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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Terry Francona bounce coming? Cincinnati Reds look 'refreshed' in victory out of break
NEW YORK – On their first day back from the All-Star break, a few hours before the game, the Cincinnati Reds players told manager Terry Francona they wanted him to join a meeting they called. Then they presented the surprised manager with an Oyster Perpetual Rolex watch with an inscription on the back marking the 2,000th career victory Francona earned the last day before the break – worth as much as some guys' All-Star bonuses. 'That's like – what do they call that? Painting a pig?' Francona said. Lipstick on a pig? 'That would be the term,' Francona said with a big laugh. Don't let the jokes fool you. It was an emotional moment for the 66-year-old skipper, who said he had to duck out of his postgame address with the team quickly after the big win the other day because 'I had a hard time keeping it all together." Reds MLB Draft signings Steele Hall Cincinnati Reds ink top draft pick Steele Hall for below-slot $5.75 million bonus Reds Mets TJ Friedl record Ouch! Check out the painful history Cincinnati Reds TJ Friedl made Friday night Reds playoffs NL wild Card NL Central 'Can't sleep on them': What NL Central rivals say about Cincinnati Reds playoff chances 'At least I got to tell them today how I feel,' he said. And then they got back to work, and Francona had No. 2,001 in little more than a New York minute — an 8-4 comeback victory over the Mets at CitiField Friday night to kick off the 65-game homestretch for a Reds team feeling its playoff hopes. 'I don't know if I'd call it the home stretch yet,' said Francona, whose club opened the post-All-Star-break schedule just 2 1/2 games out of playoff position – before Austin Hays hit a pair of home runs to the same spot in right-center, supporting another strong start by Nick Lodolo (7-6). But Francona said the light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel sense coming out of the break refreshed can help a team's second-half focus. 'I think teams that have a chance to win, I think you can use it to your advantage,' he said. 'I think teams are more apt to try to play the game correctly – move the runners, things like that – when you have a chance to win. And it's just frankly way more fun. 'You show up, you're a little bit nervous sometimes you have some anxiety — but it's because you think you have a chance. That's meaningful.' Francona should know. His teams historically have gotten better in the second half. In the 10 non-pandemic seasons he spent managing small-market Cleveland in his last stop, the Indians/Guardians collectively had a .529 winning percentage in the first half — and .571 in the second. They made the playoffs half of those seasons. If that pattern holds though the end of this season, what happened the night before they opened the second half might say as much about why it holds as anything. A brief, voluntary, stretch-catch-and-hit workout Thursday night in New York drew full attendance from everybody except All-Star Elly De La Cruz, who was ordered by Francona to stay away and rest. 'There wasn't a single person in this clubhouse who was like, 'I'm gonna skip it,' ' said leadoff man TJ Friedl of what he said was a first for the young team. 'I think it helped a lot of guys a lot. We really enjoyed it, and I think it showed today.' Maybe it shouldn't surprise anyone that the guy who won the pot in the opposite-field hitting contest that night is the one who hit the two home runs the opposite way the next night. "It could have been that, or it could have been the three tacos he had (before the game)," Francona said. "But I was pretty fired up." Hays seemed tempted to credit the tacos, especially when he batted with the bases loaded in the eighth with a chance to hit a third homer (until drawing a walk). "After I had two pumps, I thought it might be a sign," he said. "They were really good tacos, too." Whatever the tacos did, he's pretty sure the work the night before helped. 'I just found a nice little line drive stroke into the right-center gap (in the oppo contest), and I feel like that swing just played in perfect to the pitches I was seeing (in the game),' Hays said. 'What we did yesterday translated well into the game today.' Who knows where they go from here? The second-half schedule is tough. And they haven't proven they can beat the teams in their division. But Francona liked what he saw for at least one night in carrying over a half-season worth of messaging Into the restart, and responding well to the break. 'You sit around for four days, and it's always probably the most anxiety almost of the year,' he said. 'I had less this year just because the guys came out and worked out last night. I've never seen that before (as a full group). And I've been doing this for a lot of years.' It's not like anything changed from the first half to the second half as far as Francona is concerned or as far as the message he delivers – or has ever delivered to his teams. 'It can't change,' Francona said. 'I know there's maybe more glare on games as you move forward. That's why you try from day one: 'Here's our message, here's what we want to do. Let's see if we can do it.' ' The Reds have flaws from the lineup to the bullpen, with a clear strength in their above-average rotation. They don't have as good a group of fielders as any of the three teams ahead of them in the standings. But Francona said they've listened to the message, they tend not to repeat the same mistakes and nobody's been late for a meeting since spring training began. By the time he became the 13th manager to win 2,000 games in the final game before the break, guys in the clubhouse had been invested in all the methods behind the numbers for months. By Friday afternoon, many of them were wearing "2K Tito" T-shirts in the clubhouse before the game. And by the end of the night, experiencing the second-half bounce his teams have been known for? Who knows? 'Anytime you have some down time, some time off, you want to come out with a lot of energy and hit the ground running,' Hays said. 'We did that today.' For now, all it means is that for the first time in three years – and just the second time in the past eight seasons with an All-Star game – the Reds won their first game out of the break. They were swept in their first series after the All-Star game each of the last two years and five of the last seven. 'They looked (refreshed) to me,' Francona said. He was talking about the workout day, but it certainly applied to the second-half opener. Maybe after 12 years, it's the Reds' time to return to the playoffs in a non-pandemic year? Maybe it's even time to win a series in October for the first time in 30 years? If anybody should know, it's probably the guy with the new Rolex painting pigs in Cincinnati. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Does Cincinnati Reds win suggest why Francona's teams finish strong?
