Popo's Live Blog: Cincinnati Reds Spring Training

Move 'em over and In

I spent a couple of innings in the sun down the left field line and I walked back into the press box ready to write that the Reds had taken a 1-0 lead. They had, but it didn't last. Edinson Volquez let it get away a half inning later.

The Reds had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Paul Janish, who started at shortstop, hit a screamer into the gap to lead off the Reds third inning. It went for a double. Javier Valentin sacrificed him to third with a fly to center, and Norris Hopper brought him home with a fly ball to right.

Volquez, who came to the Reds in the Josh Hamilton deal got the Rays to go 1-2-3 in the third and got the first two guys in the fourth. But then a couple of walks, a single and a double allowed the Rays to charge in front 3-1.

Homer Bailey started for the Reds and pitched two scoreless innings. He loaded the bases in the first when he walked a couple of batters. But Johnny Gomes hit into a force out to end the inning.

Ken Griffey Jr and Adam Dunn are seeing their first action of the Spring. Junior has grounded out a couple of times. Dunn sharply singled in his first at-bat.

It's 3-1 Rays after four innings.

posted Friday, February 29, 2008 9:57 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Gonzo is Gonzo

The Reds are getting ready to play the Rays in Sarasota. Beautiful day here.

The Reds announced prior to the game that shortstop Alex Gonzalez has a compression fracture of his left knee. I don't know how bad that is, but it doesn't sound good. He'll get another evaluation in about three weeks. If I see Doc Hollywood at the game, I'll see if I can get this clarified. I'll check in in couple of innings.

popo

posted Friday, February 29, 2008 8:58 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

First Lead of the Spring

Click Here To Watch Popo's 2/28 Evening Report From Sarasota

Non-roster infielder Jerry Gil has just hit a three-run home run to give the Reds a 3-0 lead over the Minnesota Twins at Ed Smith Stadium.

Juan Castro had led off the inning with a sharp single to right, and two batters later, Joey Votto laced a single into left-center field. Gil then lofted a high fly ball to right that got some help from a generous gust of wind. It carried the ball just over the fence near the right field foul pole at the 340 foot mark.

The Twins have been held scoreless so far by Matt Belisle and Josh Fogg, each who went two innings, and Kent Mercker who pitched the fifth. David Weathers has come in to pitch the sixth inning.

posted Thursday, February 28, 2008 10:31 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Opening Day in Sarasota

The Reds and Twins are scoreless after two innings at Ed Smith Stadium. This is the home opener for the Reds in the Grapefruit League.

No Griffey or Dunn in the lineup again. Word is that Griffey wanted to play and went to Dusty Baker, but Dusty told him to wait until Friday.

Sarasota Mayor Lu Ann Palmer played cheerleader prior to the game, asking the crowd if it wanted the Reds to move to Sarasota. She grabbed the microphone behind homeplate and began a chat of "Sarasota, Sarasota, Sarasota." She knew Reds owner Bob Castellini was sitting in the stands.

A moment of silcnce was observed for Joe Nuxhall, Bob Howsam and Chief Bender.

The best scoring chance was in the second when Jay Bruce led off with a single and Andy Phillips worked the run and hit to perfect. He sent Bruce to third. But Juan Castro hit a fly ball too shallow to get Bruce to score. And then Javier Valentin finished the inning with a tailor-made double play.

No score in the middle of the third. I'l check back in awhile.

posted Thursday, February 28, 2008 9:43 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Baseball is Back..Sort of

Click Here To Watch Popo's 2/27 Evening Report From Sarasota

Click Here To Watch Popo's 2/26 Evening Report From Sarasota

The Reds are battling themselves as we speak. I'm in the pressbox and watching the Reds play an intrasquad game. Some guy named Daryl Thompson has just taken the mound, replacing a lefthander by the name of Alexander Smit. Sounds like one of our founding fathers.

It's mostly a game for the young players. No Griffey, no Dunn. They're probably off on the golf course. Johnny Cueto pitched one of the early innings, and struck out a couple of batters.

The true exhibition season, the Grapefruit League starts tomorrow afternoon when the Reds play the Phils at Clearwater.

The public address announced just proclaimed that it's 36 degrees with a light snowfall in Cincinnati. It drew a few groans and some applause. He then announced that it's 79 degrees and sunny in Sarasota. But we all already knew that.

A couple of notes from Dusty Baker this monring. Alex Gonzales bruised a bone on his left knee and he's going to miss the next couple of days. Doc Hollywood is due in town on Friday and he'll assess things at that time. Dusty would rather rest him now than deal with a bigger problem during the regular season.

I'd say there's a few hundred people at the stadium today, who paid $5 for a ticket which will go to the Reds Community Fund. AC/DC is blaring over the loudspeakers at the moment. I imagine most of the fans at the stadium remember their appearance on Lawrence Welk.

