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Reds Press Clippings December 15, 2015

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1933 - The major leagues agree on a uniform ball, to be livelier than the ball and to match the balls. Owners also agree to ban Sunday doubleheaders until after June 15.

MLB.COM

Commissioner Manfred denies reinstatement for Rose Hall of Fame: All-time hits leader 'remains ineligible' for Cooperstown consideration By Paul Hagan / MLB.com

Pete Rose, who was given a lifetime ban for betting on , will not be reinstated and will continue to be banned from working in baseball, Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Monday.

"Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the , or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of the circumstances that led to his permanent eligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport," Manfred wrote.

"I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose's application for reinstatement."

The all-time hits leader, 74, was placed on the permanently ineligible list for violating 's strict rule against betting on baseball on Aug. 23, 1989. Subsequently, the Board of Directors of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum declared that all players on that list would also be ineligible for election.

Manfred's decision, which was communicated to Rose both verbally and in writing, does not directly address that issue.

He wrote: "It is not part of my authority of responsibility here to make any determination concerning Mr. Rose's eligibility as a candidate for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In fact, in my view, the considerations that should drive a decision on whether an individual should be allowed to work in Baseball are not the same as those that should drive a decision on Hall of Fame eligibility. … Thus, any debate over Mr. Rose's eligibility for the Hall of Fame is one that must take place in a different forum."

The National Baseball Hall of Fame later addressed the situation in a statement: " remains ineligible for Hall of Fame consideration, based on the Hall of Fame's bylaws, which preclude any individual on baseball's ineligible list from being considered a candidate for election."

Rose formally exercised his right to appeal his case on April 1, 2015. Manfred first requested a "comprehensive review" of the issues from his staff and then spoke to him in person on Sept. 24.

The three-page decision both reiterated the importance of Rule 21 and made it clear Manfred does not think that Rose has "reconfigured" his life as former Commissioner Bart Giamatti urged him to do in 1989.

"I believe that, at a minimum, there must be objective evidence which demonstrates that the applicant has fundamentally changed his life and that, based on such changes, the applicant does not pose a risk for violating Rule 21 in the future," Manfred wrote.

"What has been presented to me for consideration falls well short of these requirements. It is not at all clear to me that Mr. Rose has a grasp of the scope of his violations of Rule 21. He claims not to remember significant misconduct detailed in the Dowd Report and corroborated by Michael Bertolini's betting notebook."

The latter is a reference to the notebook of a Rose associate that the Commissioner's Office obtained after the publication of an ESPN report on June 23, 2015, which appeared to show that he had bet on the Reds as an active player in 1985 and 1986. Rose has admitted only to wagering on the team after becoming the .

"He made assertions concerning his betting habits that were directly contradicted by documentary evidence. … And, significantly, he told me that currently he bets recreationally and legally on horses and sports, including Baseball," Manfred wrote.

In a footnote, the decision adds: "Even more troubling, in our interview, Rose initially denied betting on Baseball currently and only later in the interview did he 'clarify' his response to admit such betting."

The decision also disputes Rose's contention that he bet on the Reds to win every game. While noting that how often he wagered and which team he put his money on doesn't matter regarding the violation of Rule 21, it points out that his decision to pass on certain games may have been a tip-off to those who were aware of his activity.

Continued Manfred: "Mr. Rose's public and private comments … provide me with little confidence that he has a mature understanding of his wrongful conduct, that he has accepted full responsibility for it, or that he understands the damage he has caused. … I am also not convinced that he has avoided the type of conduct and associations that originally led to his placement on the permanently ineligible list."

Rose may not associate with any Major or Minor League club. These rules, however, do not cover relationships with third parties that do business with MLB. So he may pursue such opportunities unless it involves an association with a Major League club, in which case the proposal must be submitted to the Commissioner's Office for review.

Manfred did acknowledge that Rose had an exceptional career.

"Notwithstanding this conclusion, I respect Mr. Rose's accomplishments as a player and, as result, I will continue to allow him to participate in ceremonial activities that present no threat to the integrity of the game, provided that the activities are approved by me in advance," he wrote.

