Reds will counter with Rookie Davis (1-2, 7.71), who struggled through five starts with the club earlier this season and has spent most of the season either in the Minors (4-5, 4.43 ERA across three levels) or on the disabled list (14 days, bruised right forearm).

Things to know about this game

• As a starter this season, Weaver has held opponents to 9-for-54 (.167) on his changeup, with 17 strikeouts and two doubles. His .204 slugging percentage allowed on the pitch ranks sixth among starters who have ended at least 50 at-bats with a changeup.

• The 10 active Cincinnati hitters who have faced Weaver are batting a combined .200 against him (5-for-25). Scott Schebler is 1- for-3 with a double, and is 1-for-3 with a home run.

• None of the current Cardinals have more than two at-bats against Davis. Paul DeJong's only at-bat against him was a two-run home run. • If the Reds win the season series with St. Louis, it will be the first time they have done so since 2011. The Reds have won nine of 17 games thus far.

Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Stephenson making his case for a spot in 2018 By Andy Call / MLB.com | September 19th, 2017 + 20 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Luis Castillo and Sal Romano have already presented their cases for being part of Cincinnati's 2018 rotation. Sunday, it was time for Robert Stephenson to take the stand.

Stephenson tossed six shutout innings against as the Reds completed a three-game sweep of the Pirates with a 5-2 victory at Great American Ball Park.

Full Game Coverage

Romano had shut out the Pirates for eight innings Saturday.

"I plan on being teammates with Sal for a long time," Stephenson said with a smile.

"[Stephenson] fits in, no question," Reds Tucker Barnhart said.

Stephenson (5-5, 5.01) had faltered Tuesday in St. Louis, a 13-4 loss during which he was charged with six runs (four earned) over three innings. That forgettable outing, however, followed four consecutive strong starts (4-0, 2.38), including a 9-5 Reds victory Aug. 25 over the Pirates, when Stephenson struck out the first six batters he faced and 11 over 5 2/3 innings.

He was nearly as effective Sunday, when the only hit Stephenson surrendered over six innings was to Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole, the opposing pitcher. Cole's third-inning double to left-center followed a leadoff walk and gave the Pirates their best scoring opportunity against Stephenson. He recovered nicely, however, striking out John Jaso and getting Jordan Luplow and Andrew McCutchen to pop up and leave baserunners stranded at second and third.

"After the first couple innings, I made adjustments and got settled in," Stephenson said.

After Cole's double, in fact, Stephenson retired 11 of the last 12 batters he faced. When Stephenson's spot in the batting order came up in the bottom of the sixth, Jose Peraza pinch-hit and Stephenson called it a day.

"The first three innings, he was all over the place; he was not sharp," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "All of a sudden, in the fourth, fifth and sixth, here he comes. That's what you want to see."

The 24-year-old right-hander began the season in the Reds bullpen, but was sent down May 30 with an 8.03 ERA after 13 relief appearances. He was recalled July 22 and has been used primarily as a starter since.

"He started using a slider in Spring Training for the first time that is now a really good pitch for him," Barnhart said. "His fastball and curve have continued to develop.

"We have a lot of young pitchers putting their best foot forward around here. It's fun to be a part of."

Andy Call is a contributor to MLB.com based in Cincinnati and covered the Reds on Sunday. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER recap: St. Louis Cardinals win in extra innings C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 10:39 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2017 | Updated 11:01 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2017

Center fielder hit a solo home run to tie the game in the eighth and an RBI double in the 10th to lead the Cardinals past the Reds 8-7 in extra innings on Tuesday night.

Box score: Cardinals 8, Reds 7

Here are the main storylines from Tuesday’s game:

• Perfection is fleeting: Reds starter Jackson Stephens went from perfect to imperfect in the fourth inning.

After retiring the first 10 batters he faced, he gave up five runs on five straight hits, culminating with back-to-back home runs by Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong.

Stephens was staked with a four-run lead before a Cardinal reached base, but singled with one out in the fourth. Fowler followed with another single and then Jose Martinez singled in the first run. Molina then hit a three-run homer to tie it and the next batter, DeJong, gave the Cardinals the lead with his solo shot.

