Press Clippings October 12, 2018

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1990-The Reds defeat the Pirates, 2-1, to win the National League Championship Series, winning the series, 4-2. In Game 6, Reds pitchers Danny Jackson, Norm Charlton and Randy Myers throw a 1-hitter MLB.COM

Reds managerial candidates set for 2nd round Williams hopes to select new skipper by end of October By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Oct. 11th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- The Reds have already interviewed 11 managerial candidates, but there will soon be another contender added, making it a dozen. Reds president of operations told MLB.com on Thursday that the club would meet with one more person this week, but declined to name the candidate.

Otherwise, Williams was pleased with how the process has played out to this point. The Reds hope to have a in place by the end of October.

"We're just continuing to drill down on the candidates that we have," Williams said. "We started our process early because we knew we wanted to cast a wide net. We haven't done a search like this since I've been here. We felt like it was important to expose ourselves to different candidates with different backgrounds to find the best fit for us in our current situation. We don't want to rush through it."

After was relieved of his duties on April 19, Jim Riggleman took over on an interim basis.

The Reds have certainly made the selection process expansive, having already interviewed Riggleman, former Red Sox manager John Farrell, former Yankees manager Joe Girardi, Giants vice president of player development , former Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, Giants bench coach , Rays bench coach Charlie Montoyo, Pirates bench coach Tom Prince and Reds coaches Pat Kelly, and .

"We're trying to be as diligent as we can and consider as many alternatives as we can," Williams said. "We've had to invest a lot more time because we've been deeper. We thought it was worth it."

The second round of interviews is expected to begin next week. According to Williams, no one has been told that they are out of the running. He declined to name the number of candidates that would move on to getting second interviews.

"It will be cut down a lot," Williams said.

Senzel to undergo surgery on left elbow Reds' No. 1 prospect has bone spurs, will need six weeks to recover By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Oct. 11th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- A chance for Nick Senzel to try his newly mined skills as an in the was scrapped when it was learned that the Reds top prospect needs left elbow surgery to remove bone spurs.

Senzel, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the organization's No. 1 prospect and No. 6 overall, will have his operation performed by team medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek on Tuesday and is expected to need six weeks to recover. The 23-year-old had been learning to play left field and center field in Arizona during instructional league.

"It's just a couple of bone spurs. Now is the time to do it because it won't impact any of his offseason work," Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams said. "It's six weeks of no activity with that elbow and then he'll have a normal offseason progression. We wanted him to go through the instructs to get outfield instruction and get the experience out there. But we didn't want to push it any further than that. It was something that was nagging."

An MRI exam confirmed the bone spurs, and the surgery is considered minor. However, it's the third time this year that a health issue has forced Senzel off of the field. He missed nearly a month in May because of a bout with vertigo -- the second of his pro career. In late June after a ground ball hit him on the hand, he had season-ending surgery to repair a broken index finger.

When asked if there were health concerns regarding the team's top prospect, Williams wasn't concerned.

"They're just unrelated, fluke situations," Williams replied. "It's frustrating that he lost time this year and potentially an opportunity to play in the Fall League. But really in the greater scheme of things, he had a very nice year. He had a chance to perform on the field, a chance to progress and a chance to go to instructional league. Taking a ground ball off your finger and having a bone spur to get cleaned up, guys have that all the time."

In 44 games for Triple-A Louisville, mostly playing second base, Senzel batted .310/.378/.509 with six home runs and 25 RBIs.

"If he can do as well as he did while struggling through with minor things, it just makes us excited to see him at full-go," Williams said.

Drafted No. 2 overall as a third baseman in the 2016 MLB Draft, Senzel was given his first look at shortstop during Spring Training. During the regular season, he was moved to second base for Louisville. With the Reds having Eugenio Suarez locked in at third base and Scooter Gennett at second base, the outfield could be another option for Senzel to reach the big leagues.

This fall, Senzel played mostly in left field but also some center field while getting instruction from Reds coaches at the team's Goodyear, Ariz., complex. He was expected to see some action in the Arizona Fall League.

"He just was getting exposed to both," Williams said. "It was more, at this point, about the concept of stretching your arm out to make a different throw than you're used to and understanding the positioning. We'll see when we get him in live games how the instincts will play out there. We've always been optimistic about that because he's always been a very instinctual ballplayer."

Pipeline names Reds' Prospects of the Year By Mark Sheldon MLB.com @m_sheldon Oct. 11th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- In a relatively short amount of time, a pair of 21-year-old Reds prospects have made good impressions on the field. In addition, how outfielder and starting pitcher handle themselves while not in games has also been noticed.

