Press Clippings February 18, 2016

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY

1944-The Reds sign 15-year-old Hamilton High School student, Joe Nuxhall, one day after he plays in a high school game

MLB.COM 3 questions Reds aim to answer this spring By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 17th, 2016 + 46 COMMENTS

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The offseason was certainly a unique one to watch for Reds fans. It's not typical in recent history for the club to two popular All-Stars for Minor Leaguers while rumors consistently swirled about other prominent players who might have been moved and weren't.

Well, this Reds' offseason will soon have one thing in common with the other clubs -- it will finally be over. On Thursday, Cincinnati's and report to .

With the arrival of camp, the page will really be turned past departed stars and Aroldis Chapman. The shroud of mystery about several of the new players on the team will quickly give way to more familiarity as they assimilate with those who return as part of a team in transition.

Any rebuilding team will certainly open a Spring Training with a lot of questions. Here are three of the bigger ones facing the Reds as they are set to open another camp:

1. Who will be on the pitching staff?

As covered in Part 4, the Reds have Anthony DeSclafani and Raisel Iglesias locked in to lead a young rotation, with veteran set to rejoin it in May following the completion of elbow surgery rehab. That leaves three open spots with a wide-open competition that could feature up to nine pitchers. The bullpen is an even more fluid situation with no roles decided. J.J. Hoover is the favorite to move from the eighth and replace Chapman as closer, but getting between a starter and Hoover will be especially key this year, as young pitchers are prone to racking up high pitch counts earlier in their outings.

2. Can Billy Hamilton find his swing?

Hamilton struggled as a leadoff hitter early last season, and then struggled even more after being moved down to the ninth spot in May. While his speed and quality of defense is undisputed, this will be a pivotal year for Hamilton to prove that he can consistently and get on base in the Major Leagues. As if that weren't enough to deal with, he will also be trying to come back from arthroscopic surgery that he had on his right throwing shoulder in late September.

3. Can other key veterans return to 100 percent?

Catcher was limited to nine starts behind the plate because of a left hip injury that required surgery to repair a torn labrum. Zack Cozart's 2015 season ended in June after he required reconstructive right knee surgery. With Frazier's 35- homer output missing, the contributions of both players are required for the Reds' lineup to be competitive. Both reported having strong offseason rehabs and expect to be ready for the start of camp, but exhibition games will provide the best test. Add in Bailey trying to come back from his second major arm surgery in less than a year, and Hamilton's shoulder, and the medical staff will have plenty to monitor in Goodyear.

Even on the mend, Bailey essential to Reds Right-hander lends veteran presence to Cincinnati's young pitching staff By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | February 17th, 2016 + 15 COMMENTS GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The one veteran expected to be in the Reds' rotation for 2016 is Homer Bailey, and the team will be counting on his presence. But the right-hander will be on a different program than his fellow pitchers. Bailey, who is rehabilitating from surgery, isn't slated to return until early-to-mid May.

One of several early arrivals to Spring Training ahead of Thursday's official report date for Reds pitchers and catchers, Bailey already has had two bullpen sessions at home in Texas. His first time working from the mound in Arizona is scheduled for Friday.

"The best way I can explain, like I've been saying, is I feel normal," Bailey said on Wednesday. "I don't know that anything ever happened, which is kind of frustrating, because I know my mound progressions will be so much slower. My body and mind says, 'Hey, I can go.' But it's part of coming back from surgery."

Bailey, 29, made one Minor League rehab start and two Major League starts last season before he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. That came after he had just finished rehab from flexor tendon surgery that repaired a tear in 2014.

"After you've watched a bunch of games for a year straight, it's, 'I want to play.' It's kind of like the kid being in timeout," Bailey said. "You're sitting there, staring at the wall, and everyone else is playing. You want to go to recess."

There's not a date yet for when Bailey might pitch in an exhibition game. But he vowed that he wouldn't rush back and risk re- injuring himself.

"That's not going to happen," he said.

With 168 career starts in the Majors for the Reds since 2007, Bailey isn't just the longest-tenured member of the rotation. He has nearly five times the number of starts than the with the second-most starts in Anthony DeSclafani (36), a rookie last season.

The rest of the rotation -- and much of the pitching staff in general -- are young pitchers and prospects. Bailey, once a high-profile rookie prospect himself and former first-round pick in the 2004 Draft, was ready to embrace the leadership role.

"It could be a lot of fun," said Bailey, who is 58-51 lifetime with a 4.19 ERA. "Seeing the young guys we have, there is a lot of talent here, so that's a plus. But there's not a lot of experience. I feel like it's something I can bring a little bit of."

In January, the Reds held a "pitching summit" at the team complex and invited only their young pitchers and prospects that either have pitched in the Majors in the past or could pitch at the highest level this season.

Even though he didn't have to go, Bailey made it a point to attend. While Bryan Price led the summit with his pitching coaches, Bailey led or spoke at a few of the meetings with the pitchers.

"When you hear things coming from other players and you know they have already done it, it kind of half validates it," Bailey said. "Hearing something from your parents vs. hearing it from an older brother is a totally different thing."

Royal return! KC among 11 reporting today By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com | @castrovince | 12:00 AM ET + 1 COMMENT

This pitchers and catchers thing is catching on.

A day after Spring Training sprung open at eight camps in Florida and Arizona, 11 more teams -- including the defending champion -- are ready to get 2016 started by officially reporting for duty Thursday. Though the usual caveat that a ton of players were early arrivals at the various spring sites applies, pitchers and catchers for the Royals, Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, Nationals, Reds, Tigers, Rangers, Astros, Padres and Angels will formally check in, with first workouts soon to follow.

That's 11 more fan bases rightly fired up about the dawn of a new season. It's part of what makes baseball so great -- the mere practice of guys showing up for work sets off those warm and fuzzy feelings, especially in places where the winter winds are howling.

The Royals are still glowing from a triumph 30 years in the making. And if they needed additional incentive to show up hungry to repeat, they got it earlier this week when PECOTA once again pegged them for a win total in the 70s, good enough for dead last in the Central.