In a statement, Reds president and chief executive officer said, "The Commissioner called me this morning prior to the announcement. We respect his decision on the matter of Pete Rose and are grateful for his diligence and the amount of time he spent on the matter. We also appreciate that the Commissioner stated that Hall of Fame consideration is a separate issue and we and the fans think he deserves that opportunity. We are pleased that we have had and will continue to have opportunities to commemorate Pete's remarkable on-field accomplishments. Any future plans to celebrate Pete's career with the Reds first will be discussed with the Commissioner and then will be communicated publicly at the appropriate time."

Manfred: Rose's Hall eligibility a separate issue Reinstatement denied, but Commissioner says hits leader's potential spot in Cooperstown not up to MLB By Jeffrey Flanagan / MLB.com

While Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred denied Pete Rose's request for reinstatement to baseball, Manfred also indicated it is not within MLB's authority to keep Rose off the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

And, it would appear Rose also will still be allowed to participate in activities involving the Reds and Major League Baseball at Manfred's discretion.

Regarding the Hall of Fame, Manfred's statement read, "It is not part of [MLB's] authority or responsibility here to make any determination concerning Mr. Rose's eligibility as a candidate for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame," and "any debate over Mr. Rose's eligibility for the Hall of Fame is one that must take place in a different forum."

That position was supported by Reds president and chief executive officer Bob Castellini, who said in a statement, "The Commissioner called me this morning prior to the announcement. We respect his decision on the matter of Pete Rose and are grateful for his diligence and the amount of time he spent on the matter. We also appreciate that the Commissioner stated that Hall of Fame consideration is a separate issue, and we and the fans think he deserves that opportunity."

Rose has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. ET today to be carried by MLB Network and simulcast on MLB.com. That opportunity does not appear to likely, however, as the National Baseball Hall of Fame released a statement Monday reiterating its position: "Pete Rose remains ineligible for Hall of Fame consideration, based on the Hall of Fame's bylaws, which preclude any individual on baseball's ineligible list from being considered a candidate for election."

The Reds were pleased that the Commissioner left unchanged the ability for Rose to participate in baseball in unofficial capacities, as he has did at this year's All-Star Game in Cincinnati and as a FOX analyst this October.

"We are pleased that we have had and will continue to have opportunities to commemorate Pete's remarkable on-field accomplishments," Castellini said in his statement. "Any future plans to celebrate Pete's career with the Reds first will be discussed with the Commissioner and then will be communicated publicly at the appropriate time."

Manfred's decision thus will uphold Rose's ban from baseball first imposed in 1989, when it was discovered that Rose gambled on the sport. Rose applied for reinstatement in February.

Regarding the decision to uphold the ban, the Commissioner wrote, "In short, Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of all the circumstances that led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989. Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose's application for reinstatement."

Rotation hopeful Lorenzen spending day, night at gym Reds hurler working out three times per day to gain mph, edge in competition By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com / [email protected] / @m_sheldon

CINCINNATI -- If you've been on social media during the offseason and follow Reds Michael Lorenzen, you'll often see a shot of him in a gym -- lifting or doing cardio work. Lorenzen, who owns a gym and yoga studio near his home in Laguna Beach, Calif., has barely taken any time off since the season ended.

Coming off his rookie year, Lorenzen is preparing himself -- physically and mentally -- for what should be a wide open battle for one of three spots in the Reds' rotation in 2016. To him, that requires being in the gym not only daily -- but three times per day.

"That's my normal routine. I guess the only difference is I'm trying to pack on some more weight," Lorenzen said. "Towards the end of last season, I started lifting heavy again like I normally do and eating a lot. And that's when my velocity jumped back up to the high 90s. In , that's when I'm the firmest, the biggest and the heaviest. Pitching is new to me still. I'm trying to learn from my workouts and my regimen and stuff like that. I've learned the heavier and stronger I am, the harder I throw."

In the morning, Lorenzen will do cardio work, running or hill sprints. Around midday, he'll put in 90 minutes of lower body lifting - - often at his former college, Cal-State Fullerton, where he earned the 38th overall selection by Cincinnati in the first round of the 2013 Draft. In the evening, he does upper body lifting.

"The durability is definitely there with cardiovascular and everything, and you constantly have to recover," Lorenzen said. "Our bodies adapt and they are a pretty amazing machine. When you're able to train it in a way most people don't, I think it adapts."

The Reds have supported Lorenzen's workout program.