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Can't sleep on them': What NL Central rivals say about Cincinnati Reds playoff chances
ATLANTA – The Cincinnati Reds haven't exactly been scaring anybody in the National League Central this season the way they've played so far. But the rivals seem to be paying attention to Terry Francona's underfunded, would-be overachievers as they opened their post-break schedule in shouting distance of the playoff picture. 'Cincy's one of those teams that I'm honestly excited to see,' Chicago Cubs All-Star Pete Crow-Armstrong said, 'a team that could really go on a tear. Reds MLB Draft signing Steele Hall Cincinnati Reds ink top draft pick Steele Hall for below-slot $5.75 million bonus Reds second half 5 things to watch as Cincinnati Reds open second half, chasing wild-card field 'Mean, their rotation's really good,' he said. 'I'm not in that clubhouse every day, so I don't know what they need to take the next step. But I think that ballclub could really make some noise.' The Reds came out of the All-Star break in fourth place, trailing the first-place Cubs by 7 1/2 games. The surging Milwaukee Brewers were just one game back and in the top wild-card position. And the surprising St. Louis Cardinals were in third, a game ahead of the Reds. It's the only division in the National League – one of two in MLB – that has four teams with winning records. So much for all that baseball power on the coasts and the West and East divisions that were supposed to shut the Central out of the wild-card race. 'We have one of the best divisions in baseball,' Cubs pitcher Matt Boyd said. 'The records even say that right now. So it's going to be a fight.' And, said Reds All-Star pitcher Andrew Abbott: 'We're still in the fight.' The only thing holding the Reds back from being in the thick of the division race so far is those other teams in the division. They're 7-13 against those clubs, having won just one of eight series against NL Central rivals. They're 43-34 (.558) against everyone else. 'The Central is impressive, thinking about the pitching coming through the Central right now,' said Cardinals All-Star Brendan Donovan, one of four hitters who made the All-Star team from the division. Six pitchers did, including at least one from four different teams. 'Look at the pitching in the division. It's hard to hit,' Donovan added, singling out the Reds' staff. 'Cincinnati has really good pitching. I feel like they call up another guy every year who has really good stuff.' Wait till the Cardinals see Chase Burns. 'You can't sleep on them,' Brewers All-Star pitcher Freddy Peralta said. 'Because they have some guys over there like Elly (De La Cruz), guys that run really well. They can do damage quick. 'You cannot sleep on them because they can score three or four runs against you in one inning really easy,' Peralta added. The Brewers have won five of seven against the Reds so far this season, and 42 of the last 58 going back to late in the 2021 season. But with that starting pitching and Hall of Fame-bound manager Terry Francona at the helm for the first time, even those Brewers are keeping their eye on keeping the Reds in the rear-view. 'The Reds are playing well, and everybody else seems to be playing pretty good baseball,' Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill said. 'They've got good players, young core. They've got Emilio (Pagán) on the back end (of the bullpen). He's been shoving this year. That's a team you can never sleep on. I mean, they've just got so many guys that can hit, run and do things well.' And they have a manager whose teams historically get better in the second half. That's been especially true of his first seasons everywhere he's been: Philadelphia, Boston and Cleveland before this. In 1997, 2004 and 2013 – his first seasons in those three stops – his teams collectively went 123-143 (.462) in the first half and 135-85 (.614) after the All-Star break. 'Never count them out," Peralta said. "Because they're going to be there, playing hard.' The Reds have two more series each against all four division opponents. They'll see each once next month and then face each in consecutive series the final 13 games of the season. Meanwhile, they have a lot of business to take care of this week and then in the final days leading to the July 31 trade deadline – when a difference maker in this race might land in any of three or four NL Central locales. 'It's probably going to come down to a game or two at the end of the year,' Megill said. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 'Can't sleep on them': What NL Central rivals say about Cincinnati Reds
New York Times
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Reds sign first-round pick Steele Hall, one of the youngest players in Sunday's draft