For the Royals to enjoy another round of projection rejection, they'll need their relief situation to be as strong as ever. A familiar face -- erstwhile closer Joakim Soria -- will arrive in Surprise, Ariz., intent on keeping that bullish bullpen running smooth. Kansas City will also welcome Ian Kennedy, its surprise $70 million man. But the guy with the most on the line in camp might be lefty Danny Duffy, who is trying to nail down a rotation spot.

As for the other 10 on tap, well, they're trying to get to where the Royals got in 2015. In the spirit of the occasion, here's a rundown of each of their prime pitcher/ storyline as spring dawns.

Yankees (Tampa, Fla.): Who will round out the rotation? CC Sabathia or Ivan Nova? There was a time when the question would have sounded silly, but Sabathia has pitched through knee troubles and endured the effects of all those awesome he once delivered. We'll see what the big man has left in the tank in 2016.

Red Sox (Fort Myers, Fla.): What's the post-David Price pecking order? There's no doubt Price arrives as a central figure on this squad, but who will step up as a worthy No. 2? The enigmatic ? The bounceback candidate ? The streaky ? Or how about Eduardo Rodriguez, the young lefty who will certainly benefit from Price's guidance?

Nationals (Viera, Fla.): Can get through camp healthy? He sustained an ankle injury last spring that got his year off to a rocky start from a mechanical standpoint, and that caused subsequent issues with his back. New pitching coach Mike is on board to make sure everything operates in order this spring, which precedes Strasburg's free-agent walk year.

Orioles (Sarasota, Fla.): Is more pitching help coming? The O's were rumored last week to be on the verge of signing Yovani Gallardo to help round out their rotation, but the dotted line hasn't been signed just yet.

Reds (Goodyear, Ariz.): Which young pitchers are ready to rise, and is Devin Mesoraco ready to catch them? It's a dual- pronged query for the rebuilding Reds, who made pitching a priority in some recent trade acquisitions ( and John Lamb) and now must sort through the stash in hopes of rounding out the rotation behind Tommy John alum Homer Bailey. Like Bailey, Mesoraco is returning from a lost year, and he's hoping his hip holds up.

Tigers (Lakeland, Fla.): Is the real back? He rekindled memories of his old self with some dominant moments in the second half of a 2015 season affected by injury. If Verlander develops the -- ahem -- eye of the Tiger once again, look out. The Tigers could reclaim their past position atop the AL Central.

Rangers (Surprise, Ariz.): All good with Yu? Darvish is a central figure in the Rangers' bid to defend their AL West title, expected to join the club sometime in May. He's begun throwing off flat ground, and his progression to mound work will be monitored very, very closely.

Angels (Tempe, Ariz.): How does the rotation shake out? The Halos currently have eight guys for five spots. , and C.J. Wilson (barring a trade) are the locks, and you would imagine and aren't far off from that status. But , and will try to make this decision as difficult as possible.

Astros (Kissimmee, Fla.): Are Scott Feldman and Doug Fister physically fit? Fister dealt with a forearm issue and diminished velocity in 2015, while Feldman's season ended with a shoulder sprain. They're attempting to round out the -led rotation.

Padres (Peoria, Ariz.): Do any pitchers or catchers get moved? It's still an open question on a Padres team that was a frequent member of the rumor mill both before and after the deal. Andrew Cashner and Derek Norris remain interesting trade chips for a San Diego team trying to simultaneously add young talent and contend in the West.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

The Morning Line, 2/18 THE MORNING LINE Paul Daugherty, [email protected] 10:09 a.m. EST February 18, 2016

Top o’ the pitchers-n-catchers report mornin’, Mobsters. Baseball’s back to soothe the frozen beast. Your love of The Club might be tested this season and beyond. Your love of the game won’t be. Yeah?

Here’s what you have here in River City in the championship season of 2016: A prelude to 2017. Baseball relies on hope. Hope as metaphor: Springtime and renewal and all that. Hope as reality: That all those good players the Reds traded will be replaced by equally good (and cheaper) players down the line.

You’re getting a different kind of hope this year than the hope you’ve grown accustomed to since the Reds hired . It’s hope of the deferred variety. It’s like heading into December knowing that May will get here eventually.

Your pain tolerance will be tested. Your patience will fray. That good ol’ Cincinnati pessimism will bloom anew. Even when times are good we guard our hearts. See: Bengals, Cincinnati.

This year, if you want to gauge how good the Reds are, skip the trips to Pretty Good American Ball Park. Take a few roadies to ‘Ville and Pensacola. Maybe plan one around Amir Garrett Bobblehead Night. I hear Pensacola is great in June.

To their everlasting credit the Reds have made no attempt to insult your intelligence. There have been no grand proclamations emanating from Way, in hopes of selling more tickets. No con games. No frivolous optimism.

You get who you get: Schebler, Peraza and Reed, oh my.

Will you learn to appreciate watching players develop, assuming they do? Will you adjust your expectations from a night at the ballpark? That is, will the simple and pleasant act of Being There be enough? I’m thinking, mostly no. It won’t. But we’ll see.

It all starts today. Everything looks better when framed by swaying palm trees. At least for awhile.

WCPO - Channel 9

From The Vault: Baseball fans celebrate spring training - especially with the Greg Noble

CINCINNATI – It doesn't matter if your team is supposed to lose 101 games or win 101, when spring training starts, hope springs again in baseball fans everywhere.

It doesn't matter if it's 40 degrees or 4 in Cincinnati as long as it's 74 or 84 in Arizona. Here, even under gray skies, our hearts are lifted by the sight of bright sunshine thousands of miles away, the lush, green grass, players in red caps and uniforms, and the lovely melody of hitting bats and gloves.

Spring training is also a time of hope for young players trying to make the club. Stars and legends are sometimes born in February and March. To wit:

When saw Pete Rose run to first on a walk in 1963, he gave him the nickname Charlie Hustle, and Rose jumped from the A minors into the starting lineup. Mantle didn't know that Rose jogged 5 miles back to his hotel from ballpark each day.

The Reds found one of their greatest sluggers, , while holding spring training at Indiana University during WWII. Big Klu was a student there – he played baseball and football - and Reds officials quickly noticed he hit the ball a lot farther than the Reds did. After he graduated, Klu averaged 45 homers for the Reds between 1953 and 1955 and got one of the original statues outside Great American Ball Park.

