Cincinnati Reds' Clubhouse Over the Years

Cincinnati Reds Press Clippings March 2, 2017

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1995 - After 23 replacement players leave camp, the Reds find themselves short of players for an exhibition game, and engineer a “trade” with the Indians, acquiring five players for “future considerations”

MLB.COM Mechanical tweak pays off for Cozart in first AB Righty hitter adjusted hand placement in stance By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 1st, 2017 + 38 COMMENTS

PHOENIX -- Three days ago, on the heels of watching Indians stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Encarnacion bat against his team, Reds shortstop Zack Cozart decided to try a change to how he set himself to hit.

Instead of starting with his hands up by his face while holding the bat Wednesday in his spring debut vs. the Brewers, Cozart kept them relaxed. His bat was rested on his shoulder to start.

On the second pitch of his first at-bat of the day, Cozart slugged a 1-0 pitch for a home run to left field against Chase Anderson.

"I was a little nervous about that because I hadn't tried it in a game other than hitting with it a bit in Spring Training," Cozart said after he went 1-for-3 in the Reds' 3-2 loss to Milwaukee. "Obviously, it felt pretty good. I'm seeing the ball well. When you get out there, timing is everything."

Cozart's debut was held back out of maximum precaution after he missed most of the final month of the 2016 season with tendinitis in his surgically reconstructed right knee.

There have been no problems with the knee since Cozart reported to camp, and none popped up in his first game action.

"I felt pretty good out there, honestly," he said. "You have to get into baseball shape, and my legs started getting heavy in the fourth inning. I'm not ready for nine [innings], but I can play four or five. I felt way better than I did at this point last year going out there. Last year, I was so worried about the knee and how everything was going to go. This time, I didn't even think about the knee at all. I was just playing. I don't have a brace on or anything. It was good to get back out there."

There was only one downside to the day.

"I didn't get any balls at shortstop, which I hate," Cozart said.

As for the batting adjustment, no one suggested Cozart give it a try. He followed the examples of the Cleveland players, as well as Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina, who also rests his bat on his shoulder before getting into his swing. He also talked to hitting coaches Don Long and Tony Jaramillo about it.

"Anytime I've gone through ruts or whatever, it's always me wondering about my rhythm and my hand position and stuff like that," Cozart said. "I was thinking randomly one day, 'Well, why would I not want to take that out of the equation?' If you look at my videos from today, I'm getting to the exact same launch position that I was getting to [before]. I'm just relaxed and then getting there. When your hands are up, you could be more tense.

"Of course, three or four months out of the year last year, I felt great and I wasn't worried about it. But the second I felt bad, I started trying to figure this out again and it kind of boggles my mind. It takes it out of the equation. I just rest it here, and then bam, I'm there. So far, so good, I guess."

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.

Cozart homers in spring debut; Suarez adds 2B By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | March 1st, 2017 + 6 COMMENTS

PHOENIX -- The Reds' Zack Cozart and Brewers' Keon Broxton traded first-inning home runs when the National League Central rivals met for the first time in 2017 at Maryvale Baseball Park on Wednesday.

Lucas Erceg ended the game with a walk-off single, scoring Mauricio Dubon, to give the Brewers the 3-2 win.

Playing his first Cactus League game, Cozart gave the Reds a 1-0 lead when he connected with one out in the first inning against Brewers starter Chase Anderson, who made his own spring debut with an otherwise clean inning of work. Cozart finished last season on the disabled list with tendinitis in his surgically repaired right knee, and the Reds have been cautious with him at the start of camp.

The Brewers reclaimed the lead before Reds right-hander Lisalverto Bonilla recorded his first out. Broxton hit Bonilla's first pitch for a home run, Jonathan Villar followed with a double and Scooter Gennett hit an RBI single for a 2-1 Brewers lead. Bonilla is a waiver claim who is bidding for the Reds' starting rotation.

"I was just missing the spots on the outside corner. My arm felt really good today," Bonilla said via translator Julio Morillo. "I know what I have to do. For example, my curveball today wasn't good. It was kind of down and wasn't a strike. I know what I have to practice to get better for the next time out."

In the fourth, the Reds tied the game while spoiling the debut of new Brewers closer Neftali Feliz. Scott Schebler led off the inning with a single before Eugenio Suarez hit a game-tying double off Feliz, who came to the Brewers as a free agent on a one-year deal.

Reds Up Next: Four Reds regulars -- including Joey Votto and Billy Hamilton -- will be in the starting lineup Thursday when the Reds face the Cubs at 3:05 p.m. ET. Top pitching prospect Amir Garrett will start as he works to make the big league rotation in camp.

Brewers Up Next: Matt Garza makes his spring debut when the Brewers travel to Peoria, Ariz., on Thursday at 2:10 p.m. CT. The game will air exclusively via Brewers.com webcast.

