3-21-22 Reds @ Cubs 4:05 PM

[Ron Madden]

Reds
1. Tyler Naquin (L) RF
2. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B
3. Shogo Akiyama (L) CF
4. Jake Fraley (L) LF
5. Colin Moran (L) 1B
6. Jake Bauers (L) DH
7. Alejo Lopez (S) 2B
8. Andrew Knapp (S) C
9. Miguel Hernandez (R) SS
SP Graham Ashcraft (R)

Cubs
1. Nick Madrigal (R) 2B
2. Willson Contreras (R) C
3. Jason Heyward (L) CF
4. Patrick Wisdom (R) 3B
5. Alfonso Rivas (L) 1B
6. Michael Hermosillo (R) LF
7. Brennen Davis (R) RF
8. Narciso Crook (R) DH
9. Sergio Alcantara (S) SS
SP Keegan Thompson (R)

[Bourgeois Zee]

Interested to see how Ashcraft fares against major league hitters

And a Narciso Crook sighting too!

[Ron Madden]

C. Trent Rosecrans@ctrent

Reds travel roster. Hunter Greene is scheduled to throw one inning

https://mobile.twitter.com/ctrent/status/1505945980687970307/photo/1

[texasdave]

This game will also be free to watch on mlb.com. 4:05 EDT.

[Tadasimha]

If Andrew Knapp throws out a baserunner it's a law to say the runner was 'caught Knapping'.

[cumberlandreds]

This game will also be free to watch on mlb.com. 4:05 EDT.

I believe all spring training games are free. At least the ones that have some sort of televised coverage. So I would suspect most Reds games will be on its just a matter of watching the other teams coverage of the game.

[klw]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOZAdk-XwA0FAeE?format=jpg&name=small

[757690]

Ashcraft looks sharp and man, he throws hard.

[Tom Servo]

For some reason I thought Bauers was a RH hitter.

[757690]

Ashcraft ineffectively wild. Hits two batters in a row to load the bases with no one out. Good test for a young pitcher

[icehole3]

Ashcraft all over the place.

[NebraskaRed]

Loaded the bases with no outs and only gave up one run. Pretty good!

[757690]

Ashcraft with control issues, but the Cubs never were able to square him up. He ends up giving up one run in two innings. Lots of weak grounders.

[klw]

If Andrew Knapp throws out a baserunner it's a law to say the runner was 'caught Knapping'.

Knappy is probably soiled after a day behind the plate.

[icehole3]

Contreras takes Ashcraft to the fence.

[Tom Servo]

obviously early in ST but Fraley has put some pretty good swings on the ball

[icehole3]

The few games I watched Moran has come close to going yard 2-3 times.

[757690]

This analytic guy the Cubs broadcasters are talking to is super annoying. He talks way too fast about things no one cares about.

The fact that he is rambling about nothing while Greene makes his spring debut makes him even more annoying.

[Tom Servo]

Should have been a quick clean inning for Hunter...but Moran drops a high infield popup.

Get a brain, Moran.

[icehole3]

My gut (it's a huge gut) feeling is Greene and Lodolo look MLB ready.

[UKWhoDey]

Jake Fraley is going to be called Ace Freeley by me all season. Best all of you accept that now.

[Tom Servo]

Moose goes yard

[JCM11]

obviously early in ST but Fraley has put some pretty good swings on the ball

He put up an .815 OPS vs rhp last year on only a .260 BAbip. Give him some better luck and a GABP boost in 2022 and we could really have something.

[Bourgeois Zee]

He put up an .815 OPS vs rhp last year on only a .260 BAbip. Give him some better luck and a GABP boost in 2022 and we could really have something.

Problem is, he's replacing a guy who had an OPS over 1.000 v. RHP.

[kaldaniels]

He put up an .815 OPS vs rhp last year on only a .260 BAbip. Give him some better luck and a GABP boost in 2022 and we could really have something.

I kinda see him being a Chris Heisey-type. Maybe a nice spark plug for a year or two but I doubt he can hang on much longer than that.

Speaking of which that thought got me wondering where Heisey is these days.

Looks like he’s a baseball instructor in PA. Good for him.

https://theyarddillsburg.com/instructors

[JCM11]

Problem is, he's replacing a guy who had an OPS over 1.000 v. RHP.

That's where the above average defense and 10 for 12 in SB come in. No one expects Fraley to out hit Winker, but there's more than one way to help a team win games.

[BCubb2003]

Nice crack from the Cubs announcer, although the Cubs don’t have much room to talk.

[JCM11]

I kinda see him being a Chris Heisey-type. Maybe a nice spark plug for a year or two but I doubt he can hang on much longer than that.

[/url]

Fraley had 46 BB in 265 PA last year. The most Heisey ever walked was 19 times in 308 PA. Fraley seems to be a much more disciplined hitter.

[kaldaniels]

Fraley had 46 BB in 265 PA last year. The most Heisey ever walked was 19 times in 308 PA. Fraley seems to be a much more disciplined hitter.

Eh. Just talking about the overall production. Fraley had a wRC+ of 109 last year. Heisey’s best was 113. Neither will ever be world beating but they might end up an above average hitter for a couple years.

One thing about Fraley. He started out scorching hot last year then fell apart in the second half. I always use the overall numbers but when a youngster has a dropoff like that you wonder if they are figured out.

[757690]

That's where the above average defense and 10 for 12 in SB come in. No one expects Fraley to out hit Winker, but there's more than one way to help a team win games.

I can’t imagine the Reds get the same production out of LF that they did last year. But Fraley plus a RH LF who hits lefties can get close. Winker, elite hitter that he is, is only a 3-4 WAR player. My guess is that they get 2-3 WAR from LF this season.

[Reds Freak]

James Marinan hasn't been successful at any level in the system and that inning didn't give you confidence things have changed.

[Kingspoint]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FOZAdk-XwA0FAeE?format=jpg&name=small

source?

[klw]

source?

Doug had tweeted it out.

https://twitter.com/dougdirt24/status/1505962325018304516

[Bourgeois Zee]

My guess is that they get 2-3 WAR from LF this season.

That is a bold take, indeed.

I'm guessing it'll be less than 1.5.