"It was probably not the best location," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He did a really good job of pitching in, establishign inside and using his breaking ball and changeup. Later in the game, it seemed the second time around he wasn't making those quality pitches.

After a visit from pitching coach Mack Jenkins, Stephens got to fly out to center, but then walked Stephen Piscotty. That brought out Bryan Price, ending Stephens’ night.

"I was just out there competing and I was going to let them earn everything they got and wasn't going to give anything away," Stephens said. "They earned it. I just didn't execute pitches later on and it hurt me."

• Johnny and Jack Wholestaff: Both managers enjoyed their surplus of arms in the bullpen, combining to use 16 pitchers in the game – eight by each team.

Cardinals manager Mike Matheny also used his expanded bench, as no Cardinals pitcher went to the plate as a hitter. Starter Jack Flaherty was lifted for pinch-hitter Luke Voit in the top of the third. Flaherty allowed two runs on three hits in two innings.

• So close: Scott Schebler nearly kept the game tied in the eighth when he just missed robbing Fowler of a home run. Schebler timed his leap at the wall right, but it hit off his glove and into the seats for a home run. Fowler’s 17th of the season tied the game at 6-6.

Fowler then gave the Cardinals the lead in the 10th when Reds reliever Tim Adleman hit leadoff man Kolten Wong and one out later, Fowler hit a double down the line to score Wong from second. After another out, Adleman walked Molina and gave up a RBI single to DeJong to make it 8-6 Cardinals.

DeJong's single would be the difference in the game after Scooter Gennett hit his 26th home run of the season in the bottom of the 10th.

• Quick lead: The Reds jumped out to a quick lead in the first when Jesse Winker doubled and went to third on a Zack Cozart groundout.

Matheny played his in for Votto, who singled up the middle to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.

Adam Duvall walked in the second and scored on Patrick Kivlehan’s sacrifice fly.

Winker led off the third with a single and then scored on Cozart’s 23rd home run of the season.

• Back-to-back jacks and back-to-back sacs: The Cardinals hit their eighth pair of back-to-back homers in the fourth when Molina and DeJong homered. It was the ninth pair of back-to-back homers the Reds have allowed this season.

The Reds retook the lead in the sixth when Votto led off the inning with his second walk of the game and Gennett doubled. Duvall tied the game with a sac fly to center and Gennett moved to third on the play. He then scored on Schebler’s sac fly.

When will Billy Hamilton return to the Cincinnati Reds? C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 6:37 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2017

Billy Hamilton has yet to play in the first and last day of a big-league season. Even though he’s currently on the 10-day disabled list, he hopes this is the first time he can.

Hamilton could be activated as soon as Wednesday after being put on the disabled list on Sept. 7 with a left thumb injury. Hamilton would likely be used as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement before being inserted into the starting lineup.

He would still have to hit live pitching in batting practice before being cleared to hit in a game, Price said, but if anyone can contribute solely as a pinch-runner and defensive replacement, it’s Hamilton.

For his part, Hamilton’s raring to go.

“I hate being on the sideline just watching the team,” he said. “I don’t like coming out here just sitting and having nothing to do.”

More: BAR: Dead birds walking into Cincinnati

Hamilton said he’s been cleared to play by doctors and is hoping to hit soon. He was hoping to take that step on Tuesday.

“Obviously there is going to be pain,” he said before Tuesday’s game with the Cardinals. “It’s something I’ve dealt with all year long with my shoulder. I’m hurting but still playing. It’s no big deal.

"We’ve got a couple of weeks left. I want to get going right away. I don’t want to come back for just two or three games. That’s just pointless.”

Hamilton broke his thumb on Sept. 6 when he was hit by a pitch from the Brewers’ Matt Garza on a bunt attempt.

It’s just his latest September injury. As a rookie in 2014, Hamilton suffered a concussion after hitting the wall on a catch. That year he missed the team’s final four games. He missed the final 17 games of the 2015 season with a right shoulder injury. And last season didn’t play after Sept. 4 (game 135) because of an oblique injury.