"Both of these guys have a maturity and contentiousness to what they do with preparation, competitiveness," said Shawn Pender, the Reds' vice president of player development.

Trammell and Santillan were named as the Reds' Minor League Player and Pitcher of the Year by MLB Pipeline.

Each team's hitting and pitching Prospects of the Year were chosen by the MLB Pipeline staff. To receive consideration, players must have spent at least half the year in the Minors and appeared on the team's Top 30 Prospects list.

In 110 games for Advanced Daytona, Trammell batted .277/.375/.406 with eight home runs, 41 RBIs, 25 steals and 71 runs. MLB Pipeline ranks him as the organization's No. 3 prospect and No. 17 overall.

Trammell also dazzled on a national stage this season when he was the MVP of the Sirius-XM All-Star Futures Game in Washington, D.C. He went 2-for-2 with a and a triple for Team USA.

"He just gets it," Pender said. "He knows there are things he needs to work on. He applies himself with the help of others. He keeps marching forward in all aspects of his game. Obviously offensively, the power he continues to show and the bat speed, and the athleticism that plays both offensively and defensively is really important to us. He's developing to be a better defender and a better baserunner."

Trammell was taken 35th overall in the first round by Cincinnati in the 2016 MLB Draft.

Santillan, ranked No. 5 in the organization by MLB Pipeline, was 10-7 with a 3.08 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 26 games combined for Daytona and Double-A Pensacola in 2018. In 149 innings, the right-hander gave up 146 hits and 38 walks while striking out 134. A big kid that stands at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Santillan turned the corner last season after struggling his first two professional seasons. The 2015 second round pick has always been considered to have overpowering stuff, and now he's learned how to command it and manage a game.

"What really stood out to me was how aggressive he was in the strike zone and how he worked to get ahead," Pender said. "Usually when guys have good stuff and they're younger, you sometimes have to wait for the other things to happen -- the command and control. He just had increased feel with everything. The was marked improvement with his ability to locate the quality stuff that we all saw from this guy."

If Trammell and Santillan continue to advance at the current trajectory, Reds fans won't have to wait very long to get their first looks at two of the more promising young players in the organization.

Here's what happened in Thursday's AFL action MLB.com 1:45 AM EDT

Here's a team-by-team breakdown of how all 30 teams' prospects fared in Arizona Fall League action on Thursday:

AL East

Blue Jays Blue Jays No. 9 prospect Cavan Biggio went 0-for-2, but walked four times and drove in a run. Right-hander Zach Jackson recorded four while allowing one hit in 1 1/3 innings of relief for Surprise.

Orioles Orioles No. 12 prospect Ryan McKenna went 2-for-4 with two runs and a walk out of the leadoff spot for Glendale. One of the hits was a double, McKenna's second extra-base hit in as many games after he tripled on Wednesday. Starter Chris Lee gave up one hit over two scoreless innings, while righty Jay Flaa worked 1 1/3 scoreless frames despite issuing four walks. Tyler Erwin also struggled with his control as he allowed one earned run on three walks and two hit batsmen.

Rays Shortstop Lucius Fox, the Rays' No. 9 prospect, connected on a three-run home run in the eighth inning en route to his second straight two-hit game for Peoria. He scored two runs, walked once and stole a base, finishing 2-for-4. Joe McCarthy (No. 17) also reached base twice, going 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. On the mound, right-hander Phoenix Sanders allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits, two walks and two balks in 1 1/3 innings, while Brandon Lawson took the loss after giving up a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning.

Red Sox Esteban Quiroz put Mesa on the board with a third-inning solo homer and reached base five times, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three walks and an RBI. Mike Shawaryn, Boston's No. 9 prospect, tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief.

Yankees Steven Sensley plated a pair of runs with a double and finished 2-for-5 for Glendale. Hobie Harris posted 2 1/3 innings of one-run ball in relief, while Matt Wivinis recorded an out late in the game.

AL Central

Indians Indians No. 6 prospect Yu Chang went 1-for-5 and logged his second start at third base for Glendale. Hard-throwing righty Dalbert Siri scuffled in relief, allowing three earned runs on three hits and a walk in one inning.

Royals Royals No. 2 prospect Khalil Lee went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two walks and a stolen base from the bottom of Surprise's lineup. Meibrys Viloria also made an impact with a 1-for-4 performance that included a two-run double and two walks. Grant Gavin recorded the save despite allowing an unearned run on one hit.