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

Adam McCalvy has covered the Brewers for MLB.com since 2001. Follow him on Twitter @AdamMcCalvy, like him on Facebook and listen to his podcast. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Mechanical tweak pays off for Cozart in first AB Righty hitter adjusted hand placement in stance By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 1st, 2017 + 39 COMMENTS

Instead of starting with his hands up by his face while holding the bat Wednesday in his spring debut vs. the Brewers, Cozart kept them relaxed. His bat was rested on his shoulder to start.

On the second pitch of his first at-bat of the day, Cozart slugged a 1-0 pitch for a home run to left field against Chase Anderson.

Cozart's debut was held back out of maximum precaution after he missed most of the final month of the 2016 season with tendinitis in his surgically reconstructed right knee.

There have been no problems with the knee since Cozart reported to camp, and none popped up in his first game action.

There was only one downside to the day.

"I didn't get any balls at shortstop, which I hate," Cozart said.

Schebler honing defensive skills in right field Originally viewed as CF or LF, 26-year-old fits better for Reds in right By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 1st, 2017 + 0 COMMENTS

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- When the Reds traded Jay Bruce to the Mets on Aug. 1, they considered shifting All-Star Adam Duvall from left field to right field. Duvall would have switched spots with Scott Schebler.

Then they decided against it and it was not reconsidered during the offseason.

"The decision we all came to was let's leave the guy who is playing Gold Glove defense in left field and give Scott the chance to see if he can establish himself in right field," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Fortunately, it's worked out to this point. Scott, defensively, can play the position well with the glove, and the throwing is improving to the point where he looks like he can handle right field more comfortably."

On Sunday in the first inning vs. the Giants, Schebler provided a little reassurance. He fielded a two-out base hit and threw out Joe Panik with a perfect one-hop throw to the plate as he tried to score from second base. It's not always perfect, however. On Wednesday vs. the Brewers, a throw to the plate one-hopped and was well short as Jonathan Villar scored easily on a Scooter Gennett RBI single in the first inning.

Schebler came to the Reds from the Dodgers in a December 2015 three-team trade with a reputation for a below-average throwing arm. He was viewed as a left fielder or center fielder especially after some poor throws during Spring Training last year. But he spent much of the summer at Triple-A Louisville working on his throwing, and soon after his Aug. 2 recall to Cincinnati, he had two outfield assists from right field.

"I feel like my arm strength has gotten a lot better," Schebler said. "It's one of the things I worked on for quite some time, and it's getting there. I would never say I have a cannon. I may never have one, but you work toward that and maybe you end up somewhere in the middle.

"It helped me to have a bad arm at the beginning of my career because I had to learn ways to stop runners in a different way. I had to get to the ball quicker."

As a right fielder, on balls graded by Statcast™ as being caught by Major League outfielders between 0-50 percent of the time (balls that are hits more often than not) Schebler made the play 30 percent of the time. The MLB average is 33 percent.

According to Statcast™ data from last season, Schebler averaged 86.2 mph on competitive throws, just below the league average of 88.8 mph of all outfielders.

"I think the thing for me last year is that he was a guy who put a lot of air under his throws, and we really wanted him to be online even if there's a hop, as opposed to being able to throw straight through to the plate on the fly," Price said. "We'd rather he threw the ball with less air underneath it, a ball we could cut off and redirect. I think he really had to work physically on this throwing mechanics, which he's done. With the improvement in mechanics, we've seen the improvement in arm strength and accuracy."

Arroyo back on mound following illness Righty continues quest to make Reds; Herrera, DeSclafani still out By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | March 1st, 2017 + 0 COMMENTS

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Reds starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo threw in the bullpen Wednesday, marking his first time back on the mound after being out several days with a stomach virus.

Arroyo, a non-roster invitee, is trying to make a comeback after two seasons out of the big leagues due to elbow and shoulder injuries. He does not yet have an assigned day to make his first Cactus League appearance.

"Bronson feels strong. He didn't lose a lot of weight. I think he lost three or four pounds due to the illness," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "I don't know when that [first game] will be, but after today, it should be probably quite a bit closer and we should be able to earmark a date."

More camp notes from Wednesday

• Starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani (right elbow soreness) has yet to resume a throwing program. DeSclafani will be examined Thursday when team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek is back at camp.

• Second baseman Dilson Herrera, who came to camp with some right shoulder soreness, played catch Monday and said he has felt great the past couple days. However, the medical staff has decided not to let Herrera throw again, out of precaution, until he is also seen by Kremchek on Thursday.

"We decided to hold off until tomorrow when he's here so he could get his hands on him and give him the OK after actually physically seeing him," Price said. "[Herrera] should, I'm hoping, be reinitiating that throwing program Thursday."

• Starting pitcher prospect Nick Travieso, who was dealing with an impingement around his scapula and right shoulder, had a setback Tuesday. Travieso long-tossed up to 120 feet but felt soreness when he attempted to pitch on flat ground. Price said Travieso was given a cortisone injection to get the inflammation out of his biceps tendon, and it will take a few days of rest to see if it worked.