What ballplayer takes a part-time job at McDonald's during spring training?

Chris Sabo did in 1988. Bored with his free time and short of money, he started "flipping burgers," as he put it, until the Reds found out and made him quit. Sabo had another surprise for the Reds – he not only made the jump from AAA, he became the starting third baseman and a World Series hero with nine hits, two homers and five RBI in the sweep of the A's.

Some legends are made off the field, as the late, beloved clubhouse manager, Bernie Stowe, told Reds baseball author John Erardi. Now a WCPO contributor, Erardi recounted one of Stowe's stories in an article on WCPO.com after Stowe's death last week.

" (Reds manager 1959-64), he liked the scotch. There used to be a saloon right across from the hotel in Tampa - the White Rose Bar. Hutch and the coaches, they'd be in there, and they'd start arguing about something, ike stealing bases. They'd get the bartender to give them a towel, and they'd lay it on the floor, and they'd be slidin' into each other in the bar! The next day you'd see the four of them, Hutch and the three coaches, and man were they hung over."

Unofficially, spring - and a new baseball season - start for us today as Reds pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Goodyear, Arizona. They will get their physicals this morning and start workouts this afternoon. Position players will show up over the next few days, and the first full workouts start Tuesday.

Hallelujah.

We know about the dire predictions for this year's Reds:

Worst team in baseball.

Destined to break the club record for most losses (101 in 1982).

Forget them for a moment. Watch the video above and let it take you back to Spring Training 1975 in Tampa, Florida, and the Big Red Machine. There's Pete taking swings in the batting cage and straining to touch his toes during stretches - to the laughs of Tony and Joe. Doggie taking grounders at first. Sparky and pitching coach working with Will McEnaney and other pitchers on holding base runners. Some helpless pitcher struggling to bunt against a pitching machine brushing him back.

Spring Training 1975 looks a lot different than Spring Training 2016. For one thing, the '75 Reds went on to the franchise's best record (108-54, .667) and won the first of two straight World Series.

Besides that, though, watching the video takes you to a different era. In those days, the Reds' practice facility (next to Tampa's now demolished football stadium) looks like a spartan high school field, with highway traffic driving by and chain-link fences that appear to hold in the smattering of fans instead of holding people out. It was cold on the day this video was shot – spectators are wearing jackets and coats despite the bright sun.

For the most part, sunny Tampa was a welcoming spring home for the Reds for more than 50 years (1931-42 and 1946-1987), interrupted only by travel restrictions during WWII. Except for the IU years, the Reds trained in Florida from 1923 to 2009.

Reds Spring Training Homes Since 1900

Cincinnati (1901-1902); Augusta, Ga. (1903); Dallas, Texas (1904); Jacksonville, Fla. (1905); San Antonio, Texas (1906); Marlin Springs, Texas (1907); St. Augustine, Fla. (1908); Atlanta (1909); Hot Springs, Ark. (1910-1911); Columbus, Ga. (1912); Mobile, Ala. (1913); Alexandria, La. (1914-1915); Shreveport, La. (1916-1917); Montgomery, Ala. (1918); Waxahachie, Texas (1919); Miami (1920); Cisco, Texas (1921); Mineral Wells, Texas (1922); Orlando, Fla. (1923-1930); Tampa, Fla. (1931-1942); Bloomington, Ind. (1943-1945); Tampa (1946-1987); Plant City, Fla. (1988-1997); Sarasota, Fla. (1998-2009); Goodyear, Ariz. (2010-present).

Some of the earliest spring trainings sent the Reds on one- and two-year visits across the deep South to Texas, Louisiana and Alabama. According to Erardi, that's because that's where Reds business manager Frank Bancroft served as a 17-year-old soldier in the Civil War.

"Bancroft wanted to spread it around – to give the Deep South the economic boost from spring training," Erardi said.

Florida built a near monopoly on spring training with its so-called Grapefruit League until Arizona got into the business in the 1940s. Now the Cactus League has just as many teams – 15.

The Reds got there just like every other team – wooed by big money from desert towns and developers.

The Reds were one of the last teams to move west. Seeking better facilities and more money, the Reds first moved from Tampa 25 miles inland to Plant City (1988) and then 70 miles south to Sarasota (1998) on the Gulf Coast.

After they had been there 10 years, the Reds went to Sarasota city leaders and asked for $30 million in improvements to its aging facility, and the city said no. Meanwhile, Goodyear was building a brand new complex to house two teams. They already had enticed the Indians to move from Winter Haven, Fla., and then they came after the Reds.

"Bob Castellini really wanted to stay in Sarasota," Erardi said. "You had all these Reds fans in Florida and all the snowbirds and people who drove down from Cincinnati every year. He didn't want to disappoint them. But the city of Sarasota said there no way they would fix up the stadium.

"Once the Reds signed a deal with Goodyear, Sarasota came up with the money, but it was too late. Then Sarasota got the Orioles to come in."

The city of Goodyear, 20 minutes west of Phoenix, paid $32 million to bring the Reds there starting in 2010 and $108 million to build the Reds-Indians complex. The two teams share the 10,000-seat stadium but have separate offices, practice fields and clubhouses.

The spring training facility was the centerpiece of a planned $1 billion mixed-use development featuring offices, shops, restaurants, housing, hotels and a conference center.

The Reds enjoy the luxury of half-hour trips to the other Cactus League ballparks, not to mention home and away games with the Indians at Goodyear. Players may miss the Florida beaches, but they don't miss 3- and 4-hour bus rides to some Grapefruit League cities.

Homer Bailey after surgery: 'It's like nothing ever happened' John Fay 11:42 AM, Feb 17, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Homer Bailey doesn’t know the exact plan for him once spring training starts, but he does know he’s ready to handle a semi-normal load.

Bailey, the lone veteran of the Reds pitching staff, had Tommy John surgery on May 8. Bailey, 29, says he’s fully recovered.

“It’s like nothing ever happened,” he said.

That doesn’t mean Bailey will prepare like a pitcher that isn’t coming off surgery. The normal recovery period is 12 to 14 months. The Reds have pointed to May as the date when Bailey rejoins the rotation. That means he’ll progress slower as far as building up his inning load.