Tigers Daniel Pinero and Daniel Woodrow each collected two hits, an RBI and a steal for Mesa. Eduardo Jimenez was sharp in relief, striking out a pair of hitters over two perfect frames, though Tigers No. 26 prospect Sandy Baez was hammered for five earned runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Twins Twins No. 19 prospect Luke Raley went 0-for-4, but walked twice and scored a run for Salt River. Hector Lujan gave up three runs and retired only two hitters. Jaylin Davis went 2-for-5. Adam Bray picked up the win for Salt River with two hitless innings.

White Sox White Sox No. 4 prospect Luis Robert (No. 44 overall) went 2-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored. He's hit safely in all three games so far for Glendale. Outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe (No. 9) and shortstop Laz Rivera (No. 28) each drew a walk, but collectively finished 0-for-7. More »

AL West

A's Outfielder Luis Barrera scored the walk-off run in the 10th for Mesa to cap a 1-for-4 game in which he scored two runs, walked twice and stole a base. Right-hander Calvin Coker retired all four batters he faced in relief, striking out one.

Angels Brett Hanewich pitched around a pair of walks as he struck out the side in the 10th to earn his second win in as many outings for Mesa.

Astros Astros No. 8 prospect J.B. Bukauskas threw 3 1/3 innings in a start for Scottsdale. The right-hander yielded one unearned run that scored on a passed ball, but was lights-out otherwise. He gave up three hits, struck out five and walked one. Abraham Toro- Hernandez (No. 21) went 2-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Trent Thornton (No. 24) followed Bukauskas and gave up two runs on two hits. Ronnie Dawson went 0-for-3, but walked three times. Erasmo Pinales gave up two hits but also struck out two in a scoreless frame.

Mariners Mariners No. 2 prospect has five RBIs through two games after his 1-for-3, three-RBI game for Peoria. Chris Mariscal also had a solid game, going 2-for-4 with two runs, while Matt Walker worked an inning in relief.

Rangers Third baseman Charles Leblanc tallied two hits and two walks out of the No. 3 spot in Surprise's lineup. Starter Tai Tiedemann and reliever Joe Barlow both struggled as they allowed a combined eight earned runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings. Rangers No. 15 prospect C.D. Pelham tossed a scoreless inning to earn the win.

NL East

Braves Braves No. 6 prospect Christian Pache (No. 66 overall) went 1-for-5, but also grounded into a pair of double plays, while outfielder Izzy Wilson scored a run from the No. 2 spot in Peoria's lineup. Jeremy Walker was effective as he completed three innings of one- run ball in his first AFL start. He was relieved by Braves No. 12 prospect Kyle Muller, who struck out a pair but allowed one run on two hits and two walks in one inning.

Marlins Marlins No. 16 prospect Jordan Yamamoto was impressive in his start for Salt River. The right-hander racked up five strikeouts, including each of the final two batters he faced, over three scoreless innings. followed Yamamoto and gave up two runs -- via a two-run homer -- in 1 1/3 innings. Chad Smith was the third Marlins farmhand to toe the rubber, and he cruised through 1 2/3 scoreless innings. He issued one walk and didn't give up a hit. Tommy Eveld put together a scoreless outing as he threw 1 1/3 innings. Brian Miller (No. 11) was inserted as a pinch-runner. Bryson Brigman (No. 26) went 1-for-4.

Mets Mets No. 2 prospect Peter Alonso turned in a multi-hit effort for the third straight day for Scottsdale. After his 2-for-4 night, Alonso is 7-for-12 through three games. Joe Zanghi cruised through his one inning on the mound, yielding one hit in a scoreless frame. Andres Gimenez (No. 1) entered the game as a pinch-runner and drew a walk in his only plate appearance. Ali Sanchez (No. 25) went 0-for-1. Gerson Bautista gave up one hit over two scoreless innings, and Matt Blackham took the loss after he gave up an unearned run in the bottom of the 11th.

Nationals Nationals No. 2 prospect picked up a pair of hits, including a triple, and scored a run as part of his 2-for-6 night for Salt River. Daniel Johnson (No. 10) went 1-for-5.

Phillies For Scottsdale, Darick Hall went 2-for-5, including a two-run homer, his first long ball of the Fall League.

NL Central

Brewers Catcher Mario Feliciano, Milwaukee's No. 23 prospect, went 1-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and two walks in his first AFL game. Weston Wilson went 1-for-5 with an RBI double, but also committed two errors at third base.