“It’s very important,” Hamilton said when asked about finishing the season on the field. “Ever since I’ve been here, I haven’t finished one season. It’s important to get out there and finish the season strong.”

Last-season injuries have also cost him at least two titles. Despite having more stolen bases since the start of the 2014 season (229) than any other player in baseball, Hamilton has never won a stolen base title. Only two players – Dee Gordon (207) and Jose Altuve (155) – are even with 100 steals of Hamilton since 2014.

Gordon won the stolen base titles in 2014 and 2015, while the Brewers Jonathan Villar won the NL stolen base crown last season after Gordon served a 50-game suspension and Hamilton missed the final month.

Hamilton still leads the big leagues with 58 stolen bases, but Gordon has closed the gap, with 55 entering Tuesday’s games. Washington’s is a distant third with 40 steals.

That isn’t as important to Hamilton as just getting on the field at this point.

“I’m ready to play now,” he said. “I want to play now. We’ll see how it goes.”

BAR: Dead birds walking into Cincinnati C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 10:28 a.m. ET Sept. 19, 2017 | Updated 12:25 p.m. ET Sept. 19, 2017

The Blog Above Replacement a daily look at the Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on the mind of Enquirer Reds beat writers, C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan. You can follow them on Twitter (@ctrent and @ZachENQ), Facebook (C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan) and Instagram (ENQReds).

The St. Louis Cardinals come into town featuring something they haven’t in a long time — irrelevancy.

While the sweep of the Cardinals by the Cubs last weekend didn’t mathematically eliminate St. Louis from the playoffs, it realistically eliminated them from the playoffs.

With less than two weeks remaining in the season, FanGraphs.com has the Cardinals with a 4 percent chance of the playoffs — 0.8 percent of winning the division and 3.2 percent of a wild card spot.

Those are not good odds.

How about this from the great Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

CINCINNATI • In six seasons as Cardinals manager, Mike Matheny has overseen 1,002 games, including the playoffs, and not one of them started with the club eliminated from championship contention.

That could change within a week.

Last year the Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs for the first time in Matheny’s reign, and the last time the Cardinals went two consecutive years without making the playoffs was 2007 and 2008 — the final year of Walt Jocketty’s tenure and the first of John Mozeliak’s run as the Cardinals’ general manager.

And the Cardinals don’t even have their longtime rival Cubs to look down upon anymore.

Longtime Cardinal watcher Bernie Miklasz wrote that is in the head of Matheny and the Cardinals:

“Maddon worked on his players’ heads, getting the younger Cubs to believe they could triumph over the Cardinals. And at the same time, it’s clear to me that Maddon found his way to get inside the Cardinals’ heads. That includes Matheny.

The reaffirmation came over the weekend at Wrigley, when the Cubs won all three games of a critically important series in the Cardinals’ late push to get to first place in the NL Central.”

At this point, the big, bad Cardinals look like none of the above.

Let’s take the everyday lineup — only in left field is a Cardinal demonstratively better this year (this year) than his Reds counterpart. In only one other spot of the everyday eight does a Cardinal have a higher WAR (according to Baseball-Reference). (I side note here, I realize WAR is a counting stat, so Paul DeJong doesn’t have as many games — but I also realize that WAR works both ways, so it could go down).

Here, take a look for yourself (Baseball-Reference WAR in parenthesis):

C — Yadier Molina (1.9) vs. Tucker Barnhart (3.1) 1B — Matt Carpenter (2.5) vs. Joey Votto (6.8) 2B — Kolten Wong (1.9) vs. Scooter Gennett (2.3) 3B — Jedd Gyorko (3.4) vs. Eugenio Suarez (4.2) SS — Paul DeJong (2.4) vs. Zack Cozart (4.9) LF — Tommy Pham (5.4) vs. Adam Duvall (1.4) CF — Dexter Fowler (1.4) vs. Billy Hamilton (0.8) RF — Stephen Piscotty (0.7) vs. Scott Schebler (1.4)

The difference, of course, has been pitching. The Cardinals haven’t been great this year pitching, but the Reds have been terrible.

