The Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Diary
Something something Cincinnati holiday
It’s just magical. I love watching what happens to Cincinnati on Opening Day. The town is transformed, and it makes little difference whether the Reds are expected to be good or not. How can you not be romantic about baseball on a day like this?
I’ve already told you why I love Opening Day in Cincinnati, and how this day can cure (even if only temporarily) any Reds fan’s apathy. Let’s chronicle how the day actually went.
Pregame
I joined Mo Egger on ESPN 1530 yesterday to talk Opening Day, among other things. You can hear that conversation via iHeartRadio, Apple, or Spotify.
The Reds finally announced the Opening Day roster. Jason Vosler made the team? That’s a surprise. Stuart Fairchild and Joel Kuhnel also snuck in under the wire. Fairchild can hit a little and can help this team off the bench.
I’m all for Opening Day optimism, as I’ve demonstrated clearly. But — how shall I put this? — this is not the most talented Opening Day roster that I’ve ever seen. Some of those guys on the injured list need to hurry back.
And now we get the lineup, and…more Jason Vosler!
Other than Vosler, not many surprises here. I like Tyler Stephenson in the cleanup spot. I’m not as optimistic about Jake Fraley as many are on the twitters, but I’ll try to be positive here and hope he isn’t the worst #3 hitter on any 2023 Opening Day lineup. Other thoughts:
As for Vosler, I predicted months ago that Christian Encarnacion-Strand would be starting at first base on Opening Day in the event Joey Votto wasn’t able to play. Unfortunately, CES is on the injured list with a back issue, so we’ll never know. After the way Encarnacion-Strand played this spring, can you imagine how excited everyone would have been for his big league debut?
For those of you who have never heard of Vosler, he’s 29 years old and has played 77 games over two seasons with the Giants, hitting .228/.306/.421.
Opening Day starts for Will Benson and Spencer Steer, two guys that I’m very high on.
Jose Barrero at shortstop and hitting ninth. Given the logjam of shortstop prospects behind him, Barrero may have more pressure on him than anyone else in the lineup. Fingers crossed for him.
The parade. I’ve been to a couple of them, and I’m not sure I’ll go to another. But a friend who just moved to Cincinnati was able to go for the first time today, and he was jazzed. I get it! His first text upon arriving at the parade route: “Little chilly but clear as a bell. Grateful.”
Bronson Arroyo! (Photo: Dwight Kelley)
Crowd outside GABP pre-game. (Photo: Dwight Kelley)
The Game
Reds and Pirates. Let’s do this!
Top of the first inning
A little bit of a shaky start for Hunter Greene. He surrenders a one out single to Bryan Reynolds. At the risk of complimenting a Pirates player, I really like Reynolds. Too bad he’s stuck in Pittsburgh.
Now a walk to Andrew McCutchen. Glad to see McCutchen back in the black and gold. I always have a list of players on other teams that I can’t dislike, and who I would love to see in a Reds uniform. The first of those was Mike Schmidt, back when I was a wee lad. McCutchen was always one of those guys.
I’m writing too much about the Pirates. I don’t like where this is going.
Two straight strikeouts from Greene to end the inning. That’s more like it!
Bottom of the first
Jonathan India leads off with a single. I know a lot of fans are down on India after a rough sophomore campaign, and I know some other fans have enjoyed mocking his spring declarations that he’s now the team leader. And I guess I understand all of that. Not sure most leaders become leaders by appointing themselves.
On the other hand, I’m pretty bullish on India right now. I think most of his struggles last year were injury-related and, while he may not be quite as good as he was during that rookie of the year campaign, he should be pretty good again. I certainly love him in the leadoff spot, where he has a career .358 on-base percentage.
As for the leadership stuff…well, other than Votto, he’s probably the most accomplished player on this team. (That may say more about the team than about India, I concede.) If the Reds can find a way to be competitive in the next year or so, India, Stephenson, and the pitching trio will be the faces of the franchise. If players in the clubhouse want to follow India’s lead in terms of playing hard all the time and growing their hair out really long, I’ll be okay with that.
A TJ Friedl walk followed by a Jake Fraley single. The Reds have the bases loaded with no outs in the first inning. Is this how this season is going to go???
The Reds take the lead when Tyler Stephenson grounds into a double play, scoring India. For some reason, “Reds score a run on a double play” kinda does sound like how this season is going to shake out.
Jason Vosler finally makes his Reds debut. He’s wearing #32 and hitting from the left side of the plate. My first thought: did Jay Bruce get shorter somehow?
Pop out to short. Inning over, but the Reds have the lead!
Top of the second
Greene strikes out the side. That’s five Ks through two innings. That’ll do, Hunter. That’ll do.
Bottom of the second
Wil Myers strikes out in his first Reds at-bat. He’s going to be fine. I like that guy.
Spencer Steer takes a walk. That guy just looks like he has a clue. You know what I mean?
