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Press Clippings July 14, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1970- hosts the All-Star Game and the wins, 5-4, in 12 innings. President Richard Nixon throws out the first pitch prior to the All-Star Game, but what the game is most remembered for is crashing into , , to score the winning run on Jim Hickman’s RBI- MLB.COM Adleman starts vs. Nats to begin 2nd half By Kyle Melnick / MLB.com | 9:43 AM ET + 37 COMMENTS

The Nationals displayed one of the most potent offenses the first half of the season, leading the National League in almost every offensive category. , Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy -- the middle of the lineup -- led that charge with three of the Top 5 batting averages in the NL.

Washington will look to continue that offensive production in the second half as their five All-Stars return Friday night to begin a four-game set against the Reds at .

The Nats took two out of three from Cincinnati when the teams met in June, but , one the Reds' two All-Stars, didn't play due to a quadriceps injury.

The teams are on opposite ends of the spectrum in their respective divisions. The Nationals are looking to maintain their sizeable lead in the NL East, while the Reds enter the second half fighting to get out of last place in the NL Central.

Cincinnati will start , while Washington will send left-hander Gio Gonzalez to the mound. The Reds have dropped five of Adleman's past six starts, and he has taken the loss in four of those games. His ERA during that span is 5.23. Gonzalez, meanwhile, is putting together his best season since joining the Nats in 2012.

The Nationals have the worst bullpen ERA in the Major Leagues and will get a look at Reds , whom Washington is interested in, according to sources who spoke to MLB.com before the All-Star break.

Three things to know about this game

• has 26 home runs after the first half. He 29 homers in each of his past two seasons.

• Iglesias has 16 saves this season, while the Nationals' team total is 20.

• The Nationals optioned left-hander Sammy Solis to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday. They will make a corresponding roster move prior to Friday's game.

Kyle Melnick is a reporter for MLB.com based in Washington. This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

Reds a team to watch leading up to Deadline 9 1/2 games out of 1st, club will need hot 2nd-half start to avoid being sellers By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | July 13th, 2017 + 183 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- A sink in the standings over the past month and a general in his first year running the baseball operations department will likely make the Reds a team to watch over the next two-plus weeks ahead of the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline.

In the offseason, Reds GM maintained he would listen to trade proposals for any player and be opportunistic. That was clear in January when the team -- already short of proven starting -- moved to the Marlins to acquire three prospects that included power-armed starter , who is currently in the Reds' starting rotation.

The most obvious trade chip the Reds have is All-Star Zack Cozart, who is in the final year of his contract and can be a after the season. But there might be other possibilities. The name of closer Raisel Iglesias has already hit the rumor mill for interest, but he would likely require a huge haul in return. More realistic bullpen pieces who can be moved are veterans like and .

Williams and the club are looking to add young, controllable players who have the ability to stick around for a while. It's been the Reds' MO for the past several years and it's brought back current core players like Eugenio Suarez, , and Jose Peraza.

Trade scenario

Williams made it no secret in the winter that he was looking to deal Cozart but lacked shortstop demand from other teams. Injuries - - and his great first half -- could improve the odds that Cozart is dealt. The D-backs lost Nick Ahmed for several weeks to a hand injury. The Orioles are missing J.J. Hardy with a broken wrist and the first-place Nationals will be without , who also broke a wrist. Washington is even more desperate for bullpen help, however, and sources told MLB.com before the All-Star break that it was interested in Iglesias.

What are they playing for?

Although the Reds are 39-49 and 9 1/2 games behind the surprising first-place Brewers in the , the division wasn't strong in the first half. The defending champion Cubs are two games under .500. A fast start to the second half could get Cincinnati back to at least the cusp of contending and playing meaningful games later in the season. Because of the Reds' strong lineup, defense and back end of the bullpen, manager and the clubhouse moved past the idea of rebuilding and felt like the team could compete on any given day. Ultimately, the rest of this year is about building momentum for a stronger 2018.

The road ahead

There are nine games left against Milwaukee, which also came into the season as a rebuilding club. Should the Brewers start fading, the Reds could take advantage. There are also 10 games left against the underperforming Cubs. One particularly fun late-season series is coming Sept. 22-24, vs. the -leading Sox.