• Non-roster reliever Louis Coleman, who has biceps tendinitis, has not resumed his throwing program yet.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER With new set-up, Cozart homers in first spring at-bat Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 5:47 p.m. ET March 1, 2017 | Updated 12 hours ago

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Zack Cozart noticed something sitting in the dugout this past Saturday as he watched his Cincinnati Reds teammates take on the Cleveland Indians at Goodyear Ballpark. Several Indians hitters had the same pre-pitch set-up.

Francisco Lindor, his shortstop counterpart, started with his bat on his shoulder. So did former Reds infielder Edwin Encarnacion. For Cozart – who normally started with the handle of his bat behind his ear – something clicked.

“Anytime I’ve struggled, that’s what’s always in my mind – ‘Man, I don’t feel right with my hands,’” Cozart said. “So why not eliminate that?”

Cozart began fooling with the change about three days ago, and unveiled it in his Cactus League debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. He still gets into the same launch position, but doesn’t tense is muscles to do it until he really has to.

He figures that unnecessary tension contributed to his second-half slide last season. He felt fresh in the first half, hitting .267 with a .799 OPS. But as he entered the late summer for the first time in two years, he faded to the tune of a .223/.291/.312 second-half batting line.

“Of course, three or four months out of the year last year, I felt great and I wasn’t worried about it,” Cozart said. “But the second I felt bad, I started trying to figure this out again and it kind of boggles my mind. It takes it out of the equation.”

Early returns are good. In his first at-bat at Maryvale Baseball Park on Wednesday, he launched a 1-0 pitch from Chase Anderson into left field for a home run. He finished 1 for 3.

His debut was delayed a day because of wet field conditions Tuesday in Goodyear, the Reds being extra cautious considering the knee issues that shut Cozart down to end last season. Cozart didn’t get any balls at short Wednesday, but did start feeling his legs around the fourth inning. What he didn’t feel was the knee, which was surgically repaired back in 2015.

“I’m not ready for nine but I can play four or five,” Cozart said. “I felt way better than I did at this point last year going out there. Last year, I was so worried about the knee and how everything was going to go. This time, I didn’t even think about the knee at all.”

Reds get offseason 'B' from USA TODAY Sports Dave Clark , [email protected] 4:44 p.m. ET March 1, 2017

The Reds traded long-time second baseman Brandon Phillips to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, opening the way for Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera to get more playing time as the team's rebuild continues. Wochit

USA TODAY Sports' Gabe Lacques graded each team's offseason, and the Cincinnati Reds earned a B.

Here's what Lacques had to say about the Reds:

Finally persuading Brandon Phillips to depart was a significant win, as it advanced opportunities for a trove of young infielders, most notably Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera. Drew Storen is not a bad buy-low relief option, particularly if Raisel Iglesias and Michael Lorenzen can hold down the late-inning, high-leverage roles.

Last month, a six-person panel of reporters and editors projected a 66-96 record for the Reds in 2017.

Reds' Tony Renda focused on opportunity C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] 3:25 p.m. ET March 1, 2017

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Few players reach the big leagues already having a fan in their manager, but Reds manager Bryan Price had known about Tony Renda since the 26-year-old was in college at Cal.

In 2011, Cal’s baseball team was saved by a massive fundraiser by alumni and boosters raising more than $10 million to save the program. Price was among those who donated money. That same year, Renda was the Pac-10 Player of the Year and helped lead the Golden Bears to the College World Series.

Price is also friends with Nationals scouting director Kris Kline, who made Renda his second-round pick in the 2011 draft. In short, he knew all about Renda when the Reds called him up last August.

Despite his pedigree — which includes graduating from the same high school as Barry Bonds and Tom Brady — Renda is easy to overlook at 5-foot-8. Price won’t make that mistake.

“The one thing is he's always been a ballplayer,” Price said. “ think they said a lot of the same things about Pedroia — Dustin Pedroia, ‘a diminutive second baseman.’ They say what's his skill set, he's really a second baseman, but he has some power and aggression. I don't think Tony has the same power, but he certainly has similar aggression and intensity and baseball savvy.”

That savvy included asking last season to play left field, a spot he hadn’t played, because a higher-ranked prospect, Alex Blandino, was blocking his way at second base at Double-A Pensacola.

By the time the 2016 season ended, Renda had started 13 big-league games and done so at four different positions: second base, third base, left field and right field.

“They gave me the opportunity to do it. Sometimes that's all you need in the game, the opportunity,” Renda said. “You can run with it. I know that's a huge reason why I made it up last year because I could play multiple positions. In the National League, it's very useful and it's something I want to keep doing until eventually, I can earn a starting job somewhere.”

First, he’ll have to earn a job. Renda is among the players vying for a position on the Reds’ bench. Although he finished last season on the team’s roster, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Louisville last December so the team would have room on its 40-man roster for the Rule 5 draft.

“It’s part of the game,” Renda noted this week in big-league spring training camp in Goodyear. “They had to make room on the roster for the Rule 5 and to pick guys up. When you're able to get guys like Drew Storen and (Scott Feldman), selfishly you want to be on the 40-man, but unselfishly, the team's getting better.”

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t believe he can’t be part of making the Reds better, he just understands the business of the game.

