Press Clippings October 2, 2018

THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1988-Barry Larkin closes the season with a 21-game hitting streak. In the 1988 season, Larkin was named an All-Star while batting .296 with 32 doubles, 40 stolen bases and 56 RBI. During his season-ending 21-game hit streak, Larkin produced 32 total hits with four doubles, two home runs and nine RBI CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Cincinnati Reds end season with lowest attendance since 1984 Bobby Nightengale, Cincinnati Enquirer Published 4:44 p.m. ET Oct. 1, 2018

As the Reds went through another losing season, finishing with more than 90 losses for the fourth consecutive year, they saw fewer fans at Great American Ball Park.

Their attendance dropped by 11.3 percent from last season.

The Reds drew 1,629,356 fans throughout their 81 home games, averaging 20,116 fans per game. It’s their lowest season attendance total since 1984, back when they were playing at Riverfront Stadium.

It was the first time the Reds failed to draw at least 1.8 million fans in a season since 2009.

Despite the lower attendance, Reds president of operations Dick Williams said last week that the team was planning to “significantly” increase payroll.

“We wanted to take more of a step forward than we did,” Williams said of the team's record. “We certainly saw, for extended periods of time, the capabilities are there. That only goes so far. You need to put it together – this is a six-month season – we need to put it together over the course of six months. We're going to take a hard look at how we get there, how do we get closer next year to where we need to get. That's going to be a big part of this offseason.”

After last making the playoffs in 2013, attendance has declined at Great American Ball Park in each of the following five seasons.

The Reds ranked 24th in the Majors in total attendance, according to Baseball Reference’s figures, ahead of the , Oakland A’s, , , and .

Not including Monday’s tiebreaker games to decide the winners of the Central and NL West, there was a four percent drop in attendance across the sport. Seventeen of the 30 teams had smaller crowds than last year.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred cited the poor weather in April for some of the attendance problems.

Of course, winning usually plays a factor in driving fans to the ballpark. The Reds ended the season with a 67-95 record.

“I think every year you have to look forward and look positive,” Williams said last week. “You can’t let this year’s record define our outlook for next year. I’m disappointed that we didn’t end up this year with a better record. I don’t think anybody in our clubhouse feels differently. I’m frustrated.

“We learned things about our players – for better and for worse – this year. But we very much still plan to move forward. We think we have very good things going on. We have good things coming. And we do think there’s opportunities to improve this club, either through free agent spending or as we build up this farm system, these players will either come up here and play for us or they’re going to be used in trades to make our club better.”

DRAFT ORDER SET: The Reds will have the seventh pick in the 2019 MLB Draft next summer, their first time selecting outside of the Top 5 since 2015.

The finished with an identical 67-95 record but will pick eighth. The Reds received the higher draft pick because they had a worse winning percentage in the 2017 season, which serves as the tiebreaker.

With their Top 5 picks, the Reds selected infielder Nick Senzel in 2016, right-handed Hunter Greene in 2017 and third baseman Jonathan India in June. Senzel, the team’s top-rated prospect, is playing in the outfield during the instructional league this month.

The top 10 picks for the 2019 draft: 1. Orioles; 2. Royals; 3. White Sox; 4. Marlins; 5. Tigers; 6. Padres; 7. Reds; 8. Rangers; 9. Braves (compensation pick for not signing their first-rounder this year); 10. Giants.

Transactions

10/01/18 Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Brent Honeywell from Durham Bulls. recalled RHP Marcus Walden from Pawtucket Red Sox. Boston Red Sox recalled 2B Tony Renda from Pawtucket Red Sox. Boston Red Sox recalled RHP Chandler Shepherd from Pawtucket Red Sox. Chicago White Sox recalled CF Luis Alexander Basabe from Birmingham Barons. Chicago White Sox recalled LHP Ian Clarkin from Birmingham Barons. Chicago White Sox recalled OF Micker Adolfo from Winston-Salem Dash. Chicago White Sox recalled C Dustin Garneau from . Chicago White Sox recalled RHP Carson Fulmer from Charlotte Knights. Chicago White Sox recalled CF Charlie Tilson from Charlotte Knights. Chicago White Sox recalled LF Eloy Jimenez from Charlotte Knights. recalled RHP Eduardo Jimenez from . Detroit Tigers recalled LHP from Lakeland Flying Tigers. Detroit Tigers recalled SS Sergio Alcantara from Erie SeaWolves. Detroit Tigers recalled LHP Ryan Carpenter from . Detroit Tigers recalled SS from Toledo Mud Hens. Detroit Tigers recalled CF Mike Gerber from Toledo Mud Hens. Detroit Tigers recalled RF Dustin Peterson from Toledo Mud Hens. recalled 1B AJ Reed from Round Rock Express. Houston Astros recalled RHP Francis Martes from Round Rock Express. Houston Astros recalled CF Derek Fisher from Round Rock Express. Houston Astros recalled RHP Brady Rodgers from Round Rock Express. recalled RHP Eduardo Paredes from Salt Lake Bees. Los Angeles Angels recalled RHP Luke Farrell from Orem Owlz. Los Angeles Angels recalled RHP Jesus Castillo from Mobile BayBears. recalled RHP Max Povse from Arkansas Travelers. Seattle Mariners recalled RHP Dan Altavilla from . Tampa Bay Rays recalled 3B Christian Arroyo from Durham Bulls. Tampa Bay Rays recalled RHP Andrew Moore from Durham Bulls. Tampa Bay Rays recalled LHP Anthony Banda from Durham Bulls. Boston Red Sox recalled RHP Justin Haley from Pawtucket Red Sox. recalled RF Dalton Pompey from Buffalo Bisons. recalled LHP Adam McCreery from . Atlanta Braves recalled RHP Wes Parsons from Gwinnett Stripers. Atlanta Braves recalled LHP Ricardo Sanchez from Mississippi Braves. Cincinnati Reds recalled CF Jose Siri from Chattanooga Lookouts. Cincinnati Reds recalled 2B Shed Long from Chattanooga Lookouts. Cincinnati Reds recalled RF Aristides Aquino from Chattanooga Lookouts. Cincinnati Reds recalled LHP Brandon Finnegan from Louisville Bats. Cincinnati Reds recalled RHP Tanner Rainey from Louisville Bats. Cincinnati Reds recalled RHP Jose Lopez from Louisville Bats. Cincinnati Reds recalled RHP Austin Brice from Louisville Bats. recalled RHP Chase Johnson from Richmond Flying Squirrels. San Francisco Giants recalled RF Mac Williamson from . San Francisco Giants recalled RHP Tyler Beede from Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants recalled 2B Miguel Gomez from Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants recalled RHP Tyler Herb from Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants recalled RHP Derek Law from Sacramento River Cats. San Francisco Giants recalled LHP Josh Osich from Sacramento River Cats. St. Louis Cardinals recalled RHP Derian Gonzalez from . St. Louis Cardinals recalled RHP Conner Greene from . St. Louis Cardinals recalled LF Justin Williams from Memphis Redbirds. St. Louis Cardinals recalled RHP Matt Bowman from Memphis Redbirds. recalled C Raudy Read from . Washington Nationals recalled SS Matt Reynolds from Fresno Grizzlies. Washington Nationals recalled RHP Austin L. Adams from Fresno Grizzlies. Washington Nationals recalled RHP Trevor Gott from Fresno Grizzlies. Washington Nationals activated RHP Kelvin Herrera from the 10-day disabled list. Cincinnati Reds activated RHP Robert Stephenson from the 10-day disabled list. Tampa Bay Rays activated C Michael Perez from the 10-day disabled list. .