Key player

Joey Votto had spectacular second-half performances in both 2015 and '16, but both came after lackluster or poor first halves. The rest of 2017 could be about Votto building NL Most Valuable Player Award credentials and establishing career highs, especially home runs. In his 2010 NL MVP season, he slugged a career-high 37 homers. With an NL-leading 26 homers already in 2017, he's well on his way to surpassing that.

Prospects to watch

Yet to be seen is right-hander , who already threw a for Double-A Pensacola in April and is impressing since his recent promotion to Triple-A Louisville. Mahle, the No. 8 prospect in the organization according to MLBPipeline.com, is not on the 40-man roster but has certainly earned a September callup at minimum. Don't count him out, however, for making his big league debut sooner.

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.

Inbox: Will Reds trade Cozart by Deadline? Beat reporter Mark Sheldon fields fans' questions By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | July 13th, 2017 + 6 COMMENTS

The All-Star break is over and it's time for everyone to get back and begin the second half. Of course, the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline is coming soon and that means plenty of questions about who might be dealt. Let's delve into this latest edition of the Reds Inbox.

Do you see the Reds trading Zack Cozart at the Trade Deadline? -- Dallas A., Pueblo, Colo.

I think it's entirely possible, especially since Cozart is having a career year at the plate, continuing to play fantastic defense and is a free agent after the season. What dims the chance of a deal is lack of demand. There wasn't a big need for in the winter and there isn't much more now. However, there are three clubs -- Washington, Arizona and Baltimore -- that are all missing shortstops because of injuries.

What is the right price for trading Raisel Iglesias to the Nationals? -- Aaron H., on Facebook

Whatever it is, it should be super-duper high. MLB.com reported last week that Washington expressed interest. I don't think the Reds particularly want to move Iglesias, but general manager Dick Williams would be correct to listen to any offer for any player. Iglesias, who is signed through 2020, is the kind of the reliever the Reds need to have around for when they are ready to contend. He's not cost-prohibitive, is a positive presence in the clubhouse and most importantly, he stabilizes the back end of the bullpen.

Do you think the Reds will aggressively market Tony Cingrani in trade talks? -- @EricTStauffer2

If they aren't, they should be. As a left-handed reliever who has pitched well since his return from the disabled list, Cingrani could help a club needing a complementary piece for its bullpen. The Reds still have rookie lefty , who emerged to be a dependable option while Cingrani was on the DL earlier in the season.

Is there a chance we could see as a September callup? -- Nicholas L., on Facebook

There is a chance, but I'm not expecting it. Barring any developments by Sept. 1, the Reds' top prospect per MLBPipeline.com will have about a half-season at Double-A Pensacola. The organization hasn't rushed him to this point and he isn't on the 40-man roster. I would not be surprised to see Senzel in big league camp next spring, though.

Who should the Reds honor next with a statue at Great American Ball Park? -- @kyleshaner

The Reds have done a nice job with the statue unveilings the past few years for Pete Rose, Tony Perez, and , but I think it's time to look to honoring the next era. I would think Hall of Famer would be a strong option. But one other suggestion I have isn't a player. What about ? The Award-winning radio broadcaster is a local icon, a Reds institution and routinely gives back to the community.

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. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Reds-Nationals at GABP to feature REDzilla, donkeys Dave , [email protected] Published 9:37 a.m. ET July 14, 2017 | Updated 9:37 a.m. ET July 14, 2017

The resume play after the All-Star break on Friday night against the , and the three-game series Friday, Saturday and Sunday will feature giveaways as well as unscheduled excitement, including REDzilla - described as "the biggest, baddest souvenir launcher in the world" set to make its debut Friday night in the middle of the 4th inning - and All- Stars Zack Cozart, Joey Votto and donkeys on the field before Saturday night’s game (which also is a Billy Hamilton bobblehead giveaway).

Friday and Saturday's games are each 7:10 p.m. starts, while the Sunday game is a 1:10 p.m. start. In addition to the Margaritaville parrot bobblehead giveaway as part of the Margaritaville ticket package (available while supplies last only at reds.com/Parrot) and the Hamilton bobblehead the first 20,000 fans will receive on Saturday, Friday night features Fireworks Friday and a Cincinnati Zoo Bald Eagle Flight. And Sunday is a Family Sunday, and kids 14 and under receive a team baseball card set.