This spring he’s worked closely with Miguel Cairo about the specifics of playing off the bench. Last year he hit just .183 in his 67 plate appearances over 32 games.

“As we've talked about a lot about a lot of guys that we've had here that are young and it's hard to expect Neftali Soto to come off the bench and a get a pinch-hit base knock when he's never been used to being a bench player at any point in time in his career, I'd say it's very similar for Tony and some of these other kids that are pushing for opportunity on our bench,” Price said.

Renda said he was reading an article about Joey Votto recently and Votto talked about all the things he needed to improve upon. To Renda, it seemed if Votto needs to improve upon his 2016, there’s plenty for him to work on, as well.

“His standards are probably higher than anyone else's, and the same goes for me,” Renda said. “I hold myself to a very high standard. It's more so proving it to myself than anyone else.”

That’s why it didn’t really matter when he got the call in December telling him the team’s plan. As long as he had a chance to play this spring, there’s a chance to play in Cincinnati in April.

“I view it as no matter what, I was going to have to come into camp and earn a job. I'm still going to have to do that -- go out, play hard, play wherever they ask me to go and swing the stick,” Renda said. “What the roster says right now is that chances are is that it's not going to be that come Opening Day, so there's some spots to fill and that's what I'm looking to do, I'm looking to fill those spots.”

RHP Nick Travieso has cortisone shot in bicep Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 12:47 p.m. ET March 1, 2017 | Updated 21 hours ago

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – Right-hander Nick Travieso, already a few weeks behind his teammates in terms of building up arm strength, had a setback this week and will be backed off from throwing for three to five days.

The 23-year-old experienced soreness where his biceps tendon connects to his shoulder after playing long toss and throwing a flat ground session on Tuesday. He spoke to Dr. Angel Velazquez, the team’s assistant medical director, who suggested a cortisone shot. He was given that injection the same day.

“These past two weeks I’ve been building up, and I finally told myself it was time to let go and start throwing the ball without thinking,” Travieso said. “It felt alright at first. It was a little stiff, but then I started really getting into my windup and leg kick and getting behind the ball a lot more than I had been. I felt some pulling in the front of the shoulder.”

Travieso dealt with scapular dyskinesis – an alteration of the normal resting point of the scapula – when he first started his throwing program to prepare for spring training, and was backed off from baseball activity. He worked on shoulder strength and felt fine when he reported to camp, but was a couple weeks behind the rest of the pitchers.

The hope is that the cortisone shot will rid the area of the inflammation that is bothering him. “Structurally, things are sound,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s having a hard time getting the inflammation out of his biceps tendon. We’ll have to give that a few days for the medicine to work.”

Other injury updates

Second baseman Dilson Herrera played catch for the first time Monday since being shut down from throwing, but will not throw again before meeting in person with team medical director Dr. Timothy Kremchek on Thursday. Herrera has been dealing with shoulder soreness that has bothered him at different points throughout his career.

“We decided to hold off until tomorrow when he’s here just so he could get his hands on him and give him the OK after actually physically seeing him,” Price said. “He should, I’m hoping, be reinitiating that throwing program Thursday.”

Veteran Bronson Arroyo was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday after missing several days due to illness. Price said he’ll know more about when Arroyo could make his Cactus League debut on Thursday.

Both Anthony DeSclafani (elbow) and Louis Coleman (biceps) are still shut down from throwing due to soreness, though neither is expected to be out much longer.

WCPO - Channel 9 The Broo View: One way Reds can succeed this season is by keeping fans informed Ken Broo 7:00 AM, Mar 2, 2017

That resounding thud you hear is the Reds' start to spring training. They're not just losing regularly, they also lead both the Cactus and Grapefruit leagues in runs allowed. Come to the ballpark this year. Watch Jumbo Diaz sprain his neck as he turns to follow his fast balls getting knocked into the cheap seats.

OK, OK, we're not even a week into the exhibition schedule. And in truth, the Reds have lost several of these games in the later innings, with some players who won't be within an 11-hour drive of Cincinnati this summer. But it leads me to an idea I have for the smart guys at Great American Ball Park.

Over-communicate.

If you've been involved in corporate culture for more than five hours, you've probably heard that one. Mantra, core values, company goals -- over-communicate fits into one of those HR catch phrases. Memos, emails, texts, tweets, Slacks (Slack is what we used to call Ralph in the mailroom. When did he get a communication tool named after him?).

But none of those non-personal interpersonal communication tools will ever replace the No. 1 interaction technique that God gave us: talking to each other. What a concept that must be to the "nose buried in the cell phone like it's crack" crowd.

But I digress.

The concept of actually talking to its customers might be a something the Reds should embrace now. I had this epiphany the other day, listening to someone named Nick Routt give up a spring training home run. Then, like most people my age, I forgot about it, until Reds marketing guru Michael Anderson stopped by the station to give us a rundown on what kind of promotions the Reds have planned this year. Fireworks every Friday night. Some sort of trinket or bobblehead giveaway on Saturdays. The Reds front office has that part of the plan down cold. On the field, not so much.