Cardinals Tommy Edman was a catalyst out of the leadoff spot for Surprise with his 2-for-4, three-walk performance. He also drove in a run, scored once and swiped a pair of bases. Jeremy Martinez also tallied a hit, while Lane Thomas reached base on a pair of walks.

Cubs Cubs No. 29 prospect Trent Giambrone paced Mesa's offense as he went 4-for-6 with two RBIs and one run scored. 2018 first- rounder (No. 6) went 0-for-5, but picked up an RBI in his second Fall League contest. PJ Higgins didn't collect a hit, but drove in a run and walked twice. Starting pitcher (No. 8) was tagged for four earned runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings, while lefty Manuel Rondon permitted one walk over two hitless frames in relief.

Pirates Pirates No. 5 prospect Cole Tucker drove in three runs and stole two bases in a 2-for-5 showing for Surprise. Bryan Reynolds (No. 8) also collected two hits, going 2-for-5 with two runs, while (No. 16) scored a run after entering as a pinch-hitter.

Reds Reds No. 3 prospect Taylor Trammell went 1-for-5 for Scottsdale. Shed Long (No. 8) picked up a hit as a pinch-hitter, while Alfredo Rodriguez (No. 23) went 2-for-4.

NL West

D-backs D-backs No. 4 prospect Pavin Smith came through with an RBI single as part of a 1-for-4 night for Salt River. Daulton Varsho (No. 5) went 1-for-4 with an RBI and Drew Ellis (No. 9) went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer.

Dodgers Dodgers No. 2 prospect Keibert Ruiz (No. 39 overall) went 1-for-3 with two walks and an RBI for Glendale. Errol Robinson (No. 20) also had a strong game, going 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a stolen base, while Cody Thomas contributed by scoring one run. On the mound, relievers Nolan Long and Andre Scrubb allowed a combined five runs (three earned) on three hits and three walks.

Giants Giants No. 10 prospect Heath Quinn went 0-for-5 for Scottsdale. C.J. Hinojosa (No. 28) went 0-for-6. Chase Johnson gave up three runs on three hits in one inning. Matt Winn went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

Padres Padres No. 13 prospect Buddy Reed went 1-for-5 and scored a run for Peoria. Left-hander Travis Radke recorded three strikeouts and three walks as he allowed an unearned run on two hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Rockies Rockies No. 11 prospect Tyler Nevin reached base four times (3-for-5 with a walk) and drove in a run for Salt River. Justin Lawrence (No. 17) gave up one unearned run in one inning, but he avoided a big inning by inducing a 1-2-3 double play when he was stuck in a bases-loaded, no-outs jam. Josh Fuentes was inserted into the game as a pinch-runner.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Cincinnati Reds' Shed Long, who can be a 'game changer,' is working on his consistency Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 10:14 p.m. ET Oct. 11, 2018

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – A few hours before Shed Long made his debut in the Arizona Fall League Wednesday, gave a scouting report of the 23-year-old .

He can hit for power. He can steal bases. He plays strong defense.

Batting leadoff for his Fall League team, Long showcased all of it. He went 1-for-4 with three RBI, two walks and one stolen base. The No. 8-ranked prospect in the Reds’ farm system by MLB.com, he’s trying to make the leap to the Majors.

“Certainly, talent wise, he has big-league talent, no doubt about it,” Larkin said. “It’s just a matter of there’s a mental part that goes along with physical ability. I think any and every player has to go through that process of figuring out what it is that makes them who they are.”

The Fall League is designed as a showcase league for minor leaguers whether they are top prospects, players recovering from injuries or older players looking to show their development. outfielder Ronald Acuña, a contender to win the National League Rookie of the Year, won the league’s MVP last year.

Long is still young, but he wants to prove himself. He was placed on the Reds’ 40-man roster last winter and he experienced big league camp in Spring Training.

Is there a pressure playing in the Fall League?

“I mean, it’s there but it’s something that I’m not trying to think about,” Long said. “I’m just trying to focus on the things that I can control. That’s just being here, playing hard every day and being consistent with my work and my play. The other stuff will take care of itself.”

Bobby Nightengale ✔ @nightengalejr Shed Long, in his third plate appearance of Arizona Fall League, smacked a 2-run single in the 3rd inning. #Reds

10:47 PM - Oct 10, 2018

Playing at Double-A Pensacola this year, Long hit .261 with 12 homers and 56 RBI in 126 games. By his standards, he wasn’t happy with his season. He felt like there were times when he was trying to do too much.

In a game of failure, he’s a perfectionist.