But Adam Wainwright is nearing the end, Lance Lynn could be headed elsewhere and Mike Leake is already gone. The Cardinals have some very talented young arms, but you don’t have to tell anyone here that young arms are no guarantee.

(A side note, I don’t think it’ll happen because he will probably command too much, but Lynn would look pretty good in the Reds’ rotation).

ICYMI

• The Reds could finish fourth.

#HeyBartender

Friday is mailbag day, and Zach will be handling it this week. Feel free to email Zach, Tweet at me or Zach with #HeyBARtender or message Zach on Facebook your questions, Reds or otherwise.

The Rotation

1. The New York Times’ James Wagner with a great story about Latin American baseball players learning English from “Friends.”

2. Cleveland’s Carlos Carrasco and Trevor Bauer have done amazing pieces of art from depicting their teammates. Edwin Encarnacion is my favorite. [Deadspin]

3. Good on Cincinnati native, Princeton High School Grad and former UC Bearcat for saving a young fan’s first game. [Yahoo]

4. The location manager for Netflix’s “Narcos” was murdered in Mexico. [ABC7]

5. R.I.P. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan Facing contenders the rest of the way, Cincinnati Reds want to play spoiler C. Trent Rosecrans, [email protected] Published 6:14 p.m. ET Sept. 18, 2017 | Updated 6:18 p.m. ET Sept. 18, 2017

Sunday’s game against the Pirates was the Reds’ last game of the season against a team that enters the final two weeks of the season without pennant hopes.

That means the Reds can play the familiar spoiler role, especially for the Cardinals who come into Great American Ball Park having just been swept by the Cubs at Wrigley Field and are six games out of the lead, 4 ½ games out of the wild card contention. The Cardinals have a divisional elimination number (number of combined losses by the Cardinals and wins by the Cubs) of eight and a wild card elimination number (number of combined losses by the Cardinals and wins by the Rockies) of nine.

After the Cardinals come to town, the Reds welcome the AL East-leading Red Sox. After that, the Reds finish on the road in Milwaukee and then in against the Cubs, who could clinch before then with help from the Reds. The Reds are 9-7 against the Cardinals this year, 7-9 against the Brewers and 6-10 against the Cubs.

The rebuild process has had benefits in losing, with the Reds getting the second pick in the draft each of the last two seasons as a result of finishing with baseball’s second-worst record in 2015 and 2016. That’s unlikely this year. The Reds entered Monday 66- 84, certainly not a good record, but only the sixth-worst in baseball. They are one of eight teams that have already clinched a losing record, but could realistically finish anywhere from fourth to 12th in next year’s draft.

That’s not something manager Bryan Price or any of the players are thinking about. They want to win – and possibly overtake the Pirates, who are just two games ahead of them for fourth place in the National League Central.

“It's always a goal to finish higher than you are currently – unless you're in first,” Price said this weekend. “Selfishly, I'd like to win every single game I ever manage. You know there are different circumstances for teams that aren't going to the postseason. You have to marry your desire to win every game with the importance of seeing younger players play.”

Price said he will continue to use his young pitchers because he really doesn’t have any other choice. At the moment, the only healthy pitchers in his bullpen that aren’t rookies are Michael Lorenzen and . The starting rotation consists of four rookies and Homer Bailey.

“We have a relatively set lineup as it stands right now anyway,” Price said. “We'll typically have a very representative lineup in there every day the rest of the season. That does not mean, however, these other young guys are not going to play. It is our responsibility to – the priority is the Reds, not the Cardinals or the Pirates or the Cubs or the Brewers or the Red Sox. But, I do respect the environment we're in and I will not unload the bench in any of those games and just play a bench game.”

Shortstop Zach Vincej started his first game on Sunday against the Pirates. With Zach Cozart nursing the quad injury he’s had all year, he could still see some time, but it won’t be at the expense of Jose Peraza, perhaps the leading candidate to take over the role. With Billy Hamilton on the disabled list, Jesse Winker will continue to start most games along with Scott Schebler and Adam Duvall, with a sprinkling of and Patrick Kivlehan in the rotation, as well.