As we all know, the Reds are on the long way back from oblivion. They've traded away several star players and have accumulated a lot of younger players, cheaper players and an inordinate amount of middle infielders.

But they actually have a few things that should give us hope that the dark days may soon end.

ESPN's baseball insider Keith Law rates the Reds' minor league organization as the eighth-best in baseball. Among what impresses Law is the quality of depth the Reds have in their minor league pitching. Law thinks the Reds have a collection of No. 4 starters in their system. But as he told me this week, on the open market, a team like the Reds couldn't buy that kind of pitching. He added there's always the possibility of trading a few of those to get a major league-ready pitcher or position player.

He likes Jesse Winker, thinks Amir Garrett will be in the big leagues sooner than later and thinks Nick Senzel is the real deal.

All of that got me thinking -- why don't the Reds get proactive with what they're doing?

Over-communicate.

Every game of every home stand, the Reds should hold impromptu meet-ups with their general manager, scouts, coaches, even owner Bob Castellini. A couple of hours before every home game, one from that group could hold a question-and-answer session with fans. Maybe they hold that on the terrace area in right field, or in front of the Reds gift shop or on top of that boat in center field. Anywhere.

If the Reds have a plan for climbing out of the abyss they find themselves in, share it. It's great that they do these kind of things at Redsfest and their annual caravan, but not every fan can get to those events. Why not take your plan to the paying customers? You know, people that are actually paying to watch your product.

If you're a fan, wouldn't you like to ask President of Baseball Operations and GM Dick Williams when he projects Senzel will be in the Majors? Wouldn't you like to ask Reds coach Freddie Benavides why almost no Major League players can bunt? What Reds fan wouldn't want a chance to ask a scout what he saw in Nick Travieso and Phillip Ervin and how frustrated is the club that those guys are mired in the minor league system?

Over-communicate.

Unlike some towns where baseball is something to do while the NFL is away, we get it here. We know the sport. So tell us, what is he plan? Reasonable people (we are) given a reasonable reason to keep the faith usually will.

I have no idea when the Reds are going to be be good again, as in contending good, as in winning a pennant good. My money is on 2019 at the earliest. Maybe I'm wrong; it wouldn't be the first time. I'm willing to listen. Which one of the smart guys at Great American Ball Park wants to be the first one to talk?

Now then, some random thoughts on this random Thursday...

Looks like the NFL quarterback market took a hit. The Patriots say they're not trading Jimmy G.

Reports also say Colin Kaepernick will opt out of his deal with the 49ers. The team that takes him will also take the distractions that go with him. Not sure who that team would be. "Baggage" is something most NFL teams reserve for the equipment truck...

Speaking of NFL free agency, which begins again on March 7, I am... in my latest Broo View Podcast with profootballfocus.com's Sam Monson...

Fearless forecast: I think the Bengals overpay to keep Dre Kirkpatrick. I think Kevin Zeitler walks. I think they have no choice but to re-sign Andrew Whitworth...

Sounds like there's a "Come To Jerry" meeting in the near future for Tony Romo...

Interesting read here from ESPN's Eddie Matz on whether this season is Dusty Baker's last chance to get a World Series ring. I think he might've gotten one in 2012, if he didn't start Mike Leake in game 4 against the Giants...

He turns 55 today! Jon Bon Jovi can officially join AARP.

This of course, from the 1986 album "Slippery When Wet," rehearsed in the basement of Richie Sambora's mom's house.

The group was floundering. It has found what could only be described as passing success with a few previous albums. So the band's label, in an attempt to jumpstart Bon Jovi, brought in Desmond Child, who had written some big hits. Child penned "I Was Made For Loving You," a big hit for KISS. He also co wrote this song, "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "I'd Die For You" for Jon and the boys.

As for Bon Jovi, he's no doubt celebrating today with the revenue he's reaped from selling over 130 million albums in his time. And 55 years ago today, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, one John Francis Bongiovi Jr. came upon this earth. You know him, as Jon Bon Jovi.

Fay: Billy Hamilton has a chance to step up and be a leader on the Reds John Fay 2:30 PM, Mar 1, 2017 3:03 PM, Mar 1, 2017

CINCINNATI -- There are different ways of leading a baseball team. One day this spring, Billy Hamilton did it by following Devin Mesoraco to his locker, a half-step behind, then put on Mesoraco’s jersey.

“This jersey is a little tight,” Hamilton said.

The shoulder seams, of course, nearly hit Hamilton’s elbows. But it was a good gag. All the players in their first camp looked up and laughed.

When the Reds were taking batting practice that same day, Hamilton was playing shortstop. Adam Duvall hit a two-hopper to him.

“That’s easy money,” Hamilton said, flipping the ball to first.

Hamilton pokes teammates like Mesoraco and Duvall knowing that he may end up in the garbage can -- as he did when messed former Reds reliever Jonathan Broxton one too many times.

“My job is is to make everybody feel loose, have fun,” Hamilton said.

As the rebuilding of the Reds has continued, Hamilton has gone from everyone’s annoying little brother to a veteran. Needling and busting chops has a huge place in baseball.