“I’m always going to shoot to be perfect,” he said. “If I’m not perfect, then there’s a problem with it. I’m my biggest critic. It’s got to be perfect for me.”

That drive for perfection can lead to great moments. He was selected to play in the Southern League’s All-Star Game in Birmingham (Alabama), close to his hometown. Long hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning in front of a crowd filled with family and friends.

Long, listed at 5-foot-8 and 184 pounds, added an RBI double in the ninth inning.

“It was amazing,” he said. “Honestly, it was one of the biggest moments of my career, for sure, on the field.

“I like to be in the big situations. Every time it’s that time to win a game, to get a big hit, I want to be in that situation. Really, it was just a dream for me.”

One of eight Reds players in the Fall League, Long’s biggest goal is to become more consistent and bring energy to the team. He reported to Arizona early for some extra instruction with Larkin and other coaches.

“He’s a game changer and eventually he will be a very offensive-minded, productive second baseman,” Larkin said. “It’s just a matter of finding who he is and staying disciplined with an approach and then his consistency, I think, will be there because he’s talented enough.”

Long, a 12th-round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft, feels like he’s close to his dream of playing in the Major Leagues. He takes ground balls at other infield positions to remain comfortable in other spots.

Great American Dream, following current Reds minor league second baseman Shed Long in his journey toward

He believes it’s just a matter of proving his consistency.

“I’m right there. It’s like I can almost touch it,” Long said. “It’s right there out of my reach. Just looking to come in here, do what I’ve got to do and who knows what will happen.”

Cincinnati Reds top prospect Nick Senzel needs surgery on elbow, out 4-6 weeks in offseason Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 12:15 p.m. ET Oct. 11, 2018 | Updated 1:59 p.m. ET Oct. 11, 2018

GOODYEAR, Arizona – Learning the outfield throughout the past month, Cincinnati Reds top prospect Nick Senzel was hopeful that he could continue playing his new positions in the Arizona Fall League.

Instead, he won’t be able to play at all.

Senzel told the Enquirer that he needs surgery to remove bone spurs in his left elbow, which will sideline him for four-to-six weeks. He expects to be 100 percent healthy by Spring Training but was disappointed that it would cost him additional playing time in the fall.

“I have two bone spurs in my left elbow, so I have to get a scope surgery done to clean it out,” Senzel said. “I think it’s six weeks, so I’m down another six weeks here soon, which is another kind of crappy thing.”

It’s been a year of tough injuries for Senzel, who missed the final two months of the minor league season because of a fractured right index finger. He was sidelined for nearly a month in May as he dealt with vertigo.

Senzel, who was playing left field and center field during the instructional league, hit .310 in 44 games at Triple-A Louisville. He had a .378 on-base percentage with six homers and 25 RBI.

Senzel said he was playing through pain in his elbow throughout the season, but he found out he needed surgery Wednesday.

“It’s just frustrating, man,” he said. “I was going to do the Fall League and I wanted to play and I wanted to get out in the outfield and do some reps. That was the plan to play in the Fall League. I couldn’t further risk more injury because I knew my elbow has been bothering me for the last 10 months. I played through it for as long as I could. There’s no sense in going out there.”

Why didn't Senzel have surgery when he was previously sidelined?

"It was really in instructs that it was something that was brought to our attention to the point where we wanted to get it MRI’d and get a look at it and assess what we had," said Dick Williams, the Reds' president of baseball operations. "It had never risen to the point of being a problem for his playing time. Really, in instructs was when it rose to the level of needing to get looked at and then deciding to move ahead with the surgery."

Senzel is the Reds’ top-ranked prospect, rated No. 6 overall by MLB.com.

In June, he fractured his finger on a relay throw to the plate from second base. He didn’t damage his tendon, but the fracture required four pins in his finger after undergoing surgery.

“It’s been one after another,” Senzel said of his injuries. “Two freak things and the elbow was the elbow. It just happened. I tried to push through it and push as long as I could."

Williams added: "I got very good reports on the progress he made (in the outfield). There is still a desire to see him in live game situations. But we just have to take it one step at a time. It's important to get this cleaned up."

Transactions

10/11/18 sent LF Christopher Bostick outright to Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins sent RHP James Needy outright to New Orleans Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins sent LF Rafael Ortega outright to New Orleans Baby Cakes. Minnesota Twins sent SS Gregorio Petit outright to Rochester Red Wings. Miami Marlins sent RHP Tyler Cloyd outright to New Orleans Baby Cakes. Miami Marlins sent RHP Javy Guerra outright to New Orleans Baby Cakes.