"At times you look at Michael Lorenzen and his workouts, that's more like a guy that's going to play center field or linebacker or something like that," manager Bryan Price said. "It's always hard to say that there's one way to train. His training is probably more strenuous than most . But he's proven to be extremely durable. It's hard to walk a guy away from a workout plan where he's completely invested in getting a good result. It's just probably different than a lot of ways that a lot of pitchers would work out in the offseason."

Looking at his velocity data, Lorenzen appeared to be on to something. According to Statcast™, before his Aug. 12 demotion to -A Louisville following some struggles, he was averaging 93.9 mph on his four-seam fastball. After being recalled three weeks later, he jumped up to 94.28 mph.

Turning 24 on Jan. 4, Lorenzen was 4-9 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.659 WHIP in 27 games, including 21 starts. A center fielder and in college, Cincinnati converted him to a starting pitcher when he turned pro, which means 2016 will only be his third full season in a rotation. He had 49 Minor League games on his resume before being promoted to the Majors.

Lorenzen's big league career began with some nice outings, and he owned a respectable 3.56 ERA over his first 11 games, including nine starts. From June 27 to the end of the season, however, Lorenzen was 1-7 with a 7.18 ERA in his final 16 games, with 12 starts -- not including the stretch at Louisville.

"I honestly learned that I wasn't mentally ready," Lorenzen said. "I was when I first came up. When something went kind of haywire, the noise and what people would say got to me because I didn't believe in myself. That's one thing I'm looking to take into next season, a total belief in myself.

"If I believe in myself, it doesn't matter who is in the batter's box. When I have doubt in my mind, and [Andrew] McCutchen is in the box, it definitely matters. I have the physical tools and the physical ability. My body is in really good shape. I take good care of it. Now it's the mindset and the mental training that will take me to that next level and make me elite. I believe it, you have to."

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER What's next for Pete Rose? By C. Trent Rosecrans / Cincinnati Enquirer / [email protected] / @ctrent

Today, like yesterday, Pete Rose is banned from baseball.

But that doesn't mean things won't be different than they have been with the way Rose is remembered by the Reds and Cincinnati.

Since Rose's banishment, the Reds have been extremely careful to not step on MLB's toes when it comes to Rose. Despite Rob Manfred's decision to uphold Rose's ban, there have been many signs of a thaw when it comes to the recognition of Rose.

That thaw started in 1999, when Rose was included in the Players of the Century ceremony at the , but the big shift has come in the last few years. First, Rose was honored in 2010 at on the 25th anniversary of breaking 's all-time record. Last season, he was back on the field for the celebration of the Great Eight and the unveiling of the statue. This year he was part of the All-Star Game festivities and most recently he's been allowed as a commentator for Fox, baseball's television partner.

That trend could continue despite Manfred's decision to uphold the ban.

In his decision on Monday, Manfred wrote, "I will continue to allow him to participate in ceremonial activities that present no threat to the integrity of the game, provided the activities are approved by me in advance." Manfred also added Major League rules do not cover "third parties who do business with Major League Baseball," such as Fox.

In a statement released by the Reds, team president and chief operating officer Bob Castellini said, "We are pleased that we have had and will continue to have opportunities to commemorate Pete's remarkable on-field accomplishments. Any future plans to celebrate Pete's career with the Reds first will be discussed with the Commissioner and then will be communicated publicly at the appropriate time."

There has been no formal directive from MLB that has kept the Reds from honoring Rose at Great American Ball Park, but the team has kept overt references to Rose out of the park in deference to MLB.

Rose isn't unrepresented in and around the Reds' stadium – which is bordered by Pete Rose Way. From the rose garden outside the Hall of Fame to the 14 baseball bats atop the "power stacks" in right-center field and the picture of the bat and ball from his 4,192nd hit, Rose's presence is inferred but not celebrated. That could change with the finality of Manfred's decision.

The first and easiest change would be the official retirement of Rose's No. 14. Since the ban, the has been unofficially retired, worn only by his son, Pete Rose Jr., in his brief appearance with the Reds in 1997.

The Reds have several statues around the ballpark and Rose would likely quickly join the likes of his former teammates , Tony Perez and Morgan, as well as , , and .

The Reds could also put him in their Hall of Fame, even if he's not at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. The bylaws of the Red Hall of Fame and Museum mirror those of Cooperstown, excluding anyone on baseball's ineligible list. According to the Reds Hall of Fame website, the Reds Hall reviews its election rules and policies on an annual basis and the Board of Directors has the final authority for elections.