First-half surprises and second-half questions for Reds Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 1:12 p.m. ET July 13, 2017 | Updated 1:12 p.m. ET July 13, 2017

The first half of the baseball season is in the books, as is the All-Star Game. The Cincinnati Reds are 39-49 entering the season half, although it wasn't the disaster of a half the Reds had a year ago.

Here's a look back at the three biggest first-half surprises, and a look forward at questions yet to be answered in the second half.

FIRST-HALF SURPRISES

The lineup is deeper than most would have predicted. The biggest lineup surprise is easily the play of All-Star shortstop Zack Cozart, who is hitting .312/.394/.547 and has boosted his walk rate significantly. But he's not the only surprising performer.

Left fielder Adam Duvall, an All-Star a year ago, is posting even better numbers than he did back then. Right fielder Scott Schebler has been nearly Duvall's equal, with a .327 on-base percentage and .529 slugging percentage. looks like a better hitter than in 2016, and Eugenio Suarez has continued to get on base despite a month-long slump, something he couldn't do a year ago.

On top of all that, Joey Votto has unlocked yet another level of amazing offensive performance at age 33, and is a legitimate MVP candidate. has lit the world aflame as a super-sub. Jose Peraza and Billy Hamilton are the only weak spots, and Hamilton has come around as of late.

The Reds have more good relievers than they can carry. Entering , five bullpen spots were spoken for, a situation that was unchanged by the surprise designation for assignment of right-hander Jumbo Diaz. It's clear now the Reds didn't need to keep him around.

Raisel Iglesias and have performed to or above expectations at the back of the bullpen, and Tony Cingrani has pitched well since returning from injury. Drew Storen looks to be a smart, low-cost signing, and rookie Wandy Peralta pitched himself into a leverage role within the first month of the season. is the only regular who would really qualify as a disappointment so far.

Beyond those six, the Reds have enjoyed flashes of excitement from and Ariel Hernandez. got roughed up in his only big-league appearance, but has dominated Triple-A and will receive more opportunities. has cruised through the minors and could help the big-league team at some point, though he's not on the 40-man roster.

Just about every rotation option has already been tried. When Jackson Stephens made his big-league debut in the final home stand of the first half, he became the 22nd of 23 pitchers on the 40-man roster to appear in the majors. Only , currently in Double-A, has yet to appear. There is no way the Reds thought they'd cycle through this many young pitchers so quickly.

Injuries have forced their hands to an extent. Losing after just 14 innings left a huge gap to fill, as did losing Anthony DeSclafani from spring until at least August. has been a stalwart, but plenty of young pitchers behind him have struggled and earned demotions back to the minors.

There's been some hope recently, with Luis Castillo, and Stephens pitching well in recent opportunities. But if the season of is any indication, a handful of good starts is not exactly an indicator of future success when rookie pitchers are involved.

SECOND-HALF QUESTIONS

Who is still here on August 1? Any veteran set to hit free agency next year is an obvious trade chip, with Cozart leading that pack. The Reds have talked openly about trying to explore a hometown-discount extension with Cozart, but if that happens it would need to occur before the July 31 deadline. Otherwise, they risk losing him for no compensation at all.

Storen and Feldman are also obvious chips, with Storen the most likely to be moved. With the rotation's struggles, it's debatable whether the Reds could really survive without Feldman soaking up quality innings. Plus, with the rotation probably lacking in predictability next season, would the Reds think about extending Feldman for one more year? Would Feldman?

The most aggressive the Reds might get would be to trade Cingrani, who has two more years of team control remaining. But, he'll get progressively more expensive each year in arbitration and the Reds are deep in the bullpen, so they could probably spare him. More blockbuster-type moves like trading Iglesias or Hamilton seem unlikely at this point.

Will any rookie starters figure things out? Yes, the performances of Castillo, Romano and Stephens have been encouraging. But they lack track record. Castillo has four starts under his belt, and only one that would qualify as great. Romano has two, including one clunker, and Stephens has only his strong debut. They'll need to add many, many more to solidify spots in next year's rotation.

