Opening lineup has potential to stick
Price is counting on Hamilton to improve his onbase percentage.
GOODYEAR, ARIZ. — The lineup the Reds used in Friday’s Cactus League opener against the Cleveland Indians could be one they use during the season.
It featured Billy Hamilton leading off and playing center field. Eugenio Suarez played third base and batted second followed by Joey Votto at first, Scooter Gennett at second, Adam Duvall in left field, Scott Schebler in right, Jose Peraza at shortstop and Tucker Barnhart catching. Dilson Herrera was the designated hitter.
“There is going to be a lot of moving pieces with this group,” manager Bryan Price said. “I like having Suarez in the two hole as a high onbase percentage guy with some thump. He is a guy to set the table with Billy or whoever I have in the leadoff spot, for Joey, the three, four and five slots. Suarez is also a run-producer and he can provide some good protection for Joey.”
And where does Jesse Winker fit in the picture? Price sees him as a semi-regular, planning to use him at the corner outfield spots, including when Hamilton takes a day off and Schebler shifts to center.
It sounds like Winker’s immediate future might hinge at least a bit on whether Hamilton can improve his on-base percentage.
e still looking to see the evolution of Billy as the leadoff man,” Price said. “I’d love him to hold down that spot. I’d hate to think these guys stopped improving. I expect to see growth as a player. Guys that have had some time at the big league level should
Tampa Bay traded AllStar designated hitter/outfielder Corey Dickerson to Pittsburgh on Thursday in exchange for reliever Daniel Hudson, minor league infielder Tristan Gray and cash.
The 28-year-old Dickerson was designated for assignment Saturday. He was the AL’s starting DH in last summer’s All-Star game but struggled at the plate the second half of the season. The trade lets the Rays shed Dickerson’s $5.95 million salary.
Hudson is a 30-year-old right-hander who went 2-7 with a 4.38 ERA in a careerhigh 71 appearances in 2017. He’s 37-30 with a 3.98 career ERA over eight seasons with the Pirates, Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dickerson batted .282 with 27 home runs and 62 RBIs last season. He was obtained from the Colorado Rockies in January 2016 and hit .265 with 51 homers and 132 RBIs the past two years.
Gray was a 13th-round pick of the Pirates in 2017. He spent his first pro season with Short-A West Virginia in the New York-Penn League, batting .269 with seven homers and 37 RBIs in 53 games.
Pirates owner Bob Nutting said Thursday the team won’t stray from its roster strategy even if some of its moves are unpopular with fans. Pittsburgh traded away two of its top players, outfielder Andrew McCutchen and pitcher Gerrit Cole, in exchange for six younger players, including pitcher Joe Musgrove and third base- man Colin Moran, who will be on the opening day roster.
The turnover comes after the Pirates missed the play- offs each of seasons.
“We’ve made a clear directional shift this offseason,” Nutting said. “No question, this team is going to be stronger in 2019 and ’20 than it would have been without those trades.”
Nutting insists the Pirates are not in a rebuilding mode.
“We are not at a point where we need to punt a season to harvest some draft picks,” Nutting said. “I think that’s the wrong approach for the Pirates. Will we need to make some very challenging trades to harvest talent? Yes. Will they be enthusias- tically welcomed? No. We will continue to do what we think is right to infuse talent into this organization everywhere we can.”
Giants: Pitchers often talk about a “dead arm” period, when the ball does not seem to feel right or act properly. Closer Mark Melan- con pitched last year with the the past two real thing — dead tissue in a forearm muscle, discovered only during a season-ending surgical procedure Sept. 12. When doctors began a procedure designed to allow the muscle to “breathe,” they found something they did not expect. “It was actually dying off,” Melancon said. “It had turned gray. When they went in, they literally saw it. The muscle was dying from being restricted.” Melancon was one of the best closers from 2014-16, recording 131 saves in 141 opportu- nities with a 1.93 ERA with Pittsburgh and Washing- ton. Melancon was 1-2 with 11 saves and a 4.50 ERA in 32 appearances last season.
Padres: Manager Andy Green says newly signed first baseman Eric Hosmer won’t play in at least the first two spring games. The Padres open their spring schedule against the Mariners today before visiting the Athletics on Saturday. Hosmer agreed late Monday to a $144 mil- lion, eight-year contract. His first workout with the team was Tuesday.
Yankees: Seahawks QB Russell Wilson is set to join the team’s spring training camp Monday. The Yankees acquired the one-time minor league infielder from the Rangers on Feb. 7 for future considerations. Wilson will spend a few days with the Yankees but won’t play in any games. Wilson was selected by the Rockies in the fourth round of the 2010 amateur draft and was acquired by Texas in the minor league phase of the 2013 winter meeting draft. He participated in Rangers’ spring training workouts in 2014 and 2015. In 93 minor league games between Rookie-level TriCity (2010) and Class A Asheville (2011) in Colorado’s system, Wilson hit .229 with 19 stolen bases, five homers and 26 RBIs. continued from C1 be hunting to get better. Getting on base is a key compo- nent of hitting at the top of the lineup.”
Winker reached base at a .375 clip in his 47 games last season with the Reds and had a .395 on-base percent- age in 85 games at Triple-A Louisville.
“Winker will get some opportunities to hit at the top of the order,” Price said. “We have four healthy outfielders who I’d like to see play. There would be five-plus starts a week if they share playing time. I really see four outfielders for three spots, all getting regular time.”
Even National League teams use the DH during the spring, and that opens up more at-bats. Herrera, who handled the task Friday, is out of options. He is competing at second base but has taken ground balls at third.
“He will go every other day early on, like DH, then second base,” Price said. “(Today) I have him pen- ciled in at second unless there is a reason to make that change. We are still in protocols where he has heavy days of throwing and some days off. He has made the long throw from third base. He will get some time there in the spring that will add to his value.”
Herrera was mostly inactive last spring with a sore right shoulder and had surgery in early August. He missed the last two months of the season.
Rotation set: Sal Romano took the ball Friday against the Indians. Michael Lorenzen starts today against Colorado with Luis Castillo scheduled to face the White Sox on the road.
Homer Bailey will work the home game against Cleveland on Sunday, Robert Stephenson is slated for Arizona on Monday, and Anthony DeSclafani is penciled in for Tuesday at Milwaukee.
“Rob (Stephenson) had a bit of a neck issue,” Price said. “He is more of a TBA on Monday.”
Brandon Finnegan was not named on the list of pitchers through Monday but may follow DeSclafani on Tuesday.
Not so fast: Price and Indians manager Terry Francona heard the same thing from Joe Torre about the mandatory 10th inning in spring training games but now there appears to be confusion as to whether the rule is in effect or just being considered.
The plan, if implemented, was to have a 10th inning if a game is tied after nine. Also being considered is starting the 10th with a man on second base.
Paying tribute: All major league teams wore Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Scholl hats during Friday’s games.
“I don’t think wearing a hat will change anything,” Francona sai d . “I think showing support is always a good thing. In my opinion it’s a very small thing but if it helps even one single person, good.”