Rose's chances at Cooperstown, even had Manfred decided differently, were already slim.

In 1991, the Hall of Fame voted to ban players on baseball's permanently ineligible list. In his statement on Monday, Manfred wrote that the Hall of Fame should be considered separately from his decision on Rose's reinstatement. Manfred, it should be noted, is on the Hall of Fame's board of directors.

The Hall could still change its rule, although there has been no discussion of changing, despite Manfred's public declarations that the two should be separate, a Hall of Fame spokesman confirmed on Monday. If it were to change, Rose would still have tobe elected to the Hall by the Expansion Era Committee, according to Hall of Fame spokesman Brad Horn.

The Hall of Fame, which Manfred has repeatedly noted is independent of Major League Baseball, had previously announced that even if Rose had been reinstated, his Hall of Fame fate would have been decided by the Expansion Era Committee, not the Baseball Writers Association of America.

"Rose would be an eligible candidate for Hall of Fame consideration based on if he were to be reinstated by Major League Baseball," Hall of Fame spokesman Brad Horn wrote to the Enquirer in an email in March. "Should Rose be moved off Baseball's Ineligible list, his candidacy would fall to the Expansion Era Committee (which votes next winter – 2016 for Induction in 2017), based on the rules for election. Only candidates who last appeared in a major league game within a 15-year window can be considered by the BBWAA."

Rose's induction into the Hall of Fame would rest on a 16-member committee that meets at baseball's annual , needing the same 75 percent standard that is required by the constituency of the members of the BBWAA who have earned voting privileges by being active members of the organization for 10 years.

While the writers' ballots are cast individually and mailed to the Hall, the Era Committees meet on a rotating basis each December and spend a day-and-a-half discussing the candidates. That may not help Rose, said Sports Illustrated's Jay Jaffe, a preeminent Hall of Fame scholar.

"His case, however, is going to be about more than just numbers, and no matter what its form, the is a very difficult place to marshal a 75 percent consensus, so difficult that they've elected no living player since in 2001 – and none of the candidates to come before them since then had a two-decade suspension for the game's (supposedly) most unpardonable sin," Jaffe wrote in an email in March. "There might be a faction of former players on the Expansion Era Committee who are sympathetic to his cause, but I'm skeptical that it would be enough to carry the day on the 2017 ballot."

The Era Committees replaced the Veterans Committee in 2010, separating the Hall of Fame candidates into three different eras, the Expansion Era (1973-present), the Golden Era (1947-1973) and the Pre-Integration Era (1871-1946). Individual Era Committees meet on a triennial basis, and the ballot up for debate in any given year is determined by an Historical Overview Committee, a group selected by the BBWAA.

Last year, the Golden Era Committee was comprised of eight Hall of Fame members (, , , , , Joe Morgan, and ), four major league executives (, Jim Frey, David Glass and ) and four media members (Steve Hirdt, Dick Kaegel, Phil Pepe and Tracy Ringolsby). Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board Jane Forbes Clark served as the non-voting chairman of the Golden Era Committee.

No one was elected in either of the last two elections. In December of 2014, and each fell one vote short. Former Reds general manager had three or fewer votes, according to the official release last December. This December, the Pre-Integration Era didn't elect a single member, including three with Reds ties. The committee keeps its voting confidential.

What this doesn't change is Rose's standing with Reds' fans. Rose will continue to be cheered at Great American Ball Park and revered in Cincinnati. There's nothing that can happen in New York (the city or in upstate in Cooperstown) that can change the way Cincinnati feels about its most famous son.

Reports: Giants give ex-Red Cueto 6 years, $130 million By David Clark / Cincinnati Enquirer

Former Reds ace and the have agreed on a six-year deal for $130 million, pending a physical, according to multiple media outlets.

ESPN's Buster Olney was the first to report the agreement.

Cueto pitched for the Royals after the Reds dealt him to Kansas City in July for left-handed pitchers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed.

He made history with his complete game in the World Series for the Royals.

He also retired the last 19 batters he faced and picked up the win in the Royals' 7-2 victory in Game 5 of the ALDS.

He struggled for the Royals though in late August and early September.