It was one of the hallmarks of the Big Red Machine.

Hamilton is good at it.

This spring, with Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips gone, Hamilton has let his personality go.

Back to Broxton

“I always attacked Broxton,” Hamilton said. “I would mess with him every single day. It made me feel good. It made me feel loose. The thing about this game is you’re going to fail a lot. If you’re loose, it helps. That’s key for young guys -- I say young but I feel young myself. I feel like me being loose, it makes everyone else want to do the same.”

Broxton loved Hamilton's menacing, but he gave it back. The day came when Broxton picked up Hamilton and put him in the garbage can. Hamilton may be the fastest man in baseball, but Broxton — at 300-plus pounds — nailed him.

“Broxton is heavy on the scales but light on his feet,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton is climbing the charts as far as service time. Only Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and Mesoraco have more time in the big leagues among Reds. With Phillips, Bruce and Todd Frazier gone, there’s an opening for a vocal position player. Votto is never going to be that. Cozart’s time in Cincinnati is likely limited. And Mesoraco hasn’t been on the field for most of the last two seasons.

That’s made Hamilton more comfortable with a bigger leadership role.

“I didn’t want to come in and take over,” he said. “When you’re the new guy, you don’t want to do too much in front of the older guys. I came in and got my work done and just tried to fit in. I feel like now when guys are putting too much pressure on themselves, it’s my job to keep them loose. It’s a good thing.”

Being a good role model

One of the first days of spring, Hamilton showed up for a drill with the stragglers.

“I wasn’t late,” he said. “But I was one of the last ones to get out there.”

Eric Davis, a special assistant who is in uniform during camp, pulled Hamilton aside.

“He told me, ‘you’ve got to realize all these young guys are looking up to you,’” Hamilton said. “‘They see what you’re doing.’ I knew that a little bit. But no one had said it to me. When he told me that I have to be an example, that’s a blessing. I want to take that seriously and have fun with it.”

Hamilton saw how the absence of "staying loose" hurt the team last year when things went poorly.

“Everybody was mad,” Hamilton said. “Nobody was loose. That’s why I mess with everybody. I joke with everybody. That’s the a big thing about this season, everybody has to be loose. Everybody’s here to have fun. Everybody’s here to compete.”

Hamilton wants the club in general to be like him when he’s on the bases -- i.e., a pain in the other club’s butt.

“We’re going to be a young team,” he said. “But we can be a young, scrappy team. We can upset some people.”

John Fay is a freelance sports columnist; this column represents his opinion. Contact him at [email protected]

DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds farm system moves up MLB rankings; 4 among top 100 prospects Facebook Twitter Share 0 Marcus Hartman Staff Writer 5:01 p.m Wednesday, March 1, 2017

The Cincinnati Reds are off to an inauspicious start to spring training, but there was some good news this week for the club.

MLB.com ranks the team’s farm system ninth out of 30 teams, and four Reds prospects are in the MLB.com top 100.

That group is, not surprisingly, led by Nick Senzel, the No. 2 pick in the draft last June who tore up the Midwest League with the Dayton Dragons in July and August.

RELATED: Another day, another defeat for Reds in Arizona

Also in the top 100 are left-handed pitcher Amir Garrett (66th), outfielder Jesse Winker (67th) and righty Robert Stephenson (87th).

Filling out the top 10 in the organization are OF Taylor Trammell, OF Aristides Aquino, RHP Louis Castillo, catcher Tyler Stephenson, RHP Sal Romano and RHP Tyler Mahle.

Castillo was recently acquired from the Marlins for Dan Straily.

That makes him an outlier as only four of the team’s top 30 prospects (per MLB.com) joined the organization via trade. Nineteen of them – including all of the top five – were draft picks.

(Worth noting: Trade acquisitions Cody Reed, Brandon Finnegan, Jose Peraza, Scott Schebler, Anthony DeSclafani and Adam Duvall are not eligible for this list because they have moved up to the big club.)

ESPN.COM Why you don't need to be afraid of Joey Votto anymore 8:00 AM ET Jerry Crasnick, ESPN Senior Writer

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Joey Votto looks a bit menacing with that square jaw and heavy beard, and he has always had a reputation as a loner. Younger teammates have been too nervous to approach him in the Cincinnati Reds' clubhouse over the years. And even a fan learned not to interrupt Votto in his work space.

So when an industrious second grader recently entered his orbit and came away smiling, it said a lot about where Votto's priorities are this spring.

Votto, 33, was giving an interview when head athletic trainer Steve Baumann's son, Drew, 7, approached his locker with a pair of new baseball shoes Votto had requested. In appreciation, Votto reached out with a fist bump and said, "That was really nice of you. Thanks, buddy," before turning to a reporter to explain.

"He's here with us in spring training, and he's excited to be helping out," Votto said of Drew, who was wearing a Reds uniform with his last name stitched across the back.

What might typically pass for a touching interlude has bigger ramifications in Cincinnati. As the Reds keep trending younger, Votto, their veteran star, is getting in touch with his nurturing side, striving to be a more accessible and engaged teammate to the 20- somethings such as Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler who surround him in the starting lineup.