NEW YORK — The Cincinnati Reds announced the signing of first-round pick Steele Hall on Friday. Hall, who will turn 18 on July 24, received a signing bonus of $5.75 million, about three-quarters of a million less than the slot value of the team's No. 9 pick, team sources confirmed. Hall was one of the youngest players in last Sunday's draft, reclassifying last fall and graduating early from Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) High School to enter the draft. Advertisement 'We're talking about a player that is a full year younger than the draft class on the whole,' said Joe Katuska, the Reds' amateur scouting director, following the pick. 'That projection moving forward is something that gives us comfort that the gains we've seen now are going to stick and that he's really going to be moving in the right direction as well.' Hall had committed to the University of Tennessee. The Volunteers' coaching staff was the first to suggest Hall reclassify. The Reds had a total pool of $11,836,800 to spend in this year's draft, the 15th-largest in Major League Baseball. The Reds' top pick (No. 2 overall) in 2024, right-hander Chase Burns, set a then-record with a $9.25 million signing bonus, which was less than the slot bonus by $540,000. Rhett Lowder, the team's top pick in 2023, signed for $5.7 million after the Reds took him with the seventh pick in that year's draft. Hall was the fourth high school shortstop off the board when the Reds took him ninth. The Washington Nationals took Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits with the first pick and the Colorado Rockies took another high school shortstop from Oklahoma, Ethan Holliday, with the fourth pick. With the eighth pick, immediately in front of the Reds, the Toronto Blue Jays took Mississippi high school shortstop JoJo Parker. After the Reds took Hall, the Chicago White Sox continued the trend, taking shortstop Billy Carlson from Corona High School (Calif.) with the 10th pick. A total of 14 high school shortstops were taken among the 43 first-round picks, including seven of the first 14 picks. The Reds last took a high school position player with their first pick in 2022, when they selected third baseman Cam Collier with the 18th pick. Like Hall, Collier had reclassified to enter the draft a year early. Collier, 20, is currently at the Reds' Double-A affiliate, the Chattanooga Lookouts. He was the MVP of the Futures Game last season.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cincinnati Reds select HS shortstop Steele Hall with 9th overall pick in 2025 MLB draft
ATLANTA – The Cincinnati Reds selected Steele Hall, a high school shortstop from Alabama, with the ninth overall pick in the 2025 MLB draft Sunday night. The young, speedy Hall is the first high school hitter the Reds have taken in the first round since outfielder Austin Hendricks in 2020 (12th overall). The righty hitting Hall is one of the youngest players in the draft; he won't turn 18 until July 24 and reclassified to move up a year in draft eligibility. "It's the athleticism and the all-around ability as a player," Reds amateur scouting director Joe Katuska said. "He's really young for this class and we saw significant gains from the last year but he's a top-of-the-scale runner. We think he's a shortstop, he has power, he can hit, he can really throw. "It's a five-tool package that we think we've got there. We're very excited about him." Hall led the Hewitt-Trussville High School Huskies in every offensive category this season on the way to earning Mr. Baseball honors for the state of Alabama. It's the third consecutive year the Reds had a top-10 overall selection, having drafted right-hander Rhett Lowder at No. 7 in 2023 and right-hander Chase Burns at No. 2 in 2024, both pitchers coming out of Wake Forest University. Wherever final negotiations wind up, more than $6.5 million of the Reds' total bonus-pool allotment of $11.837 million this year is slotted for the No. 9 pick. It's the second time in the draft's 61-year history the Reds have drafted ninth overall. They selected left-hander C.J. Nitkowski at No. 9 out of St. John's University in 1994. Nitkowski pitched 10 seasons in the big leagues, most of it after the Reds traded him to Detroit Tigers the month after he debuted in 1995 in a three-player deal for David Wells. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds select SS Steele Hall with 9th pick in 2025 MLB draft
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
5 things to know about Cincinnati Reds 2025 MLB draft pick Steele Hall
ATLANTA – For the first time in five years, the Cincinnati Reds used their first draft pick to select a high school hitter when they selected Alabama high school shortstop Steele Hall ninth overall Sunday night in the 2025 MLB draft. Hall, an athletic right-handed hitter from Hewitt-Trussville High School just outside of Birmingham, joins an organization in which its top big-league player and three of its top nine prospects are shortstops. Reds Rockies Terry Francona 2,000 How Reds' Terry Francona went from getting fired twice to making history with 2,000 wins Reds Rockies Terry Francona Terry Francona wins 2,000th game as manager, Reds go to All-Star break on a high Five things to know about Hall: *Hall, who doesn't turn 18 until July 24, is among the youngest players in the draft. Hall originally was expected to be in the 2026 draft class until reclassifying for 2025 in November. *Hall, who put on 15-20 pounds of muscle since his 2024 developed more arm strength and hitting power into this "senior" year, committed to the University of Tennessee two years ago. *He's the first high school middle infielder from the state of Alabama to be selected in the first round of the MLB draft since Condredge Holloway more than 50 years ago (1971, fourth overall, Montreal Expos). Holloway went to Tennessee instead and went on to become the first Black starting quarterback in the SEC. *Hall earned Alabama's "Mr. Baseball" honors this year, six years after Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson earned the same honors, hitting .484 with eight home runs, a .554 on-base percentage and 33 stolen bases during the Huskies' 37-game prep season. *Hall has called his shortstop idols Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Trea Turner (Phillies) and Dansby Swanson (Cubs). This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 5 things to know about Cincinnati Reds 2025 MLB draft pick Steele Hall