ASSOCIATED PRESS Johnny Cueto signed to six-year contract with San Francisco Giants By Janie McCauley / The Associated Press

SAN FRANSCISO -- Even after signing Jeff Samardzija to a large, long-term contract last week, the San Francisco Giants had their eye on Johnny Cueto - they've been watching and admiring him from afar for years.

The Giants' upgraded rotation sure is taking shape, with the 2014 World Series champions agreeing Monday with Cueto on a $130 million, six-year contract to add another top-tier starter.

"Johnny has always been, and rightly so, very high on our list ... high on our short list," Giants general manager Bobby Evans said. "He's somebody we've admired for a long time."

Cueto is set to join a rotation led by left-hander Madison Bumgarner and new addition righty Jeff Samardzija, who was introduced Friday after formalizing his $90 million, five-year contract - one week after the team lost out to the Diamondbacks on Zack Greinke.

Cueto turned down a $120 million, six-year contract from Arizona late last month. The Giants began talks with Cueto's representatives during last week's winter meetings in Nashville.

Cueto's deal was pending a physical, the team said, and contains a team option for 2022. Cueto is expected to travel from the Dominican Republic on Tuesday to the Bay Area and take a physical Wednesday. He is likely to be introduced later this week at AT&T Park.

Under the agreement, Cueto can opt out after the 2017 season and become a free agent again. He is due to earn $46 million before the opt out. If he exercises that clause, he would hit the market one year before the 2018 free agent class, which could include , , Matt Harvey, Jose Fernandez and .

A 29-year-old right-hander, Cueto went 11-13 with a 3.44 ERA in 32 starts for Cincinnati and Kansas City, which acquired him in a trade July 26. He was 4-7 for the Royals in the regular season and 2-1 in the postseason, including pitching a two-hitter that gave Kansas City a 2-0 World Series lead over the .

"He's not a guy that you relish facing," Evans said. "You have a guy who has a chance to be an elite presence in your rotation if he's healthy and we can play good defense behind him and use our ballpark to our advantage. Johnny has upside beyond his 2015 final numbers."

Bumgarner, Cueto and Samardzija will be joined in the rotation by and . Chris Heston, who pitched a no-hitter last season as a rookie, is expected to be on the major league roster with his role to be determined during spring training.

"We're going to very much need Cain and Peavy at their best," Evans said. "Hopefully with these two significant additions it gives us a balance of five guys that can give us the starts and innings we need to protect our bullpen and give us the best chance within our division to compete for the division. That's the goal."

Cain said in an email that adding Samardzija and Cueto was "huge for our team" and that he respects their ability to pitch deep into games.

"I'm looking forward to being in the rotation with these guys," he said. "It's great to know we'll have a solid rotation in the upcoming years."

Samardzija agreed Dec. 5., less than a day after Greinke joined NL West rival Arizona on a $206.5 million, six-year contract. He is eager to help the Giants compete for another championship in an even year - 2016 - after San Francisco captured titles in 2010, '12 and '14. The team missed the playoffs last season.

Earlier that first week of December, David Price received a $217 million, seven-year contract from the Red Sox.

Now, Cueto is the latest big-name free agent pitcher to land a large contract.

Samardzija appreciates how these pitchers who work every fifth day are being rewarded.

"It's not easy what we do. I think a lot of it from afar is simple, right, you see it on TV, it goes over a plate," he said. "Eight other guys catch it, whoop de do. I challenge anybody that wants a slice of what Price made, or a slice of what Greinke made to come on out and throw a ball over the plate at 96 mph to Carlos Beltran and see what happens. It's a tough sport."

When it comes to San Francisco's search for a left fielder, Evans said, "it continues to be an area we'll give attention to and see where we land."

TRANSACTIONS Date Transaction 12/14/15 signed free agent RHP Trevor Cahill. designated 2B Rey Navarro for assignment. Baltimore Orioles signed free agent RHP Darren O'Day. designated LHP Rob Rasmussen for assignment. invited non-roster 2B Angelys Nina to spring training. Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Gregory Infante to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent RHP Ernesto Frieri to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Philadelphia Phillies invited non-roster RHP Greg Burke to spring training. Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent C J.P. Arencibia to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. claimed Andy Wilkins off waivers from Seattle Mariners. Washington Nationals signed free agent RHP Yusmeiro Petit.