Looking past the final meeting between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals, the Reds are gearing up for a meeting with the Boston Red Sox, interest is being peaked for several reasons over the last four home games.
Billy Hamilton has been taking batting practice and is able to play as early as tonight. Hamilton will not start but could realistically, bat, as well as pinch run and play defense. It is more likely he will play against the Red Sox this season.
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“He isn’t experiencing any pain with anything he does,” Bryan Price said.
Scott Schebler will leadoff and play rightfield as Phillip Ervin will patrol centerfield. Jesse Winker will be in leftfield and bat fifth behind Scooter Gennett, after hitting leadoff during Hamilton’s absence.
“It is a little bit more speed,” Price said. “The way Wink is swinging the bat, he provides a nice protection for Gennett and we kind of start to run off the on-base guys. When you go Cozart, Votto, Gennett and Winker, all those guys are above .345 on base. It just seemed to make the most sense.”
The Reds are not only trying to play spoiler with the Cardinals, who are five games behind the Chicago Cubs for the Central Division tittle and 2.5 games behind the Colorado Rockies for the sixth and final wild card spot. The Reds and Cardinals have split their 18 meetings evenly. The Reds haven’t won a season series against them since 2011 (9-6).
Boston holds a three game lead over the New York Yankees for the American League Eastern Division tittle with 10 games left.
Sal Romano will get the start on Friday against Rick Porcello. Romano was born on Syossett, Long Island in New York. He grew up a Yankee fan.
“I’m very pumped to pitch against the Red Sox,” Romano said, who graduated from Southington High School, where his parents moved in Connecticut. “I’m a big Yankee fan. I’ve been to a lot of Yankee Red Sox games in my life. I know the Yankees are in a race right now with them. It would be very nice to help them beat the Red Sox.”
Southington is halfway between the two cities, two hours from Fenway Park and two hours from Yankee Stadium. He has seen games at both venues.
“I wish we were playing in Fenway," Romano said. “NESN (Boston Red Sox TV network) is back at home so my family can watch. It will be the Red Sox broadcasters but that’s ok.”
Another Reds, Red Sox connection is Luke Farrell. His father, John, is the Red Sox manager.
Price has made it widely known that the Reds are playing the last 10 games to win. But not at all costs.
“I’d like to get Luke into a game with the Red Sox,” Price said. “It’s one of the little things that go mostly undiscussed. I tried to get Kivlehan into a game in Philadelphia. I knew (Zach) Vincez’ parents have been to see some games but never got to see him start, so Sunday we were giving Cozart a day off anyway, Vincej got the start where typically it would have been Peraza. It was his parents last chance to be in Cincinnati. I’ve had the luxury to do that. If you’re in first place by a game, you can’t. With Luke its extremely unique. I know John saw Luke pitch in Kansas City when he made his debut which I thought was sensational. The same thing happened with Chad Wallach. Sometimes that opportunity doesn’t present itself.”
The Reds have had a few moments like those in the past.
In 1997, the Reds called up Pete Rose Jr. to play in September when Jack McKeon managed the Reds. Rose Jr. played in 11 games and it was obvious that he didn’t have the talent to play in the Major Leagues. He never played again.
The next season at the end of the year, McKeon at the insistence of Jim Bowden III turned in a lineup with Aaron Boone at thirdbase, Barry Larkin at shortstop, Brett Boone at secondbase and Stephen Larkin at firstbase. It was the only game Stephen ever played. He got a hit in three at bats, thus retiring with a .333 batting average. His lifetime average was higher than the .295 average that his Hall of Fame brother put up in 19 seasons.
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