The Reds Bats Are Alive Vladimir Gutierrez Gets Final Tune Up

 

 

The Reds continued hitting the baseball hard.

Coming off a 15-run performance on Sunday, the Reds plastered Brad Keller from the Kansas City Royals with a five-run first frame.  The Reds picked up a 10-6 win.

Mike Moustakas has become a doubles machine the last week in the Cactus League.  He drove in Jonathan India who walked to score the first run.  Singles by Tyler Stephenson and Kyle Farmer preceded Nick Senzel's first home run of the spring.  

Jake Fraley hit his first three innings later, a two-run blast. Aristedes Aquino hit a long, long, long home run with a man on base off Gabe Speier.  It was his second in two days.

"He's worked so hard.  He's been really open minded to adjustments<" David Bell said.  "We're just trying to get him back on track. It's been a lead up to today.  I feel like each day it's gotten better.  There's no way of knowing how far it was.  That was one of the longest one I've seen him hit.  It's good timing too.  I will be great to him going.  Not necessarily to see a hot streak nt a to get where he feels he can be consistent and taking good at bats."

Vladimir Gutierrez finished his spring with four innings of work.  He allowed three home runs to Cam Gallagher, Bobby Witt Jr. and Hunter Dozier, a two-run shot.

Gutierrez, 26, made his debut on May 21 of last season.  The Cuban born right hander, put together a 9-6 record and 4,74 ERA in 22 starts.tt

This year was the third of three weird springs that the hurler, who barely cleared rookie status has endured.

In 2020 Covid cost him a minor league season.  Last year there were no fans in the Cactus League stands and every thing was done on zoom.  This season the lockout reduced the spring to three weeks.

"I think I'm definitely ready," Gutierrez said.  "I feel I'm set to go.  I can't wait until the season starts."

"I'm glad to be part of the team.  I'm glad Cincinnati has decided to keep me in the rotation.  I'm ready to move forward with that."

Gutierrez learned a lot from last season.

"I learned that these guys are really professional out here," Gutierrez said.  "If you leave a ball over the plate it is going to be smoked.  I practiced locating my balls where it needs to go in the off season.  If I throw something that's not good, it's got to be off the plate. There were a couple balls that stayed in zone and I paid the price for it. Those are the things I have to work on."

"The sun was hot and bright and the wind was blowing," Bell said.  "That hurt Gutty a little bit.  He made a few mistakes.  I actually, liked the way he threw the ball though. He was a little more crisp.  He was landing a lot of his pitches, throwing strikes. The home runs hurt him."