Will Benson walks to the plate wearing #30. I’m getting Griffey vibes here. But then he strikes out swinging and I silently apologize to Ken Sr. and Ken Jr. But I’m still a big fan of Will Benson!
Barrero, seemingly not feeling the pressure I alluded to earlier, takes the first two pitches even though they were close. I’m sitting here hoping that the first two pitches seen by the kid this year indicate that he’s going to be selective and only swing at pitches in the zone. He’s going to be a star after all!
Barrero grounds into a force out.
Top of the third
Well, this is disconcerting. With an 0-2 count to the young Pirates stud Oneil Cruz, Hunter Greene had a pitch clock violation. Seemed like he was rattled by it. Next thing you know, Cruz homers to right center field. Game tied.
On Greene’s 49th pitch, he hit 105.2 on the radar gun. Fastest recorded from a starter since 2007, fastest for any pitcher since our old friend Aroldis Chapman back in 2016. But I’m seeing on twitter that this may not have been accurate. Still, Hunter Greene throws hard!
Greene struck out Ke’Bryan Hayes to end the third, but credit that one to catcher Tyler Stephenson. He framed that one perfectly and fooled the umpire.
70 pitches through three innings for Hunter. Not idea.
Top of the fourth
Greene strikes out his 8th batter to lead off the fourth. He’s been a little uneven, but I’m so happy this kid is a Red. He’s only 14 years old or something like that!
Wait…David Bell is taking Greene out of the game? What is happening here? I know he’s at 83 pitches, and hasn’t been dominant, and it’s early in the season so there’s no reason to push him…but what is happening here? It’s a 1-1 game!
Here comes Fernando Cruz. Aaaaaaand…he walks three in a row, forcing in two runs. And now it’s a wild pitch to allow another run. Reds are down 4-1.
The Reds have already used two relievers (lefty Alex Young finally relieved Cruz). David Bell. David. Bell. I mean, I just dunno.
Bottom of the fourth
Spencer Steer hits a bomb to deep left-center! I really like this kid.
Steer reaches the dugout and India puts a viking helmet on his head. Then Friedl puts a robe around Steer’s shoulders. What is happening here??? I kinda love it.
Benson and Barrero strike out swinging to end the inning.
Top of the fifth
1-2-3 inning for Alex Young. Not a bad Reds debut.
Bottom of the fifth
India walks. He’s reached base twice in three ABs. That’s a sterling .667 on-base percentage, which is pretty good for a leadoff hitter. And did I mention the viking helmet?
Fraley singles India to third. After a Stephenson strikeout, Vosler tripled down the right field line, scoring India and Fraley and tying the game at 4 runs apiece. This is what I LOVE about baseball. Vosler was an afterthought. He’s only in the lineup thanks to injuries. And he just tripled before a sellout crowd on Opening Day to tie the game. He’ll never forget this moment. And maybe I won’t either.
Old friend Dauri Moreta enters the game to pitch for the Pirates. He immediately walks Myers and Steer. And then Benson strikes out swinging. Doesn’t he know I’ve been promoting him in print and on my podcast? He has now whiffed in his first three ABs for the Reds. Not great, Bob!
Top of the eighth
Not much has happened in the last couple of innings. The Reds have gotten pretty good bullpen work from Alex Young and Derek Law. But now Buck Farmer has replaced Law to begin the eighth and he immediately issues a leadoff walk.
Walks will haunt. An Oneil Cruz sac fly scores Ji Hwan Bae and the Bucs take a 5-4 lead.
Bottom of the eighth
Myers singles to lead off the inning. Steer grounds to short, forcing Myers at second. One out, tying run on first.
Bell brings Stuart Fairchild off the bench to pinch-run for Steer. Will Benson strikes out swinging and Fairchild was caught stealing, a classic strike-em-out, throw-em-out. Bang bang play…and now we have a challenge from the Reds. The replay looks like Fairchild may have been safe, but it’s pretty close.
Out. I see a lot of complaints on twitter, but that’s a close one. Too close to overturn, I think.
Before we move on: my new favorite player Will Benson has just accomplished a significant feat in his Reds debut. The Golden Sombrero. Four strikeouts. This makes me sad. I still like this kid!
Bottom of the ninth
Reds still down by a run. With one out, India doubles! The team leader has reached base three times in four at-bats.
Friedl strikes out swinging. Two away.
Fraley strikes out looking. Reds lose.
Well, that’ll do it. The Reds are 0-1, but as they say: you can’t go 161-1 without losing at least one game. (Sorry. I know that was lame.)
Certainly, I would have preferred a Reds victory. But as always, Opening Day in Cincinnati was fun. And I’m not alone in saying that, I’m guessing: attending at GABP was 44,063, a new regular-season record. Even after the ol’ ballclub lost 100 games last year. What a time to be alive.
Go Reds.
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