Top pick Greene appears worthy of hype

Which Cincinnati Reds deserve to go to the All-Star Game? — ALAN, Sugar Twp.

In order, Zack Cozart, Joey Votto, Scott Schebler, Adam Duvall. How many will go? Maybe two and probably only one. Cozart probably will win the voting. Votto is way down the list of first baseman but he should be added. Schebler and Duvall are having power-laden seasons, but that won’t be enough. One thing is for certain. There won’t be any Reds pitchers packing their bags for Miami.

To best prepare for a game, what does a player eat and when does he eat it? — JEFF, Springboro.

Used to be, back in the day, before games I’d see bags of burgers and fries in the hands of players as they arrived at the ballpark. And there would be all kinds of goodies in the clubhouse — candy and cookies and cake and cupcakes. No more. Most teams now have nutritionists and they keep a firm thumb on what is available to players. Greens, lots of greens. Most players have a large breakfast when they get up and a healthful light lunch. But there are the sneaky ones. In 2003 the Reds had a pitcher named Jimmy Anderson, who liked to eat. One day a player was looking for Ryan Freel and said, “Anybody seen Freel?” Another player quickly answered, “Jimmy Anderson ate him.”

Why not do away with starting pitchers and use three relief pitchers one day and three relief pitchers the next day and so on? Am I a genius or what? — JACK, Centerville.

You know what? That isn’t as harebrained as some might think. Three guys pitching three innings every third day or so isn’t that wild. But there isn’t a manager in existence who would try to alter the game that much. Maybe Joe Maddon? Too bad Tony LaRussa isn’t still around. That’s something he might try. And with the Reds this year that isn’t as crazy as it sounds. But you’d still have to have relief pitchers for the relief pitchers, for those “starting relief pitchers” who get beat up before their three innings are up.

Will the Reds be buyers, sellers or neutral at the trade deadline in late July? — STEVE, Cincinnati.

It is highly doubtful the Reds plan to be in the playoffs, so it is likely they will stay the course on their rebuilding program. That means they’ll be sellers and Zack Cozart most likely will be taking that donkey Joey Votto will buy him for making the All-Star team to another city. They certainly will not be buyers in the sense of acquiring established major leaguers. They will sell to acquire more prospects/suspects. If they can’t make a deal for Cozart or any others who are poised to make big money, then they’ll be neutral and not make any deals.