“I’m not sure what the plan is, honestly,” Bailey said. “I’ve already thrown off the mound twice before I got here. Everything went well.”

Pitchers and catchers officially report Thursday. They will get their physicals Thursday morning, then work out Thursday afternoon.

Bailey has had two tough years physically. He was limited to 23 starts in the 2014 season due to forearm problems. He had surgery on Sept. 23 to repair a torn flexor mass.

That slowed him during spring last year. He made one rehab start and two starts for the Reds. He suffered the tear in the second.

Bailey is further along at this point this year than he was last year.

“I didn’t throw any bullpens before I got here,” he said.

Bailey has been surprised by how well the comeback from Tommy John has gone.

“I have been — quite a bit,” he said. “I thought it was going to be a lot worse. But everything has gone really smooth.”

The Reds are leaning on Bailey to lead the young pitching staff, and he’s comfortable with that role. He was the one veteran at the “pitching summit” the Reds held in January. Fifteen of the top prospects were invited as well.

“It was good,” Bailey said. “It went really well. It was good to get to work with some of those guys.”

Bernie Stowe's sons describe 'outpouring of love' from Reds greats, not-so-greats Beloved clubhouse manager died last week John Fay, WCPO Contributor 4:24 PM, Feb 17, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz — Rick and Mark Stowe returned to work Tuesday. Rick, the home clubhouse manager, and Mark, the visitors clubhouse manager, are the sons of Bernie Stowe.

Bernie died last week after a long illness. He was as beloved a Reds employee as there was. He was associated with the clubhouse for 69 years. His family has gotten an idea of how beloved he was since his death.

“Our family is overwhelmed with the outpouring of love,” Rick said. “It knocked our socks off ... he outpouring ... I can’t even think straight.”

Rick was scrolling through his text messages as he spoke. It was a who’s who list of former Reds - from Hall of Famers like , , and Tony Perez to role players like Skeeter Barnes and Jack Hannahan.

Players who fall between the two categories reached out as well: , , , , Ron Robinson, Sam LeCure, Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart, J.J. Hoover, Kent Mercker ...

“Bronson was unbelievable through the whole thing,” Rick said.

Sean Casey, and showed up at the services at Elder High School.

“Casey drove through the snow,” Mark said. “He sent me a video of him driving with cars off the side of the road. Arroyo, Aaron Boone - that these guys thought enough of him to fly in ... When I saw Hal Morris, I cried like a baby. He was crying too.”

Even long forgotten Reds, like Dennis Rasmussen, showed up at the services.

“I was blown away,” Mark said. “You just didn’t expect them.”

Literally hundreds of people called or texted.

“If I printed these, it would just buckle people,” Rick said. “I’ve been blown away. For a guy who was back stage and hung jocks and uniforms to get that much ...

The messages had a theme: I loved that guy. I miss him.

Bench called Rick on several nights.

“He’d say: ‘I’m sitting outside playing this song for your dad,’” Rick said. “It was Toby Keith “Crying for You.”

The Stowes heard from more than players. Agents, front office people, officials from , former Reds employees reached out as well.

“I heard from Dusty (Baker) and Dusty’s friends,” Rick said. “(Former Reds assistant GM) Bob Miller. Bob Miller floored me. Every home and visiting clubhouse guy in the league has called me. heard from the ramp guys at Delta. They said: ‘You don’t know what he meant to us. He was so great.’ Truck drivers around the league.

Rick wanted to thank his employers as well.

“I heard from every Castellini and the every Williams,” he said.

In Mark’s and Rick’s absence, the clubhouse guys made up T-shirts with “Bernie” across the chest for players and coaches to wear.

“It’s one thing after another,” Mark said. “It’s hard to describe.”

The Stowes were trying to carrying on Tuesday.

“It’s almost like therapy,” Rick said. “It’s nice to be back to the grind — not that I don’t think about him every second.”

Fay: Bryan Price approaching this season differently 'There will be a lot of attention to detail' John Fay 7:00 AM, Feb 18, 2016

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Reds manager Bryan Price goes into this season in one tough situation. The Reds lost 98 games last year, then traded a couple of their best players in the offseason, and Price is in the final year of his contract.

Instead of taking a woe-is-me tact, Price is looking at this as a perfect situation for him.

“This is an ideal place for me to manage,” he said. “I love to coach. I love unifying young people into accomplishing great things. I couldn’t be in better situation.

“I don’t lose any sleep over contract status at all.”

Managers who manage to keep their jobs will often end up looking for another one.

“I’ve never wanted to force people to like me,” he said. “They’ll evaluate me on the job I do and make the decision on what to do when they make that decision."

But Price is not naive. He knows the Reds face a difficult task this year. They are playing in one of the toughest divisions in baseball. Gone from last year’s roster are the No. 1 and 2 starting pitchers, the leader and the closer.

In return for the trades of Johnny Cueto, , Todd Frazier and Aroldis Chapman, the Reds got a major infusion of talent -- much of it not ready for the big leagues for now.

For Price to survive this year, he’s likely going to have to be judged on a standard other than wins and loses.

“We should have an expectation on what the manager is able to get out of the ballclub, and I should be held accountable to that,” he said. “We should play hard every day. We should get better. We should be a better team at the end of the season than were were at the beginning of the season.”

The task begins Thursday with the first pitchers-and-catchers workout. Price spent the first part of the week putting names with faces. That hasn’t been easy with all the new players.

“I think we should be wearing those ‘Hello, I’m...’ name tags,” Price said. “There’s a kid today I met quickly. I shook his hand. I have no idea who he is. I was looking around on the sheet trying to figure out who he is.”

"You look at the fact we’ve not just had a 25-man roster turnover. We’ve really had a 40-man roster turnover," he said. "We’ve added a lot of new players, not just from our system but from outside the system that we’re getting to see as a major league staff for the first time.

“The responsibility is to make sure all these young guys understand our expectations as an organization on how they prepare and how they play the game. Make sure they’re doing it the right way.

“From a wins-loss perspective, we’re not picked to do anything. Our goal is to be the team nobody wants to play because of that aggression and the attention to detail. The youthful exuberance of going and playing baseball at the major league level.

“There will be a lot of youthful exuberance.”

