Best Shape of My Life 2021: Spring Training Pics & Media

[Ron Madden]

Reds' Jesse Winker: Improved outfield work

Reds manager David Bell said that Winker worked "really hard" over the offseason to improve his defense and has increased his speed, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.. "I don't know how he did that," Bell said. "Every extra step is a big deal."

Without the DH in the NL, Winker's defensive ability takes on a greater sense of urgency. The Reds already have a defensive liability in right field in Nick Castellanos, and Winker previously has been rated poorly as a defender. The team would prefer not to be below average in both corners, and a lack of improvement could lead to either Winker or Castellanos being replaced in the late innings frequently.

https://www.cbssports.com

[NebraskaRed]

Bob Nightengale
@BNightengale

Jack Flaherty will be the #Stlcards opening day starter vs the #Reds

[Ron Madden]

Moustakas more comfortable entering second season with Reds

Injuries hurt Moustakas’ performance last year as well. He missed two weeks with a quad strain early in the season.

“It definitely factored into it,” he said. “I’m never going to be one to sit here and make excuses for my performance on the field. If I’m on the field, that means I’m in my mind 100 percent ready to go. Last year I didn’t play as well as I wanted to play, and I think that goes offensively top to bottom. We didn’t do as well as we wanted to do offensively. But again, a 60-game short season, who knows what could have happened in the other 102 games? But that being said, we learned a lot, and we’re going to use what we learned in all those failures. We’re going to get better, and we’re going to move forward. I can’t wait to see what this group of guys can do throughout 162. I’m really excited.”

Dayton Daily News

[Ron Madden]

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr

#Reds pitcher Brandon Bailey had Tommy John surgery today.

Brandon Bailey @BBailey_19

As some of you know, today I will be receiving my 2nd Tommy John surgery of my career. Obviously, this was not how I’d envisioned the 2021 season going, but I’m a firm believer that everything happens 4 a reason & I’m confident I will come back stronger than I was before! #GoReds

[Ron Madden]

Catching Gladiators.
https://mobile.twitter.com/Reds/stat...15729635819521

[Ron Madden]

Cincinnati Reds @Reds
Don't mind Geno.

https://mobile.twitter.com/Reds/stat...15438657212423

[RedTeamGo!]

Now that we are a couple days into ST we can now change the thread title to “ow, my ::insert body part:: hurts. Day to Day”

[Red Buckeye]

This makes me really miss Aroldis. Dude was seriously fun to watch pitch. 3 straight 100+ mph heaters. Try to hit it.

[Ron Madden]

Brandon Finnegan couldn’t help but look at the scoreboard on Monday afternoon. In his Spring Training opener for the Reds against the Oakland Athletics, Finnegan thought his fastball felt good.

Then he looked up at the radar gun and saw he had clocked 94 miles per hour. In two perfect innings, Finnegan showed an improved fastball as well as a changeup and slider that the Athletics didn’t figure out.

Finnegan didn’t allow a ball out of the infield as Cincinnati’s starting pitcher on Monday. In the process, he showed what made him a top-100 prospect earlier in his career.

It was only one outing, but Bell said Finnegan impressed him on Monday.

“Just right from the beginning, he looked like he had total command of his pitches, throwing strikes, attacking the strike zone,” Bell said. “Good fastball. Good velocity on his fastball, but also real good ability to throw his breaking stuff for strikes. He looked outstanding. Really happy for him to get that one in.”

Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati Enquirer

[Ron Madden]

Charlie Goldsmith
Third baseman Eugenio Suárez has been a power hitter the last few seasons. In previous years, his first at-bat on Sunday would have been a single –– he hit a line drive off the right field wall in the second inning against the Giants. Before Suarez rounded first, it didn’t look like he’d have a chance at a double.

After losing 15 pounds over the offseason, Suárez is faster than he has been in recent years, and he showed that speed by extending that hit into a sliding double. The next batter hit a soft ground ball that would have been a double play had Suárez stayed at first. Because Suárez had taken the extra base, he was able to advance to third and scored off a sac fly to left field later in the inning.

[Ron Madden]

Bobby Nightengale @nightengalejr

Tyler Naquin:
"I feel brand new. That’s all I can ask for in a new organization.” After a few injury-filled seasons, Tyler Naquin is healthy and he's confident he can find ways to contribute to the

[Larry Schuler]

Is there a definitive "This is what happened to Brandon Finnegan and why he's been on ice for Cincinnati for 6 years without being talked about much" article?

[Larry Schuler]

Is there a definitive "This is what happened to Brandon Finnegan and why he's been on ice for Cincinnati for 6 years without being talked about much" article?

I wonder if the real Brandon Finnegan story is one of those “give DougDirt a non-fungible token and he’ll tell you the story he has sworn an oath to allude to but never tell” stories.

[bm1475]

I wonder if the real Brandon Finnegan story is one of those “give DougDirt a non-fungible token and he’ll tell you the story he has sworn an oath to allude to but never tell” stories.

Oh, he knows. He’ll never tell you what he knows, but he wants you to know that he knows.

[Ron Madden]

Mark Sheldon reds.com

Jonathan India and lefty pitcher Brandon Finnegan were added to the big league spring roster. Both are getting increased consideration for making the team on Opening Day.

Finnegan was thrilled when he received the news.
“Honestly, I was shocked. Getting called in usually this early is not a good sign,” Finnegan said. “But I was so happy. I’ve been through a lot in the last few years, and it sucked. But one thing is I kept trying to work and work and get back to where I know I belong, and that’s on the big league field, pitching for a big league team.”

Finnegan, 27, pitched his way off of the Reds’ 40-man roster after struggling in 2018 and during camp in ’19. He spent much of the ’19 season reworking his mechanics and trying to reclaim lost velocity at Driveline Baseball before finishing the year at Double-A Chattanooga. With no Minor League season last year, he was able to do some pitching at the club's alternate training site.

This spring, Finnegan has pitched well and demonstrated that his velocity is consistently back in the 93-94 mph range.
“I feel like myself again,” Finnegan said.