Reds Manager Bryan Price: 'I'd Like To Have The Best 25 Players To Help Us Win"

[Ron Madden]

One of the many difficult aspects of whittling down the 65 players invited to Cincinnati Reds spring training into a 40-man roster and the 25-man Opening Day roster is that if a non-roster player is chosen to make that jump, then a roster player becomes exposed to the waiver wire and another team can swoop in and claim them.

Reds manager Bryan Price addressed that scenario Monday morning with reporters when asked whether some non-roster invites who are playing well this spring might have extra hurdles to clear to make the team.

“It’s an easy move to take guys on the roster because you don’t risk losing a player in the process," he said. "However, I will not let go of my theory that we have to have the 25 best players to help us win. And if that necessitates us exposing some of our players to waiver claims to make room for non-roster players, I believe that’s what we should do.

"We’ve got a lot of really good names as non-roster players. (Phil) Gosselin, (Patrick) Kivlehan, (Cliff) Pennington, (Ben) Revere – guys that have had some success in the league, in particular, with Pennington and Gosselin as a bench player has had some very effective years. Ben Revere has had a really nice career. We’ve had some guys who have really stood out – (Mason) Williams, Rosell Herrera – guys that have had a nice camp who are non-roster that should force our hand if they continue to play well to make room for them on the 25-man roster, and obviously, the 40-man roster.

“That’s my take on it. I don’t speak for the entire organization but I speak for myself. I’d like to have the best 25 players to help us win.”

The names Price mentioned are all utility players who can help out in a number of different positions, which makes them all valuable bench additions if they're playing well.

https://www.cincinnati.com/story/spo...win/394662002/

[Tom Servo]

Every time I start to think maybe the Reds could have one of those sudden turn around years with a bunch of guys taking a big step forward I remember that Bryan Price is still the manager and those hopes are immediately dashed.

[Kinsm]

He's not wrong in this instance (with one exception - players with service time issues - Mahle/Senzel).

If one of those NRI's is better than Stuart Turner or Dilson Herrera or Kevin Shackelford, etc... then you place them on waivers.

[kaldaniels]

Every time I start to think maybe the Reds could have one of those sudden turn around years with a bunch of guys taking a big step forward I remember that Bryan Price is still the manager and those hopes are immediately dashed.

I get and respect your greater point that you don’t want Price as manager of the Reds..

But let’s not get carried away. At worst he’s worth a few losses...if the Reds have a turnaround year it will be in spite of him.

Spring hopes eternal. No more cheap shots?

[corkedbat]

Crying over possibly having to cut Phil Gosselin or Ben Revere is not heartening. If he puts Revere on the roster, he's gonna give him starts (and not necessarily in Billy's stead). I will be waking up in a cold sweats dreading a lineup that includes Revere, Hamilton, Peraza, Barnhart & the pitcher.

[Redsfaithful]

Every time I start to think maybe the Reds could have one of those sudden turn around years with a bunch of guys taking a big step forward I remember that Bryan Price is still the manager and those hopes are immediately dashed.

Wild to think I once had hope he might be a step up from Dusty. He might be the best example of the Peter principle to ever exist.

[bleedsred]

Well, I hope Joey starts hitting.....but on a serious note, what non-roster guys do you think have a shot at the roster. Obviously, not all 6 guys he named are going to make the team, not did he being up any non roster pitcher. I figure one of Pennington or Gosselin will make the club and I would prefer Williams over Revere and PK (we know exactly what they are) plus I think Patrick would head to AAA for insurance. Then again, all these guys may head to Louisville with the way free agency has been this season.

Available guys without jobs:Y Escobar, S Drew, N Walker, D Ackley, and B Phillips are just a few guys out there still looking for jobs. I don't think there is any real danger of losing a non roster guy with an opt out clause...where exactly are they going to go?

[WrongVerb]

It really does seem sometimes as though the Reds make personnel decisions on the basis of who's feelings might get hurt in the process.

[Saven]

Wild to think I once had hope he might be a step up from Dusty. He might be the best example of the Peter principle to ever exist.

I can't believe I ever once thought he would be better than Dusty. I wasn't expecting much better results, but I wasn't expecting this.

[membengal]

I guess it's the "to help us win" part of that, that gives me pause. I am afraid Bryan Price sees Ben Revere, for instance, very differently than I do...

[JME]

Perhaps he was referring to Homer Bailey not being on the club....

[Old school 1983]

It really does seem sometimes as though the Reds make personnel decisions on the basis of who's feelings might get hurt in the process.

Can you give us an example or two? I'm trying to come up with one or two and am drawing a blank. I might just need coffee. Lol

[Bob Sheed]

nm

[Donder]

Can you give us an example or two? I'm trying to come up with one or two and am drawing a blank. I might just need coffee. Lol

The first two that jump to my mind are batting Hamilton lead off and calling Finnegan a front runner for the rotation.

[bm1475]

I'm having some trouble understanding what's wrong with wanting to have the 25 best guys on the team Opening Day.