Seventeen players on the 40-man roster were not on the 40-man when camp opened last year. Price will adjust accordingly. The youth is part of that. Another part is the game has changed. Offense is down.

“Spring training will look a little different as far as we prepare,” Price said. “I think the game is changing to the point where the 3, 4 and 5 hitters aren’t going to drive in all the runs. I think we’re getting back to where we’re not having the 50- and 60-home run seasons. You’ve got to appreciate every run and make the most of every run-scoring opportunity — the things we used to see a lot more in the 70s and 80s. The bunt. The hit-and-run. Putting more pressure on the defense instead of relying on pure power production.”

With the lack of proven big-league talent, Price says it’s key for the Reds to get that little extra out of the players they have.

“If you can just get a little bit better in each thing that you do, the dividends will pay themselves out over the course of the season,” he said. “I don’t plan to spend a lot of time talking about last year because that’s a year we’d all rather forget, but our goal is — not only the young players, but with the veterans players, too — to find every possible way to get every bit of ability and performance out of each player.”

During spring training, that may mean doing two fundamental drills a day instead of one, which is what teams traditionally do.

“There will be a lot of attention to detail,” Price said. “We have to use these six weeks to introduce expectations and create the habits we want these guys to follow.”

Price joined the Reds as pitching coach in 2010. That’s the year when the Reds snapped the string on nine straight losing seasons and began a good four-year run.

“This may look a little more like 2009 or 2008,” Price said. “Coming into an organization in 2010 that had all that pitching talent was exciting because I like to teach. We talked about that in our room with our coaching staff.

“We love to teach as a group. There’s not a better environment anywhere for baseball than in Cincinnati if you love to teach. I believe wholeheartedly in that.”

But Price knows that, eventually, the wins have to come.

“I don’t think we take this — you may call it a step back — unless we were excited about the near future of the organization. I feel we’ve accumulated an exciting group of young players like we were starting to see in 2009, 2010, 2011 in Cincinnati. The only thing the Reds fans don’t know yet is they’re not familiar with the names and faces. They will be.”

The key is to make the most of the window with the young talent.

“When you have all these talented young players, you want to seize the opportunity and make sure that these guys become the group that they can be,” he said. “That’s a great responsibility to have.

“But I love it. I love this stuff.”

DAYTON DAILY NEWS

Cincinnati Reds open spring training today Staff Report

Today is the day Reds fans.

Pitchers and catchers report to the Reds spring training complex in Goodyear, Ariz and will hold their first workout. Position players report Tuesday.

The Reds open exhibition play March 1 against the . Opening Day is April 4 against the Phillies.

ESPN.COM Wainwright heads bounce-back pitcher list 11:05 AM ET Eric Karabell ESPN Senior Writer

One of the first things I do when preparing my rankings is to look at last year’s version, find the players who did not perform up to expectations and figure out why. Many of these players will come at quite the bargain this spring. It happens every year, really, as fantasy owners tend to have short memories. This guy was bad in 2015, so no matter what he did prior, it’s irrelevant. Well, I don’t view things that way. Track record is important and it’s generally dangerous to completely alter an opinion based on one season, for both good and bad.

So it is that when searching for bounce-back options the easiest thing to do is check the rankings from a year ago and see who made enemies in the fantasy world, whether it was because of injury or performance. Perhaps these guys weren’t so bad, but expectations were simply too high. Whatever the case, players do bounce back and it’s good to take a few chances in your drafts and auctions from the list of those who disappointed last season. There are so many to consider I’m breaking the crew into two blog entries, starting with pitchers today, and hitters tomorrow.

The only criteria I’ll use, since it’s mostly subjective, is any pitcher who finished among the top 100 starting pitchers on the ESPN Player Rater is automatically excluded, because they don’t have too far to bounce back from. This removes, among others, the modestly disappointing Stephen Strasburg and , plus Julio Teheran, C.J. Wilson and . Pity. But plenty of others fit, and we’ll go in order of my current rankings for them.

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals: It wasn’t an arm injury. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least. A year ago Wainwright was the No. 54 player in ESPN average live drafts, so if people were truly concerned about major regression then, they weren’t showing it. He returns from an Achilles tear ready to pitch 200 innings, even if the rate isn’t at the level of most every other top-20 hurler.

Jeff Samardzija, : The Shark wasn’t hurt, at least as far as we know. His one year with the went poorly, with an ineffective , falling K rate and a career-worst 29 home runs allowed. Now he’s in a pitchers' park and I expect 200 , which he achieved in 2013 and ’14.

Anibal Sanchez, : We know his upside as well, as he used to be one of the more reliable options in the game. In 2015 he wasn’t, and later we were informed rotator cuff inflammation played a role in decreased velocity and a brutal home run rate. My only question is whether he bounces back to top-20 status or merely to someone worth owning in shallow leagues.

Yu Darvish, : His fourth season in the big leagues was a lost one because of Tommy John surgery, but let’s remember the procedure was done in March. He has had plenty of time. Don’t expect a full 33 starts, but you know he’s a major strikeout guy, and it’s generally wiser to invest in those types for the upside.

Jonathon Niese, : This might seem like a strange option, but from 2012-14 his ERA was 3.49 with a 1.28 WHIP, and twice he made 30 starts. He’s no ace, but in Pittsburgh, with that ballpark, that pitching coach and that outfield defense … just look what fellow lefty J.A. Happ did for the Bucs.

Tanner Roark, : Most regard Roark as vastly overachieving in 2014 based on skills and minor league numbers, and perhaps even the Nats do because they handled him poorly last season. But he won 15 games with a 2.85 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. That’s really good. If the ERA rises to 3.85 with a 1.20 WHIP, then he’s, what, Collin McHugh? You’ll be drafting him, yes?

Doug Fister, : Roark’s teammate in Washington has moved back to the American League, where his cumulative ERA for the Mariners/Tigers was a solid 3.53, with a 1.21 WHIP. He’s not a big strikeout guy, but the Astros are good, and were good enough to get McHugh 19 wins.

Alex Cobb, : Different from Darvish because his season-ending surgery occurred in May, so we’re hoping for half a season. But the guy is good. Don’t forget him in keeper formats.