If they don't, the Reds will give Triple-A guys a second shot. Is Robert Stephenson finally ready to reach his potential? Can get out of his own head and let his filthy stuff go to work for him? Is Amir Garrett's confidence in his abilities warranted? Can get on track after an injury? Will Tyler Mahle be added to the 40-man roster and get his shot?

The Reds need some positive answers on at least a few of those guys, or else much of this season will have felt like a waste.

How will the Reds finish the season? Entering the second half, the Reds are on pace for the No. 6 pick in the 2018 draft. That wouldn't return as high-caliber a player as the No. 2 pick has the last two drafts, but it would still result in a highly-ranked prospect. The Reds are 9.5 games ahead of the Phillies, who are on pace to pick first overall.

But Cincinnati is also 9.5 games out of first in the National League Central, despite currently sitting in last. Reds manager Bryan Price -- on whose 2018 contract option the Reds must decide later this summer -- has said his team is only a solid rotation away from competing. That's true, although actually finding those solid starting pitchers in time to make a run is unlikely.

The , currently in second place, just added starting Jose Quintana from the . The first-place could add at the deadline as well, and the Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals could all reasonably convince themselves that a key addition or two could vault them atop the division race. It is much, much harder to make that argument for the Reds. But if the young pitching suddenly does gel? Who knows. DAYTON DAILY NEWS Hal McCoy: Reds modeling rebuild after Astros By Hal McCoy - Contributing Writer Posted: 6:00 a.m. Friday, July 14, 2017

Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy knows a thing or two about our nation’s pastime. Tap into that knowledge with an email to [email protected].

Q: Might MLB commissioner decide not to wind the as tight for the second half of the season? — DAVE, MIAMISBURG/CENTERVILLE/BEAVERCREEK.

A: The commissioner doesn’t wind the innards of the baseballs himself. If he did that he wouldn’t have time to continue to come up with new rules and time clocks so that in 20 years we won’t recognize the game. And I’m pretty sure he loves that tight baseball. Fans love home runs. Why else would the Derby have more viewers than the All-Star Game itself? My brother-in-law, Dr. Rod Tomczak, watches one baseball event a year — the .

Q: How can the Reds become the , because just a few years ago the Astros were losing and now they are the the talk of the town? — JACKI, Englewood.

A: Oh, the old Houston Lastros? They had a three-year span in which they lost 106, 107 and 111 games. I’d like to say they are better now because they switched from the National League to the American League, but that’s not true. They lost 111 games their first year in the AL (2013). Now, indeed, they are the talk of baseball. And the Reds are trying to follow the Astros game plan by rebuilding from scratch. The Astros made some brilliant high draft picks and that’s what the Reds are trying to do, along with trading high-priced veterans for prospects. The Astros became competitive in 2015 with 86 wins. That’s three years removed from the 111 losses. So, if all goes as planned, the Reds should “arrive” in 2020.

Q: My brother wonders if pitchers have a higher earned-run average when is catching. Can you find that data? — JEFF, Springboro.

A: Did your brother forget to pay his WiFi bill? With Devin Mesoraco on the disabled list, does it really matter? Tucker Barnhart is doing most of the catching. To me, a catcher’s ERA is another of those many ridiculous statistics baseball tracks. The catcher catches the ball (as his position name indicates) and the pitcher pitches the ball (as his position name indicates). A ball belongs to a pitcher, not a catcher. Anyway, neither Reds catcher owns a good ERA. Barnhart’s is 4.53, 21st in MLB. Mesoraco hasn’t caught enough games to be rated in the top 30, but his ERA for 10 starts is 6.05.

Q: Why did move from first base coach to third and was it his choice, because that is a tougher job with more scrutiny? — BECKY, Trenton.

A: Your assessment is right on. In 44 years of covering baseball I have never asked a first base coach a question about his performance (or what it is he actually does other than collect batting gloves), but third base coaches are often asked, usually after a runner is thrown out, “Why did you send the guy home?” Hatcher, a guy with a brilliant baseball mind, moved from first to third (his choice) when long-time third base coach was battling cancer. Hatcher, by the way, has been excellent.

Q: Are you in favor of MLB retiring ’s No. 21 like they did No. 42 for ? — MARK, Dayton.

