When the Reds are in trouble and in need of rescue, you could hear this from the Coasters....
Nate Jones returned from Arizona after Major League Baseball shuttered spring training due to the Covid virus in March.
In a surreal circumstance, the first thing Jones did at his home between Falmouth, Kentucky and Butler, KY is build a pitching mound with his father, Bill. On Saturday, night Jones, 34, was given the news that one of his lifelong dreams came true. The Reds announced that Jones would be on their 30-man roster on July 24 when the team opens the unique 60-game pandemic shortened season against the Detroit Tigers.
The Reds signed the former star of the Pendleton County High School and Northern Kentucky University baseball squads to a minor league contract on January 14, two weeks before his birthday.
"When the opportunity arose this off season being a free agent, I jumped on it. I had the opportunity to sleep in my own bed if I could make the roster," Jones said. "I've been blessed not a lot of players get to do that. I'm very thankful."
A month later Jones, a veteran of eight seasons, with the Chicago White Sox, found himself in the presence of Barry Larkin, one of his favorite players on the team that he rooted for as a child.
"I was in the area where we took physicals," Jones said. "Standing right there was Barry Larkin. I thought, where am I at, why is he here. I almost froze. Then it dawned on me, duh. Immediately, he introduced himself, started talking to me, knew where I was from. That was a cool experience. He's a down to earth, great guy."
Other Cincinnati connections came into play to bring him and Matt Davidson into the Reds' system. Manager David Bell's father, Buddy, was in player development with the White Sox.
"My dad was an advocate for bringing both guys in," Bell said. "Having the experience of being around them. He could tell us about their character. That is something you can only find if your part of the same organization. The main thing he told us is when Jones is healthy he can be a big part of our bullpen. I was excited to tell him that he made the roster. It is always a fun conversation to have, to see his smile and to be from the area makes it special. We are happy to have him."
The contract that Jones signed has a standard MLB clause that would allow his to return to free agency if he was not named to the Reds' roster by a certain date.
Jones was one of the best right handed relievers in the American League when healthy. The White Sox chose him in the 2007 draft and he worked his way into their bullpen in 2012. He appeared in 65 games and was 8-0, leading the League in wins with a 2.39 ERA. He appeared in 70 games in 2013 but a hip muscle strain limited him to two games in which he couldn't retire a batter in 2014. Jones had elbow surgery that kept him out of action until August 4, 2015. He pitched in 19 games.
Jones had a nice comeback season in 2016, pitching in 71 games with a 5-3 record and 2.29 ERA. That performance earned him a spot on the 2017 USA World Baseball Classic team.
"The chant USA, USA still sends chills up my arm," Jones said.
More adversity followed later in that season. Elbow neuritis shut him down on May 4, carrying a 1-0 mark and 2,31 ERA in 11 games. He suffered a pronator strain in 2018, limiting him to 33 games and 13 games last season before the White Sox shipped him off to the Texas Rangers.
"Going in we knew what he had done in his career and how he could help us," Bell said. "The big thing was is Nate healthy. He's shown that he is."
Jones quickly had to show his health in the three weeks the team trained in Goodyear.
"My velo was there and I was throwing strikes," Jones said
Tucker Barnhart has now seen him during the Reds' summer camp. He caught him and faced him at the plate.
"He has a funky slider," Barnhart said. "His arm angle and the way he throws, it looks like all arms and legs coming at you."
Now he's less than a week away from pitching in his hometown for his hometown team. He refuses to let the lack of fans, or his family prohibited from attending games ruin that thrill for him in his initial opening day experience.
"I'm not going to let it take away from my experience," Jones said. "Bringing it back to is simplest form, making the opening day roster. I will be on the Cincinnati Reds opening day roster whether there are fans or not. It is a bummer that my family can't be there but it is still exciting."
"I was not fortunate enough to make it in person for an opening day," Jones said. "But one of the prizes for perfect attendance or being on the AB honor roll at school was two tickets to a Reds' game. I'm not saying I'm the best student or made it to school every day but when you did, you made it to a Reds' game. I'm getting a chance to go from the stands to the mound."
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