Drew Hutchison, : Jumping way off radar now, Hutchison probably isn’t in Toronto’s current rotation, but the Jays can’t give up on him and neither should we. Look at the strikeout per inning in 2014. Look at Hutchison’s home numbers last season (11-2, 2.91 ERA). Just don’t look at the road figures (9.83 ERA, 2.06 WHIP). Give this young man some home cooking on the road! Hey, we jest, but every year there are major surprises, and we know Hutchison has skills.

Jarred Cosart, : I’ve decided not to look at his 2015 stats, because he was dealing with vertigo. In 2014, the right- hander was competent. Cosart induces many a ground ball so don’t expect a big K rate, but his home ballpark remains large and there’s upside.

Homer Bailey, Cincinnati Reds: Remember him? Sure ya do! He was actually chosen ahead of Charlie Blackmon, and J.D. Martinez in last year’s drafts! Bailey, who fanned 199 hitters in 2013 and posted a cumulative ERA of 3.61 with a 1.19 WHIP from 2012-14, might not return to the Reds until June, and might never be the ace so many wished for, but he has been relevant.

Matt Moore, Rays: Whenever someone tells you coming back from Tommy John surgery is no big deal and the guy should immediately return to his normal stats, cite Moore. None of his first eight starts for the Rays last year were quality ones. But his final four starts were. I’m presuming he’s healthy and has his command back now.

Non-roster names to watch: National League 3:04 PM ET David Schoenfield ESPN Senior Writer

We're here! One of the fun things to check out as spring training starts is the list of non-roster invitees, if only to see who still hasn't retired. But some of these guys have a chance to break camp with the big league team. Let's look at some of the interesting non- roster invitees for each team, starting with the National League.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Yoan Lopez was the Cuban right-hander the D-backs gave a big bonus to a year ago but he struggled mightily in -A with 24 walks and 32 strikeouts in 48 innings. He has the stuff to impress in a few spring innings, however, and you never know what and Tony La Russa may decide. Sam LeCure pitched just 20 innings for the Reds last year but has a 3.51 career ERA. Kyle Drabek is a former top prospect who hasn't been able to stay healthy. He had three relief appearances for the White Sox last year and a 4.06 ERA while starting in -A.

Atlanta Braves

Prospects like and will be the ones to watch early on, although I suspect both will get shipped out early in camp. But the long list of veteran pitchers includes David Carpenter, Kyle Kendrick, Jhoulys Chacin, and Alexi Ogando, and one or two of those guys probably make the team. Torres had a 1.71 ERA for the Rays back in 2013 but his command has gone south the past two seasons, but he's the kind of guy it makes sense for the Braves to take a chance on.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs' roster is pretty set although Cubs fans will remember Matt Murton. He's back after playing in Japan since 2010. He hit .276/.315/.375 last year and he's 34, so looks more like Triple-A insurance at this point.

Cincinnati Reds

A veteran reliever like Pedro Villarreal or Ryan Mattheus could stick. After all, this is a club that opened last year with as the No. 4 starter.

Colorado Rockies

Yohan Flande made 10 starts and nine relief appearance for the Rockies last year, with a 4.74 ERA. The 10 starts were more a testament to the state of the Colorado pitching staff than his stuff, which is middling. was the big name acquired in the Troy Tulowitzki trade but he's ticketed to start in the minors.

Los Angeles Dodgers

The intriguing names are Jose De Leon and Julio Urias, two of the top pitching prospects in the minors. They don't have enough time to be on the 40-man roster yet but we could see both with the Dodgers later in the summer. Brandon Beachy is trying to complete a comeback from a second Tommy John surgery.

Miami Marlins

Is Jim Leyland an adviser for the Marlins? They've invited Leyland favorite Don Kelly to camp. Justin Maxwell has a chance to stick as a backup /pinch-hitter. Troy Patton had a couple of decent years in relief for the Orioles but was out of the majors last year, pitching 20 games in Triple-A for the Royals.

Milwaukee Brewers

Chris Capuano returns to the organization where he won 18 games in 2005 and made the All-Star team in 2006. He had a 7.97 ERA with the Yankees last year. Will Middlebrooks' plate discipline has sabotaged a career that got off to a promising start with the Red Sox back in 2012. He's hit .213 with a .258 OBP the past three seasons. is listed as the third baseman on the depth chart so maybe Middlebrooks gets one last chance.

New York Mets

The Mets' website lists just five non-roster invitees, which can't be right since every team at least invites some extra catchers. Jim Henderson had 28 saves for the Brewers in 2013 but was in the minors in 2015.

Philadelphia Phillies

If you're a veteran reliever trying to salvage your career, Philadelphia must have been the destination of choice this winter: Andrew Bailey, Edward Mujica, , Yoervis Medina and James Russell are all here. So is , and maybe a new organization will prove to be a big benefit to him.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates look pretty set. had an outstanding rookie season with the Padres in 2011, but he's also trying to come back from two Tommy John surgeries. A good reminder that not every TJ surgery works.

San Diego Padres

The Padres don't list their non-roster invitees. They must be very confident that they don't need anybody else!

San Francisco Giants

Remember Ricky Romero? Had a couple of nice seasons with the Blue Jays and then developed the yips and was unable to throw strikes. He pitched eight innings for the Giants in rookie ball last year, walking seven, but he's still plugging along and trying to find himself again. Kyle Blanks is likely Triple-A fodder, but could surface at some point during the season if someone gets injured.

Washington Nationals

Bronson Arroyo missed all of 2015 but could battle , who struggled in 2015 after an excellent 2014, for a spot in the rotation. He and Dusty Baker had some good years together in Cincinnati.

Diamondbacks, Red Sox highlight an insane offseason 11:14 AM ET Jayson Stark ESPN Senior Writer

Let's see now. Super Bowl? All suped out. The dunk contest? Dunked to the last windmill. The Winter Classic? Golden Globes? New Hampshire Primary? All in the rearview mirror.

You know what that means.

Yep. It must be baseball season. If pitchers and catchers are stampeding toward spring training as we speak, that means it's time for our annual look at another insane baseball winter. We take that look through the eyes of 35 of the most astute baseball executives on our continent -- or, to put it another way, the 35 who carved out the time to take part in our always-fascinating Best and Worst of the Offseason poll.