"I think we've had an opportunity to assess, I don't think a couple of more games for the guys that are on the bench are going to define if they're going to make the team next year or not,” Price said. “I think we have a body of work. Some of these guys are here to simply support the ballclub, they're not here necessarily to define themselves as big-leaguers.”

While the Reds will put what Price called a “representative” lineup on the field, at least two managers of teams left in the Reds’ remaining schedule say they don’t worry about what other teams do with their lineup.

“I can’t tell other people their business,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said on Sunday. “Every club has priorities and agendas. I’ve been on teams like that before, fortunately with other organizations, and you got to this time of year and they need to see what does this guy look like? We’ve got to take a long, hard look regardless. So I understand that. That’s planning for the future.”

Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he isn’t checking out what kind of lineups other teams are rolling out against the other teams in competition for the division title.

"Every manager that goes out there, you're trying to win games,” Counsell said. “Us deciding from afar who should be playing on another team is kind of silly, for me. Every team has players they want to play and they think can help win a game.

"I don't look twice at it, really. I don't look once at who's playing on another team. Everybody's trying to win games. That's what they're trying to do. When you compete against those guys, they're trying to beat you."

WCPO - Channel 9 Fay: When Winker moves into Reds rotation, which other outfielder gets bumped? John Fay 6:32 PM, Sep 19, 2017 2 hours ago

CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Bryan Price knows better than to make plans in September, so he isn't trying to figure out his 2018 outfield rotation just yet.

But this much is clear: Jesse Winker's time has arrived. Winker has shown enough in 36 games in the big leagues to have a guaranteed spot on the '18 roster.

All three members of every day outfield from 2017 -- Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton and Scott Schebler -- are under control for 2018 as well.

Four outfields, three spots. Again, Price isn't ready to reveal his plans for the outfield rotation.

"Before I put my foot in my mouth, I'll probably wait until Opening Day," Price said. "Then it would be a question that you've got to answer. It's realistic. You've gotten through the offseason. You know who is on your team.

"You know who your injured players are."

It's possible that the Reds would move an outfielder. The team listened to trade offers on Hamilton last year. He's making $2.6 million this year and figures to make double that as a second-time arbitration-eligible player, and he'll begin 2018 a year from free agency.

Hamilton's broken thumb has given Winker a chance to play every day and lead off. Winker went into Tuesday hitting .277/.370/.500 with six home runs and 12 RBI in 36 games.

He was in the leadoff spot for the five times in six games Tuesday. One could make an argument that he's a better choice there than Hamilton.

"I like the on-base (from Winker)," Price said. "It would be nice if the speed component was there also, but typically you're going to get one or the other. You've hit the jackpot when you get a guy who can run that's got a .370 on-base.

"In this case, we've got the guy with a .370 on-base who doesn't run as well and we've got the lower on-base guy who can really run. Nobody runs better than Billy. I think they both offer different skills sets but they both offer value in that role."

Hamilton is hitting .248/.298/.334 with four home runs and 37 RBI. His Major League-leading 58 base have allowed him to score 82 runs. He's 21st in the National League in that category.

Hamilton's defense in center is Gold Glove-caliber as well.

There's also the possibility that the Reds could move Duvall or Schebler. Duvall is 28, but he's not arbitration-eligible until 2019. Schebler's 26, but he's not arb-eligible until 2020. That makes them more affordable than Hamilton. The controllability also increases their trade value.

Both Duvall and Schebler have put up good power numbers, but both have struggled in the second half.

Duvall went into Tuesday hitting .248 with 31 home runs and 96 RBI. He was hitting .204 since the break. Schebler went into Tuesday hitting .234 with 27 home runs and 60 RBI. He was hitting .191 since the break.

Another factor to consider: The Reds' best hitting prospect, , is playing third base. That's currently occupied by Eugenio Suarez, who's become a terrific defender. Senzel is athletic enough to move to left.

These things have a way of working themselves out, and there are worse things than having four outfielders for three spots.