It's a side of Votto's personality that he admits is outside his comfort zone.

"I'm naturally inclined to keep to myself, maybe be a bit more introverted and focused on the process," Votto said. "But I'm making an intentional point to connect and listen to my teammates and build relationships. It's something I'm going out of my way to do and I'm excited to do. It's giving me energy.

"In the past couple of years I've been more willing to share my work time. When I was younger, I was like, 'I'm working now, and you go work.' That was all I knew, because I was trying to keep my head above water. Now I'm more willing to say, 'Let's do our work side by side and cooperate.' That's really difficult to do in this sport sometimes because it can be so individualized. But taking that approach can be really beneficial for both [people] involved."

An evolving leader

During Votto's formative years in Cincinnati, Scott Rolen was the guy who set the tone in the clubhouse and ribbed Todd Frazier for being too chatty for a rookie. Then Rolen passed the leadership mantle to Jay Bruce, an All-Star player with the gift of relating to others. For all his skills, Votto was regarded as the cerebral star who spent much of his career in a competitive cocoon -- refining his swing mechanics through long hours in the cage.

"When I first came up in 2010 or '11, Joey was more into his routine," Reds shortstop Zack Cozart said. "Not that he didn't care about everybody else. He was just so locked into his routine and making sure he was right, he didn't really pay attention to the other stuff. If you don't know Joey, he can be an intimidating guy. Young guys would come to me and not him, because he's more intimidating than I am."

Subtly and somewhat unexpectedly, the Reds began seeing a different side of Votto last summer. The most noteworthy beneficiary was center fielder Billy Hamilton, a blazer whose speed was being wasted by his inability to make solid contact. Votto invited Hamilton out for early 3:30 p.m. sessions in the cage, and soon the information they shared began having a positive impact on everything from Hamilton's confidence to his exit velocity. Hamilton raised his OPS from an anemic .563 in 2015 to a more presentable .664 last season, and he cited Votto's tutorials as a principal reason for his turnaround.

"He's been building me up,'' Hamilton told Reds beat writer C. Trent Rosecrans in May. "Everybody tells me I can't hit and everything. Joey says, 'Listen, Billy, don't listen to what anyone else has to say. As long as you come in and get your work done, everything is going to work out.'"

The concept of Votto as surrogate coach bodes well for the Reds, who have been peeling off veteran parts with a resolve that portends some short-term pain. Since the 2015 season, Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Frazier, Aroldis Chapman, Bruce and Brandon Phillips have passed from the scene, leaving Votto, Cozart and oft-injured pitcher Homer Bailey as the main links to the team's run of three playoff berths under former manager Dusty Baker from 2010 to 2013.

Votto is still owed $179 million on the 10-year, $224 million deal he signed with Cincinnati in April 2012, and his full no-trade clause, which will soon morph into 10-and-5 service time rights, guarantees he'll have the final say over any trade. History suggests the atmosphere can get strained when a star chafes over losing that he never signed up for and the team begins to regard his contract as an albatross.

But Votto's relations with Reds ownership and the front office remain harmonious. He accepts the current shift in direction as an inevitable part of the franchise's evolution, and he talks as if he expects the Reds to be competitive again well before his contract expires in 2023.

"I feel lucky that I was able to sign a contract for an extended period of time with a no-trade clause," Votto said. "I don't take that lightly. I also understand that there are gonna be ebbs and flows, and peaks and valleys."

The Reds, similarly, have asserted throughout their rebuild that they see Votto as a building block rather than a drag on the team's long-term ambitions. General manager Dick Williams made it a point to sit down with Votto for an extended conversation early in camp.

"We need Joey in a good place, and he seems to be in a great place,'' Williams said. "He understands what's going on. He gets the life cycle of the business."

Win or lose, he rakes

Votto has built a reputation for professionalism that is worthy of respect. His .425 career on-base percentage is 12th-best in history among hitters with a least 3,000 career plate appearances, and his .313 batting average is third-best among active players, behind Miguel Cabrera and Ichiro Suzuki. The list of Votto's other career achievements consumes a whopping 13 pages in Cincinnati's 2017 media guide.

Votto's 2016 season gave his young teammates a lesson in the importance of persistence. In late April, he was sufficiently exasperated with his performance and insisted he would rather retire than continue to produce at such a feeble rate. And things didn't look much better when he was batting .225 on June 10. By admission, Votto had allowed his attention to detail slip in spring training, and he paid the price for it.

"I was a little sloppy, and it showed itself on the field and in my performance in all aspects of the game," he said.

Then the alarm bells went off, and the real Joey Votto reintroduced himself to National League pitching. He logged a .408/.490/.688 slash line after the All-Star break and nearly hit .400 in back-to-back months. With one more hit in September, Votto would have become the first MLB player to achieve the feat since Josh Hamilton did it for the 2010 Texas Rangers.

While Votto is subject to criticism at times for being too finicky at the plate, he concentrates on on-base percentage and keeps collecting his walks because that's the way he's built.

