Franmil Reyes and Aristides Aquino Career Tied To DH

 

 

The Cleveland Indians and the Cincinnati Reds each have a young hitter with careers affected by the designated hitter rule.

Major League Baseball will keep the DH in the American League and not use it in the National League after long deliberations about adopting it in both leagues.  Although the rule will be different in both leagues for now, it is subject to change.

The Reds Aquino, 26, made a splash in the second half in 2019 with 19 home runs in his first 57 games of his career.  He was the fastest in Major League history in several milestones, including the fewest at bats to hit 15 home runs at 122,

Last season with a glut of outfielders on the roster, Aquino worked out in the Reds' secondary facility in Mason for most of the shortened, 60-game season.  He hit .170 in 23 games with two home runs.

This season the Reds want to get a good read on how he fits in.

"As great as that was for Aristides over a month as far as confidence and building off of that. There are challenges to it," David Bell said.  "I talked to him the other day face to face.  He was happy with the off season work he had and looked great.  He is determined, motivated and kind of on a mission.  We want to see a comfortable, confident player."

Aquino is more suited for the National League because he has a lot of power but is a good outfielder too.  

"He can help you in a lot of different ways besides hitting home runs," Bell said.

The Indians Reyes hit .275 last season in 59 games with nine home runs.  The 25-year old was the designated hitter in 57 of those games and played two in the outfield. 

There are two speeds which baseball analytics has uncovered about Reyes that affects how he will be used.  Reyes hit 37 home runs in 2019 between the San Diego Padres and the Indians.  His bat speed, the measurement of his swing, turned into an exit velocity of batted balls in the upper 10 percent in the Major Leagues.  Conversely, Reyes has slightly below average running speed and was in the bottom 20 percent on the average jump which is measured by the distance covered in the right direction towards the ball in the first three seconds after a ball is hit.

That makes him more suited as a designated hitter but the Indians are looking for fielding improvement to add roster flexibility.

"If he's not pigeon holed in the DH, it opens up opportunities for a lot of people," Indians manager Terry Francona said.  "Saying that you want to put your best defensive team on the field."

The Indians are looking at another position but are hesitant to go all in on a change.

"Franmil is taking some ground balls at first base," Francona said.  "But we really want to be fair with him.  We don't want to move him back and forth.  He will be playing right field a lot in spring."

Reyes turned an ankle three weeks ago but is progressing.  Still, the Indians will use Reyes as the DH early in the Cactus League schedule.

"When we go to National League cities, we want his bat in the lineup, especially if he's swinging it well," Francona said.

Sonny Gray Eager To Get The Ball In His Hand

Sonny Gray was mentioned in a lot of trade rumors this winter.  He didn't like it.

"It pissed me off to be honest with you," Gray told reporters over a Zoom Meeting from Goodyear, Arizona this morning.  "I realized that it is good to be wanted but I like it here. I like all they guys and the staff."

Gray is from Nashville and his father was a Reds' fan, so he feels this is his hometeam.

The Reds have spots to fill in the starting rotation with the departure of Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani.

"I still feel the guys we have left, competing for the jobs are capable," Gray said.

The shortened season of  Covid 2020 was so different that Gray and the other pitchers were unsure how to prepare for 2021.  Gray treated the off season like it was a regular season, pitching three simulated innings every fifth day.

"It isn't nearly the same," said Gray, who worked out with his 2020 teammate, and fellow Vanderbilt grad, Curt Casali.  His friend and catcher has also moved on.  The Reds did not tender a contract to him.

Gray pitched well in 2020, though limited to 11 starts.  He was 5-3 with a 3.70 but only worked 56 inning.  He expects to pitch 200 or more innings in any given season.

"Right now post Covid, there has been a lot of discussion on how to prepare," Gray said.  "I've been here since Sunday but we haven't been allowed on the field, yet.  I just want to get a ball in my hand."

David Bell not only has to pick three starting pitchers but replace closer Raisel Iglesias as the main man at the end of games.

"We are going to have a lot of good optionsd," Bell said.  "We are pretty deep.  We have a lot of options. We are happy to have Sean Doolittle."

Doolittle has closed out 205 of his 401 games with 111 saves to his credit.  He has experience in the role but Bell has an open mind.

"Sometimes the seventh and eighth innings are more important than the ninth," Bell said.  "In a perfect world you have a lot of options.  We are going to stretch everyone to pitch more than one inning."

Lucas Simms sees himself in that capacity.

"I would be negligent if I didn't prepare myself for more than one inning," Sims said.

Sims was last a closer during his junior year at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia.

"I finished a game for the first time last year and Casali gave me the ball.  I liked being out there at the end of the game shaking hands."

Sims and teammate Amir Garrett have been tweeting back and forth about who will close games.

"We could be a two-headed monster.  That's a sick way to put it," Sims said.

Shortstop.....

Freddie Galvis has departed and the Reds declined to make a major deal to fill the position.

"I'm confident in what we have at shortstop," Bell said.  "We know what we have in Kyle Farmer.  Alex Blandino didn't get a lot of opportunity but he showed what he could do on the taxi squad last year.  We brought in Dee Gordon too.  He hasn't played short in a while but he's a good athlete.  I've seen him play there in the minor leagues.  He will get some time at shortstop when the games start this spring."