"We want to be deep," Price said. "You want options. You always want to feel like your strength is your bench." DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds playing for something — fourth place Mark Schmetzer Contributing Writer 5:04 p.m Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017 Sports Facebook Twitter Share 0 SPORTS

CINCINNATI The Reds opened the last two weeks of their season on Tuesday with the opener of a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the first of four teams with postseason plans on the line that Cincinnati will meet down the stretch.

Two of those teams, St. Louis and Milwaukee, were desperately trying to keep alive their fading hopes. The other two, division- leading and the , were hoping to improve their postseason picture by generating as many wins as possible, which could pay off in home field advantage down the road.

The Reds also had a race of their own on their minds. After sweeping the in a three-game weekend series and a Pirates loss at Milwaukee on Monday, the Reds went into Tuesday’s game 1 ½ games out of fourth place. Cincinnati’s first finish higher than last since finishing fourth in 2014 was in sight.

“You want to strive for a lot more (than fourth place), but we have a shot at the next best thing than where we are,” said manager Bryan Price, whose club has been in last place since June 13. “We should strive for a lot more. We should be talking about getting to the top of the division, but at this point in time, unfortunately, it’s fourth place. It is better than where we currently stand, and we should push hard.”

After wrapping up the home schedule with the Cardinals and East-leading Red Sox, the Reds have three games at Milwaukee and three against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Pirates finish a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Wednesday and Thursday, take on the Cardinals in a three-game weekend series and wrap up their home schedule with two interleague games against the slumping before closing out the the regular season with three games at NL East- champion Washington.

Hot corner: Patrick Kivlehan made his second start at third base Tuesday in place of regular Eugenio Suarez, whose wife was at a local hospital preparing to give birth to the couple’s first child, a girl they plan to name Nicole Anthonella.

“They’re hoping to have the baby (Tuesday),” Price said.

The September roster expansion means Suarez would not need to go on paternity leave.

On the mend: Center fielder Billy Hamilton is progressing in his comeback from a fractured left thumb.

“He’s hit off the tee and played catch,” Price said. “He’ll do soft toss (batting practice) today and some other baseball activities. He hasn’t done any live hitting yet, but he’s close to being able to be activated. We could use him as a pinch-runner. It’s more or a probability than a possibility. I don’t think the first time you see him will be as our starting center fielder.”

Hot rookie: Wednesday’s 7:10 p.m. middle game of the three-game series features one of the major leagues’ hottest starting pitchers in Cardinals’ rookie right-hander Luke Weaver (6-1, 1.89 earned-run average). Weaver’s 5-2 win over the Reds on Thursday in St. Louis was his sixth straight winning start, tied for the longest active winning streak in the majors and tied with veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright for the longest by a St. Louis pitcher this season.

Weaver is 5-0 with a 1.15 ERA, 42 strikeouts and four walks over his last five starts, the first pitcher to log those levels over a five- start span since Dodger left-hander Clayton Kershaw in May 2016. According to Elias Sports Bureau, as reported by the Cardinals, the only rookie with a comparable span since 1913 was Roy Oswalt from Aug. 19 through Sept. 9, 2001.

Reds rookie right-hander Rookie Davis (1-2, 7.71) will be making his second career appearance and first start against St. Louis. Davis pitched the fifth and sixth innings of Cincinnati’s 13-4 loss to the Cardinals on Sept. 12, giving up a home run to Paul Dejong and RBI single by Yadier Molina.

Reds’ motto: Don’t tinker with Winker Hal McCoy September 19, 2017 Uncategorized. Facebook Twitter Share 0

CINCINNATI — If there has been any criticism, if it can be called that, of Jesse Winker as he progressed through the Cincinnati Reds system, it has been a perceived lack of power, something usually associated with a corner outfielder.

Winker pays no attention to and, in fact, said he has been told, “We’re not going to tinker with Winker.”

“They’ve told me not to worry about it, just to keep concentrating on putting the barrel on the ball,” said the 24-year-old supplemental first round pick in 2012. “And if I barrel one up and it happens to get up and get out, so much the better.”