We now proudly present the results of that poll, even though we're pretty sure Ian Desmond, Austin Jackson, Jimmy Rollins, and a whole bunch of other unemployed household names would tell you they don't consider this offseason to be over yet. Nevertheless, the results are in. And here they come ...

(But first, this yearly reminder from your trusty pollsters: We'd never pretend we conducted this survey precisely the way George Gallup would have. Not everybody voted on every category. Not everybody voted for the same number of teams or players in every category. So if you plugged these numbers into your trusty MacBook Pro, it would probably explode within 30 seconds. In other words, all tweets and emails from scientists and mathematicians questioning our methodology will go overlooked and unanswered. Got that? Cool. Now on with the show.)

Most improved teams (National League)

Diamondbacks: 22

Cubs: 13

Giants: 6

If we had created a category entitled "Most Shocking Winter," we almost guarantee the Diamondbacks would have won that one, too. Within the other 29 front offices, a lot of really smart people were scratching their heads and describing this team's ultra- aggressive offseason with words such as "hard to fathom." That's because, really, nobody saw this coming.

Raise your hand if you predicted in October that the D-backs would be the club throwing $206.5 million at . Raise your hand if you saw them dropping the No. 1 pick in the country in June, shortstop Dansby Swanson, into a package that brought . Hmmm. We're not seeing a lot of hands out there.

Why do we get the feeling that's the part of this go-for-it eruption that chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and GM Dave Stewart enjoy most? They knew they were risking a little long-term peril for a dramatic short-term assault on the reign of the Dodgers and Giants in the NL West. And you know what? They. Didn't. Care.

Most improved teams (American League)

Red Sox: 27

Tigers: 12

Mariners: 4

With apologies to Greinke, we could argue there wasn't a better who changed teams this winter than David Price. With apologies to Aroldis Chapman, we could also argue there wasn't a better who called a moving van this winter than Craig Kimbrel. Guess which team reeled in both of them? Yeah, it was those .

If your mind works the way ours do (in which case, you need help immediately), you're no doubt wondering: How rare is it for a team to pull off two moves such as that in the same offseason? Well, the answer, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is, basically, never. Elias says the Red Sox are the first team in history to acquire a Cy Young starter and a closer who led his league in saves at least four times in the same baseball winter. So there you go.

Now, obviously, it isn't up to Price to turn Hanley Ramirez into a real, live major league first baseman. It isn't Kimbrel's job to get to hit the gym instead of the dessert buffet. Those two can't solve all this team's pressing issues. But when set out in November to alter the face of his club, it was only a few weeks before the whole planet knew exactly what (and whom) he had in mind. His team still has big questions. But as one AL exec put it, "It's hard to beat adding an ace and elite closer."

Most unimproved teams (NL)

Rockies: 15

Reds: 9

Padres: 8

Brewers: 6

Braves: 5

Cardinals: 5

Dodgers: 3

Phillies: 2

Pirates: 2

You know the National League is in quite the odd state when nine of the 15 teams in the league get multiple votes for this not-so- exalted honor. But it was that kind of winter. When you look at this league, as one NL exec said, "it's amazing how many teams won't be any good." The voting in this category vividly reflects that, so it wasn't the obvious teams that got our attention.

The Cardinals? Lost and to free agency (and the Cubs). Got a scary health bulletin on Yadier Molina. Got outbid for their top free-agent targets, which was the biggest shock, one exec said, "for a team that's so used to getting whoever they want."

The Dodgers? Seemed as if every move they made was Plan B, C or Z on their offseason priority list. Lost out on Greinke. Had to back out of a deal for Chapman. Didn't like the medicals on Hisashi Iwakuma. Seemed intent on hiring one manager () before winding up with a different one (). Etc., etc., etc. This is still a deep, dangerous team with massive resources, but this was one winter, another exec said, when it felt as if "nothing went the way it was supposed to."

Most unimproved teams (AL)

Angels: 12

Orioles: 9

A's: 8

Rays: 5

Indians: 4

Blue Jays: 3

Twins: 3

A couple of weeks ago, our good friend David Schoenfield wrote a piece that argued the Angels are wasting the prime years of 's career. The voters in this poll clearly agree.

Owner Arte Moreno went out and hired a bright, creative new GM in former Yankees assistant Billy Eppler -- then promptly got so fixated on not paying a nickel in luxury tax that the Angels could never get their hands on that impact outfield bat they needed. That is, unless your definition of "impact outfield bat" is Craig Gentry (.339 career slugging percentage) or Daniel Nava (who slugged .245 last year).

"The only thing they did that I'd applaud was getting ," one exec said. "But the bottom line is they still don't have enough around the center fielder."

Best free-agent signings

Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks): 14

David Price (Red Sox): 13

Howie Kendrick (Dodgers): 10

John Lackey (Cubs): 9

Ben Zobrist (Cubs): 8

Alex Gordon (Royals): 6

Yoenis Cespedes (Mets): 6

Justin Upton (Tigers): 5

It was an awesome winter to grab your shopping cart and head down the aisles of the old Free Agent Mega-Mart. The incredible array of players who got multiple votes was an excellent reminder of the depth and quality in that market. Beyond the group listed above, 17 other players and one manager (Dusty Baker) got votes in the Best Signing portion of this competition.

That's not to say there wasn't the usual grumbling about the years and dollars for the two aces at the top of these charts. (More on that shortly.) But "when you are Boston, you go for it, and Price was the best pitcher out there," one exec said. Then there's Greinke, who "changes the face of the Diamondbacks," another said.

But there was nothing surprising in seeing those two names rake in the votes. Seeing Kendrick and Zobrist as the top two position players, though? Interesting! Kendrick wound up being such a good buy (at two years, $20 million) that one exec quipped: "Not sure where he will play, but at that price, who cares?" The same exec said of Zobrist: "Perfect NL player. Great on a young club. Perfect fit at the perfect time."