A: Roberto Clemente may be the best all-around player I ever saw, even though I only saw him briefly. And we all know what a great humanitarian he was. He died in a plane crash — a plane loaded with provisions he paid for that was headed for Nicaraguan earthquake victims. But if they start retiring numbers indiscriminately, where will it end? So many players would deserve it that they’d run out of numbers. To me, Jackie Robinson is enough. What he did and what he went through is worthy. Let’s stop it at “42.”

Q: What do you think about expansion? — RON, Cincinnati.

A: I just came back from vacation and the expansion of my waistline concerns me greatly. Oh, baseball expansion? I am in favor of expanding to two cities and for one reason only. That would give MLB 32 teams, 16 in each league. Right now there are 30 teams, 15 in each league. That means there has to be an interleague series going on at all times. Maybe if they expand to 16 teams in each league they can do away with , which has long outlived its novelty. The so-called Cup between the Reds and Indians actually draws snickers from those involved. Nobody really cares. How about returning to Montreal and putting a team in Las Vegas?

Q: Why does it seem to me that Eugenio Suarez is just going through the motions at bat? — AL, Troy.

A: I can’t answer that because I don’t really know what going through the motions means. I have never seen a major leaguer not try to get a hit. When a player struggles, as Suarez has lately, he is frustrated and swings at bad pitches, takes good pitches and looks lost. No player wants to look bad, so they’d never go through the motions. And Suarez’s time with the Reds is probably on a short rope because Nick Senzel, last year’s No. 1 draft pick, is on a quick ascent.

Q: I was in Columbus watching a minor league game and saw a timer near the that started at 20 seconds before each pitch was thrown, but even if it got to zero before the pitch was thrown nothing happened. What was it for? — KARL, Jamestown.

A: What you saw was the dreaded pitch clock and it soon will be coming to your nearest major . It is only used in the minors right now on an experimental basis. But it appears it will make its major league debut next year. A pitcher is given 20 seconds from the time he gets the baseball to make a pitch. If he doesn’t beat the clock, a ball is called. If the umpires didn’t call a ball when the Columbus clock reached :00, they were sleeping on the job. Maybe they need to put an alarm on the clock when it hits :00 to keep the umpires awake. And I fear baseball, with a time clock, is turning itself into the NBA.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK Q: After watching the Reds for years, I’m convinced they are at the bottom of the league in successful bunts, so when we yell at the TV, should we blame the coaches for not insisting the pitchers and position players practice bunting during the season? — DENNY, Beavercreek.

A: It is more evident to you because you watch the Reds. It is prevalent throughout baseball. Bunting is no longer an art, it is a disgrace. And don’t blame the coaches. Teams work on bunting every day during batting practice, especially the pitchers. But bunting a 96-mph fastball with movement isn’t easy. And bunting a diving split-fingered pitch is even more difficult. Pitchers don’t just lay in an easy pitch to bunt. They try to defend it, just as they try to defend home runs. Unfortunately for them, they are more successful defending bunts than they are home runs these days. TRANSACTIONS 07/13/17 traded LHP to Milwaukee Brewers for 1B . sent LHP on a rehab assignment to AZL Angels. Chicago Cubs optioned RHP to Iowa Cubs. Los Angeles Angels sent LF Eric Young Jr. outright to Salt Lake Bees. New York Yankees sent 2B on a rehab assignment to Trenton Thunder. signed free agent RHP John Straka to a minor league contract. Washington Nationals signed free agent 3B Michael Almanzar to a minor league contract. Braves sent LF Sean Rodriguez on a rehab assignment to Gwinnett Braves. sent RHP Chaz Roe outright to Gwinnett Braves. placed LF on the restricted list. sent RHP J.J. Hoover on a rehab assignment to Kane County Cougars. sent 3B on a rehab assignment to Jupiter Hammerheads. St. Louis Cardinals activated LHP Kevin Siegrist from the 10-day disabled list. Miami Marlins signed free agent LHP Jared Lakind to a minor league contract. released LHP Antonio Bastardo. sent RHP Vince Velasquez on a rehab assignment to Clearwater Threshers. Chicago White Sox traded LHP Jose Quintana to Chicago Cubs for 2B Bryant Flete, RHP , LF Eloy Jimenez and 1B Matt Rose. sent OF Jarrett Parker on a rehab assignment to . sent RHP Chad Bettis on a rehab assignment to Hartford Yard Goats.