BECAUSE OF INJURIES TO Scott Schebler and Billy Hamilton, Winker is getting daily playing time and is making the most of it — .277 in 94 at bats with six home runs. Most noteworthy, though, is that while Hamilton is out Winker has batted leadoff. And his .370 on base average has caught the eye of manager Bryan Price, especially with Hamilton’s struggles to get on base (.333 on base average).

“I like Winker’s on base percentage,” said Price. “I’d like for the speed component to be there also (it isn’t with Winker). But typically at leadoff you get one or the other. You’ve hit the jackpot when you have a guy who can run with a .370 on base average.

“In this case we have the guy with the on base percentage who doesn’t run well and the guy with a lower on base percentage that can really run. Nobody runs better than Billy Hamilton. They offer different skill sets but both provide value in that role.”

PRICE, THOUGH, KNOWS ONE thing for certain: “Billy Hamilton is my leadoff guy with what he makes happen on the bases.”

It doesn’t matter to Winker, who has batted anywhere from leadoff to fifth throughout his minor league career. What is important right now is that he is accruing valuable playing time.

“I like leadoff because it is easy having Cozy (Zack Cozart) and Joe (Joey Votto) hitting right behind me,” he said. “It is a great lineup with a lot of good hitters behind me. This past year, even in the minors, I’ve found more time in the leadoff spot, but a lot at No. 2 and No. 3, too. Doesn’t really matter, though. You are only guaranteed to be the leadoff guy one time and that’s in the first inning.

“I’m learning a lot and that’s the main thing,” said Winker. “I’ve been learning from everybody in this clubhouse and there have been a lot of positives for me. Since I’ve come here I’ve always had the mindset of just competing, no matter where I’m put. I try to keep it simple. My goal this year was to try to learn from these guys and become a better big leaguer.”

AS FOR HIS POWER IF he bats lower in the order, Winker pointed out that he hit 16 at Dayton in 2013, 13 at Class A Bakersfield in 2014 and 13 at Pensacola last year. And he has six for the Reds in 94 at bats this year.

“The power? I’m not going to make any excuses for it,” he said. “I had hit for power in the minor leagues. But I’ve never got caught up in it. I’ve put together some good years while hearing the stuff about the power. Everyone told me, ‘Hey, just keep putting the barrel on the ball. Dont worry about it.’ So I don’t worry about it.”

ONE OF WINKER’S MENTORS when he first signed with the Reds and came to spring training was former Reds outfielder . Bruce often took him out to dinner and paid every time. They remain close to this day.

“I texted Jay after the clinched their division last week,” said Winker. “In response, he shipped me another batch of his batting gloves. I’m really happy for him and it is cool that they’ve clinched. I can’t imagine the feeling.”

As part of the Reds rebuild, Winker hopes some day he can feel what Bruce is feeling and maybe he can send his mentor and close friend a box full of Jesse Winker batting gloves.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Billy Hamilton is eligible to come off the disabled list, but just had the splint removed from his left thumb and has yet to take batting practice. So will he be activated soon and be used as a pinch-runner?

“It is more of a probability than a possibility,” said manager Bryan Price. “It is likely he would be activated to be a pinch-runner, we’ve all talked about it. When he is activated I don’t think you’ll see him starting in center field.”

Winker is definitjely major league ready, which poses a dilemma for 2018 with Hamilton Schebler and Adam Duvall ensconced in the outfield. There is no room, so what is Price thinking?

“Before I put my foot in my mouth right now I’ll probably wait until Opening Day next year,” said Price. “Then that’s a question I would have to answer. It’s realistic when you’ve gotten through the off-season and you know who is on your team, you know who you’re injured players are.

“But we want to be deep, we want to have options,” he said. “You always want to feel like you’re strengthening your bench.” ASSOCIATED PRESS Fowler comes up big as Cardinals top Reds 8-7 in 10 innings CINCINNATI -- Dexter Fowler is doing everything he can to get the St. Louis Cardinals into the playoffs

Fowler hit a tying homer in the eighth inning and a go-ahead double in the 10th, helping the Cardinals knock off the Cincinnati Reds 8-7 on Tuesday night.