Worst free-agent signings

Ian Kennedy (Royals): 15

Jason Heyward (Cubs): 8

Ryan Madson (A's): 8

Johnny Cueto (Giants): 8

Chris Davis (Orioles): 4

Jeff Samardzija (Giants): 4

Mike Pelfrey (Tigers): 4

Of all the categories in this poll, none can top this one when it comes to all-out free-for-alls. We had 26 players get at least one vote. A dozen got multiple votes. There were special votes for "anyone who got an opt-out" and "any pitcher over five years." Craziest of all, want to guess how many players got votes for both "best" and "worst" signing? How about 13! So maybe the most notable were the guys on this leaderboard who landed on nobody's "best" list: Kennedy, Samardzija and Pelfrey. Oddly, the two players who got at least three votes for best and worst signing were both Tigers: Upton and .

Most outrageous contracts

Chris Davis (Orioles): 16

Jason Heyward (Cubs): 13

Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks): 13

David Price (Red Sox): 10

Ian Kennedy (Royals): 7

Johnny Cueto (Giants): 6

When we do this poll, we do our best to make it clear to our voters that "worst signing" and "most outrageous contract" are two different phenomena. The outrage here isn't really about the player, and it isn't about the fit. It's about the length of and dollars in the contract. So that's what Greinke and Price are doing atop the "Best Signing" and "Most Outrageous Contract" standings.

Nobody is arguing they're not great pitchers. They're just really, really unlikely to still be worth a million bucks a start in the final years of their contracts. We're sure it will make their day to know 12 other players showed up in the "Best Signing" and "Most Outrageous" sections of this ballot. So ... it's nothing personal!

Now a quick word on Davis (who got seven years and $161 million from the Orioles) and Heyward (whose eight-year, $184 million deal with the Cubs was one of the stunners of the winter). One exec was so puzzled by why the Orioles gave Davis seven years when no other club appeared to be in that range that his "Most Outrageous" ballot looked like this: "Chris Davis, Chris Davis, Chris Davis."

The best way to sum up Heyward is this: He's one of those guys whose skill set will never appeal to everybody. As one NL exec said in reviewing this deal, "I just don't see it. I just don't see seven years for guys like that. Nice player, but not that kind of player."

Best trades

Dansby Swanson, etc. to Braves: 20

Aroldis Chapman to Yankees: 12

Todd Frazier to White Sox: 8

Corey Dickerson to Rays: 4

What a winter. Even with all those free agents running around, there were so many trades this offseason that we really should have had Jim Cramer -- not a bunch of baseball executives -- evaluate this category. Trying to summarize these election returns is a job we wouldn't even wish on Chuck Todd. It might not have been more complicated than the Iowa Caucus, but it felt like it.

Would you believe we got votes for 27 different trade outcomes? That's because, with the exception of the Chapman, Frazier and Dickerson deals, our voters lined up on pretty much every possible side of every possible trade. If we created a category for deals that work for both teams, our voters ranked them this way: 1) Kimbrel from San Diego to Boston (for four prospects), 2) Ken Giles from Philadelphia to Houston (for five arms) and 3) Starlin Castro from the North Side of Chicago to (for Adam Warren). Then again, that's the way trades are supposed to work. Right?

Bargain free agent department

Best free agents signed to one-year contracts:

Doug Fister (Astros): 11

Hisashi Iwakuma (Mariners): 8

Bartolo Colon (Mets): 7

Rich Hill (A's): 7

Alexei Ramirez (Padres): 5

Steve Pearce (Rays): 4

Yoenis Cespedes (Mets): 4*

(*Those who cast this vote were highly amused by it, for the most part -- because Cespedes signed a three-year deal. But he's widely expected to opt out after one.)

Best free agents, $3 million and under:

Mat Latos (White Sox): 10

Chris Carter (Brewers): 5

Jim Johnson (Braves): 5

Best free agents signed to minor league deals:

Dillon Gee (Royals): 10

Bronson Arroyo (Nationals): 6

Travis Snider (Royals): 4

Craig Stammen (Indians): 4

Who says there's no such thing as a free-agent bargain bin anymore? Not only did 67 players get a vote in one of these three categories, but that doesn't even include the vote for "all the guys who are going to sign in the next 10 days." How fun was that list of 67 players? Arroyo got six votes after a year in which he accumulated more teams (three) than pitches thrown (zero). Tim Federowicz (Cubs) got a vote after hitting .179 in Triple-A. And a .153/.217/.247 slash line for the Braves and Mets didn't stop Jr. (Brewers) from getting a vote. Makes you proud to be an American, doesn't it?

Least recognizable team

Braves: 17

Brewers: 17

Phillies: 16

Finally ... we can sum up this always entertaining category with this quip:

"Hey," one voter said, "I've got a new rock group for you: and the Who."

FOXSPORTS.COM Piniella announced as Findlay Market Parade grand marshal will be a consultant for the Reds. Feb 17, 2016 at 2:36p ET

CINCINNATI-- The Cincinnati Reds and Findlay Market announced Tuesday that former manager Lou Piniella will be the Grand Marshal of the 97th Findlay Market Opening Day Parade, which kicks off at noon on Monday, April 4.

Piniella managed the Reds from 1990-1992 and led the club to its wire-to-wire championship.

Piniella recently was hired as a consultant for the team as a senior advisor to baseball operations.

Parade Route Update

- The Findlay Market and the City of Cincinnati also announced today that the 2016 Opening Day Parade will be returning to the long-established parade route and eliminates a construction detour used in recent years.

- The Parade route for 2016 begins on Race Street at Findlay Market and will proceed south on Race Street, then east onto Fifth Street.

- The Parade continues along Fifth Street past Fountain Square and concludes at Fifth and Sycamore, just past the Taft Theater.

The first pitch for the Reds' Opening Day game vs the is at 4:10 p.m. ET.

TRANSACTIONS 02/17/16

San Diego Padres invited non-roster RF to spring training. San Diego Padres invited non-roster C Jason Hagerty to spring training. invited non-roster RHP Zach Thornton to spring training. New York Mets invited non-roster RF Travis Taijeron to spring training. New York Mets invited non-roster 1B Dominic Smith to spring training. New York Mets invited non-roster SS T.J. Rivera to spring training. New York Mets invited non-roster SS Gavin Cecchini to spring training. New York Mets invited non-roster RHP Chasen Bradford to spring training. San Diego Padres invited non-roster 3B Carlos Asuaje to spring training.