I'll check in later today...have a good one.

posted Tuesday, February 26, 2008 9:33 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Time to Play

Click Here To Watch Popo's 2/25 Evening Report From Sarasota

Click Here To Watch Popo's 2/25 Late Report From Sarasota

Maybe it's the sameness of every day at camp, but it sure looks like players are ready for some games. The crispness is still there in the drills, but I sense less enthusiasm with the daily drudgery. Players always hit a point where they want something other than the practice.

Did you watch the Academy Awards last night? I did for a while, but every winner was from another movie I hadn't seen. I skipped around channels and found "Men in Black". Now that's quality movie-making.

The Reds have signed infielder Jeff Keppinger and pitchers Marcus McBeth and Ramon Ramirez to one year contracts.

Hot and sunny today in Sarasota. They're expecting some rain over the next two days.

Wednesday is the annual intrasquad game at Ed Smith Stadium. Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo will lead a bunch of pitchers who will each throw for an inning.

First base coach Billy Hatcher and third base coach Mark Berry talked baserunning with the team on Sunday. Hatcher told the players to make it hard on Berry. In other words...be aggressive, look for the extra base and force Berry to make a decision.

People think that Scott Hatteberg can just roll out of bed and get a hit. But long after the other players have gone to the clubhouse for chicken and pasta, Hatteberg is still hitting. He hits an extra half hour under a covered batting cage and comes out drenched in sweat.

posted Monday, February 25, 2008 11:21 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Sun, Slides and Speed

An overcast day for the Reds to work through, but it was still warm and humid. The sun was brilliant later in the afternoon.

It was the first session of infield practice that I had seen. Joey Votto, Scott Hatteberg and Jeff Keppinger were at first, Brandon Phillips, non-roster invitees Andy Green and Andy Phillips at second, Alex Gonzalez and Juan Castro at short, and Edwin Encarnacion and some guys I never heard of at third base.

Keppinger is a possibility at first when they want a righthanded bat. I asked him where he feels most comfortable and he says shortstop because that's where he spent most of his time last season.

I didn't realize it, but in his stays in New York, Kansas City and Cincinnati, Keppinger has never made an Opening Day roster. This might be his year if he hits like he did last season.

Walt Jocketty makes his way around camp, looking and talking on his cellphone. Wayne Krivsky appears more visible at practice than a year ago. He also likes his cellphone.

There was a lot of curiosity when righthanded pitcher Edinson Volquez threw batting practice. He has a live arm and not much was being hit. Griffey, Dunn and Hopper seemed to be happy when his time was up. Volquez is one of the pitchers the Reds got from the Rangers in the Josh Hamilton deal.

I ran into Jim Osborne, a longtime photographer at the Kentucky Post and a fixture at sports events in Northern Kentucky. He's doing freelance work since the Post went bellyup, but stopped by to see friends in the Reds organization.

Another busy no-nonsense day for the Reds. They even had sliding practice at the end of the day. Everyone took part except Adam Dunn. Guess he didn't need any instruction.

I'll see you tomorrow...

posted Sunday, February 24, 2008 5:56 PM by jpopovich | 0 Comments

Spring has Sprung

In the world of blogs, I'm a newcomer. The problem is not writing them, my problem lies with the technology. I did a blog last night, but apparently I screwed it up in the posting. So this morning I'll try it again.

It's cloudy but warm in Sarasota on a Sunday morning. But there's no threat of rain and the Reds are on the field for another workout.

Yesterday's workout was given the hurry-up because they were expecting rain. So they bypassed the mind-numbing pitchers fielding practice and went straight to batting practice. It was a nice change.

Worth noting: regular gas in Sarasota is $3.23 a gallon. Ouch!

Dusty Baker is a walker and a talker. He's everywhere in camp, usually holding a bat, with a glove attached at the barrel. He makes the rounds during stretching, just chatting and getting to know what makes these guys tick. And trying to figure out which guys can actually tick.

A common observation in this camp is the liveliness of many of the young arms. Joey Votto noted that the Reds faced some teams last year that came at you with bullpen heat pitcher after pitcher. He thinks the Reds now have some of those guys.

Not exactly a flamethrower, but David Weathers impressed Brandon Phillips in batting practice on Sunday. Phillips whiffed at a pitch and told Weather that it "cut a foot" Weathers replied,"vaseline".

Gus's 12th Street Cafe is a little dive across the street from the ballpark and I just ran over there for a cup of coffee. $1.90 for a cup. I should have stopped at Starbucks to save some money.

Whenever Junior Griffey goes to hit, 90-percent of the fans still turn and watch. He looks like he's in a good shape. Moody as usual.

Best performance yesterday at batting practice came from Norris Hopper, who jacked a ball over the left field fence. Then he went into his Adam Dunn home run trot, shuffling his feet to hit second base..and then slapping hands with an imaginary coach at third. He had his hitting group laughing. He's a positive personality on this club.

I'm heading out to the field. I'll let you know what I see.

posted Sunday, February 24, 2008 5:53 AM by jpopovich | 0 Comments