Yadier Molina and Paul DeJong also connected for St. Louis, which was swept by NL Central-leading Chicago over the weekend and had dropped four of five overall. Juan Nicasio (4-5) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win and Tyler Lyons got two outs for his third save.

The third-place Cardinals (78-72) remained six games back of the Cubs in the division. St. Louis also is in the mix for a wild card after missing the playoffs last season.

"It just shows to me what kind of team this club is," manager Mike Matheny said. "We talk about sticking your head in there -- keep fighting, keep swinging."

Fowler led off the eighth with a drive to center off Kevin Shackelford for his 17th homer, matching his career high in his first year with St. Louis despite missing a chunk of the season due to injuries. He also went deep Sunday against the Cubs and came up just short in a bid for another homer.

"Each year, I'm getting progressively better in terms of power," said the 31-year-old Fowler, who finished with three hits. "I'm getting older and growing into my body."

The Cardinals' winning rally began when Tim Adelman (5-11) hit Kolten Wong with a pitch leading off the 10th. Tommy Pham flied out to right field, but Fowler lined a double into the right-field corner. DeJong added a two-out RBI single.

Cincinnati got one back on Scooter Gennett's 26th homer. But Adam Duvall flied out to center before Lyons retired Scott Schebler and Patrick Kivlehan to end the game.

Cardinals rookie Jack Flaherty lasted just two innings in his fourth major league start. Joey Votto hit an RBI single in the first, Kivlehan added a sacrifice fly in the second and Zack Cozart hit a two-run shot off John Gant in the third, helping the Reds to a 4-0 lead.

It was Cozart's fourth homer in his last seven games and No. 23 on the season.

The Cardinals bounced back with a five-run fourth. Molina hit a three-run homer and DeJong followed with his 23rd of the season.

Reds rookie Jackson Stephens was charged with five runs and five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

"Typically, it came down to execution," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He got the first 10 guys out. He fell behind 2-0 on (Tommy) Pham. He got a hit and the next two guys got hits, then the home runs. Probably not the best location. He did a really nice job of pitching in, establishing inside and using his breaking ball and changeup. It seems the second time around he wasn't making the same quality pitches."

The teams combined to use 16 pitchers, eight for each team.

"Our bullpen was leaned on heavily today and they responded," Matheny said.

FRESH ARM

The Cardinals activated right-hander Adam Wainwright from the 10-day disabled list. The 36-year-old Wainwright had been sidelined by a right elbow impingement.

Matheny said he will pitch of the bullpen.

SOLE POSSESSION

DeJong's 23 home runs are the second-most by a rookie in Cardinals history behind Albert Pujols' 37 in 2001. DeJong had been tied for the second-most with Chris Duncan's 22 in 2006.

OH BABY

Reds infielder Eugenio Suarez missed the game to be with his wife, who was in labor with the couple's first child.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cardinals: 3B Jedd Gyorko made his first start since coming off the disabled list last Wednesday. He had pinch-hit twice before Tuesday.

Reds: CF Billy Hamilton could be activated soon to at least pinch-run, Price said. Hamilton has been sidelined since Sept. 7 with a fractured left thumb. He still leads the major leagues with 58 stolen bases.

UP NEXT

Cardinals: RHP Luke Weaver gets the ball when the series resumes on Wednesday night. The rookie is 6-0 with a 1.36 ERA in his last seven games.

Reds: RHP Rookie Davis (1-2) pitches for Cincinnati. He worked two innings in relief against St. Louis last Tuesday and allowed two runs and four hits. TRANSACTIONS 09/19/17 St. Louis Cardinals activated RHP Adam Wainwright from the 10-day disabled list. Miami Marlins activated LHP Chris O'Grady from the 10-day disabled list. Cincinnati Reds sent D.J. Peterson outright to . 09/18/17 selected the contract of 3B Christian Villanueva from . San Diego Padres designated RHP Jose Valdez for assignment. San Diego Padres recalled RHP Tim Melville from El Paso Chihuahuas. San Diego Padres recalled CF Travis Jankowski from El Paso Chihuahuas. San Diego Padres recalled RF Hunter Renfroe from El Paso Chihuahuas.