"He's special in the sense that he's going to look in his zone for his pitch, and if he doesn't get it, he's not going to swing until he gets two strikes," Cozart said. "If you've played baseball, that's borderline impossible to do -- to look for one pitch only and take everything around it. And Joey's the best at it. His zone management and judgment is as good as anybody's.

"He could probably go up there and say, 'Screw walks,' and 'I'm gonna swing at everything,' and he would get 200 hits next year. He has such good hand-eye coordination, he's going to get his hits no matter what. But that's not the type of player he is. Me personally, I wouldn't want him to change. I hear people say, 'You don't have 120 RBIs.' Who cares? For some reason he gets some flak for that, which doesn't make sense."

Last year, when Votto admittedly got "sloppy," he strayed from his typically meticulous approach in spring training. Even though he hit .455 in the Cactus League, he was uncharacteristically aggressive and didn't see enough pitches to feel right going into Opening Day. So it was telling when he ran deeper counts in the spring opener against Cleveland and struck out twice in three at-bats. Votto wants to be in sync for the season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 3, and he's going to do it his way.

It's natural to assume that pitchers will tread carefully with him this season and routinely pitch around him, because Bruce and Phillips are gone and Adam Duvall, Eugenio Suarez and the hitters who bat behind him have less accomplished resumes. But Votto has already pondered the possibilities and says he has a gut feeling it will be just the opposite.

"I'm guessing I'll probably get attacked more," he said. "It's what I found last year. I'm always ready to be attacked."

Judging from his demeanor this spring, Votto is also ready to be approached, prodded and quizzed for guidance that could help speed the growth process for his teammates. His resume suggests that Cincinnati fans can expect something in the neighborhood of his .313/.425/.536 career slash line. But if Billy Hamilton can raise that .260 batting average to .280, Votto will be equally pleased.

The guy has always been able to hit. Now he talks a pretty good game, too.

TRANSACTIONS 03/01/17 RHP Kaleb Fleck assigned to Arizona Diamondbacks. 3B Gabriel Noriega assigned to Milwaukee Brewers. 3B Zack Cox assigned to Detroit Tigers. LF Matt Murton assigned to Detroit Tigers. RF Elvis Rubio assigned to Detroit Tigers. LHP Keegan Akin assigned to Baltimore Orioles. LHP Jalen Beeks assigned to Boston Red Sox. C Arvicent Perez assigned to Detroit Tigers. 3B Michael Almanzar assigned to Detroit Tigers. 3B Kody Eaves assigned to Detroit Tigers. CF Victor Robles assigned to Washington Nationals. SS Osvaldo Abreu assigned to Washington Nationals. RF Jim Adduci assigned to Detroit Tigers. RHP Steven Farnworth assigned to Miami Marlins. LHP Paul Paez assigned to Seattle Mariners. 3B Joe DeCarlo assigned to Seattle Mariners. RF Luis Liberato assigned to Seattle Mariners. LF Dario Pizzano assigned to Seattle Mariners. Tampa Bay Rays invited non-roster RHP Tommy Hunter to spring training. RHP Austin Pettibone assigned to Texas Rangers. LHP Frank Lopez assigned to Texas Rangers. RHP Eric Karch assigned to Los Angeles Angels. RHP Luis Diaz assigned to Los Angeles Angels. RHP Nolan Blackwood assigned to Oakland Athletics. RHP Ben Bracewell assigned to Oakland Athletics. RHP Joel Seddon assigned to Oakland Athletics. C Austin Athmann assigned to Detroit Tigers. RHP John Omahen assigned to Arizona Diamondbacks. C Matt Jones assigned to Arizona Diamondbacks. 2B Nate Easley assigned to San Diego Padres. RHP Trevor Frank assigned to San Diego Padres. RHP Francisco Mendoza assigned to San Diego Padres. OF Jorge Ona assigned to San Diego Padres. OF Buddy Reed assigned to San Diego Padres. C Eguy Rosario assigned to San Diego Padres. 2B Ethan Skender assigned to San Diego Padres. C Ali Solis assigned to Chicago Cubs. RHP Jake Woodford assigned to St. Louis Cardinals. RHP Reid Redman assigned to Kansas City Royals. RHP Zach Lovvorn assigned to Kansas City Royals. CF Tre Carter assigned to San Diego Padres. RHP Rafael De Paula assigned to San Diego Padres. SS Ruddy Giron assigned to San Diego Padres. 1B Josh Naylor assigned to San Diego Padres. C Webster Rivas assigned to San Diego Padres. CF Jack Suwinski assigned to San Diego Padres. SS Fernando Tatis Jr. assigned to San Diego Padres. LHP Andre Wheeler assigned to Chicago White Sox. RF Micker Adolfo assigned to Chicago White Sox. LF Jay Baum assigned to Seattle Mariners. RHP Kyle Hooper assigned to Los Angeles Dodgers. Los Angeles Dodgers traded RHP Chase De Jong to Seattle Mariners for Aneurys Zabala and SS Drew Jackson.