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I am a freelance writer. I've covered the Cincinnati Reds, Bengals and others since 1992. I have a background in sales as well. I've sold consumer electronics, advertising and consumer package goods for companies ranging from the now defunct Circuit City to Procter&Gamble. I have worked as a stats operator for Xavier University, the University of Cincinnati, the College of Mount St. Joe and Colerain High School.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Elly De La Cruz An All-Star Andrew Abbott And TJ Friedl Close

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Elly De La Cruz made the National League All-Star squad for the 95th Midsummer Classic in Atlanta on July 15.

He was picked for the second year in a row.

His teammates TJ Friedl and Andrew Abbott are on the outside looking in. 

Friedl is slashing .280/.368/.409 with 14 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 31 RBI. He has been on base 138 times from the leadoff spot in the batting order only Shohei Ohtani has more with 156. Friedl scored 50 runs and stolen nine bases.

Abbott had a rough outing on Friday, giving up four runs in 3 1/3 innings. The pitching line lifted his ERA from 1.79 to 2.15. If Abbott had enough innings to qualify fot the ERA title he would be fifth in baseball just ahead of Zack Wheeler's 2.19. Among the pitchers named to both squads, just Hunter Brown, Tarik Skubal and Jacob DeGrom have a lower ERA. Nine All-Start pitchers have a higher ERA.

De La Cruz was chosen as reserve with the New York Mets, Francisco Lindor as the starter.

Lindor slashes .260/.333/.452.

De La Cruz slashes .277/.349/.487.

De La Cruz has more doubles triples two to zero; more home runs 18-17; more RBI 60-49 and more stolen bases 22-14.

Reds' manager, Terry Francona, assembled the team Sunday in Philadelphia to announce that De La Cruz made the NL squad.

"I tried to strike a balance," Francona said. "It's a huge honor for Elly and we want him to feel that way. You want to let the ballclub show their appreciation and their excitement for him. At the same time you want to make sure that guys like Friedl and Abbott, not to have a downer meeting, but to say, hey we really respect what you guys are doing. It morphed into, hey, we're a team. That's what we ultimetley care about."

Francona addressed the system of selection. "As long as you know what the process is and it's been changing. So it's not necessarily the best players. Every team must be represented and that's not a bad thing. As long as you know going in there's going to be some guys left out. That's just the way it is."

Carson Spiers and Hunter Greene are rehabbing in Louisville. Spiers will pitch four innings on Tuesday as the pitch count allows. Greene will take another MRI.

"Out of an abudance of caution, we want to see another MRI before we send him out there," Francona said. 




The Reds Remove Connor Joe From The Injured List Rece Hinds Returns To Louisville

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico


The Reds activated IF/OF Connor Joe (hand, foot, & mouth disease) from the 10-day IL; optioned OF Rece Hinds to AAA-Louisville.


Hinds played in seven games. He has two singles in 23 at bats. 


Joe played in 22 games before going to the injured list. He is slashing .245/.304/.327 with four doubles and four RBI,