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Belli Dala Cruz, the red Z on the Rady.
Now the reds Hot Stove League.
And Hello and Happy New Year.
This is the Budweiser reds Hot Stove League, presented by UDF Live at the BEDMGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watchbar at the Banks your regular hosts, Tommy Thrall and Jim Day are off for the next two shows. Filling in, I'm Mark Sheldon, the senior beat reporter that covers the Reds for MLB dot com, and I'm joined by Mike Petralia, who covers the Reds, Bengals and Bearcats for cnscinc dot com, so be sure to also check him out over there. We've got some great guests lined up for tonight's show.
We're starting off with Rick Wallace from the Reds Hall of Fame, followed by MLB dot com national reporter Mark Fineshand, who will fill us in on the hot stove action with the Reds and around the league. That will cover our first half hour. In the second half hour, we will talk with new Reds outfield JJ Bleday. He signed a one year, one point four million dollar contract on
December twenty seventh. Mike, can you believe that we're about a month away from Reds pictures and catchers reporting to camp? Can you believe spring training is almost upon us?
It's incredible, Mark, and I certainly think there's an era of expectation for a Reds country this year, given how last year ended. Even though it was disappointing at Dodger Stadium, losing those two games to the eventual repeat World Series champions.
I think a lot of people have expectations that Terry Francona in year number two, is going to have a much better grasp on what he has on this roster and the roles they're going to play, going into spring training, going into pictures and catchers reporting, and of course going into the regular season. That's what I'm curious to say. I'm curious to see how this roster makeup is going to be handled differently by Terry Francona and his coaching staff and how the players respond well.
Speaking of the roster taking shape, but there's still some work to be done to build off of an eighty three one season, isn't there?
There is?
And obviously there was some disappointment that the Reds couldn't seal the deal on Kyle Schworber and bring him back home. But the Reds know that in professional sports, and obviously in Major League Baseball, the world keeps spinning and you have to keep up. And that's what JJ Bleday was all about, That's what Dane Myers was all about. Okay, we didn't get the player perhaps we wanted in free agency. Let's see what we can do to compensate for that.
And maybe it's not the star player, but maybe it's more depth, maybe it's better defense. Certainly, I think JJ Bleday and Dane Myers can bring that to the outfield. So that's what I think Nick Crawl and his staff have really been charged with is trying to provide as much depth on the roster as the budget will allow. And I think, you know, so far, I like what they've done in the bullpen, the pieces they've added there. And we still have a month to go before Pictures and Captures report.
Definitely, and we will dive into more about the roster and potential moves in our next segment. But first we have Rick Walls, who has been the executive director of the Reds Hall of Fame since two thousand and seven. And now, Rick, I'd have to imagine that one of the best tasks of your job is to notify someone when they are elected to the Reds Hall of Fame.
What was it like to make those phone calls informing Brandon Phillips, Aaron Harang, Reggie Sanders, and Loupanella about their new statuses.
Yeah, that's one of the great benefits or perks of the job is making that phone call, you know, talking to Brandon.
You know, you get a sense of how appreciative they are of this.
You know, making that phone call, you're trying to be secretive and why you're calling them at this point, and you think they might know. Brandon knwe was on the ballot. Aaron Harang knew he was on the ballot. So why am I calling from the Hall of Fame and setting this up? And I'm organizing with our board president Howard Kaplan, who who made these calls with us. And it was just such a joy to be able to talk to them, kind of hear their emotion and just explain to what
this means to them. And I think the longer they go through this process, they've all been to ceremonies in the past, they see how we treat Red's history. They know the Hall of Fame and the Reds do it better than anyone else. So it's going to be not just the honor they receive April twenty fourth through twenty six, but really the way we treat them the rest of their lives and beyond that we're about preserving that legacy, the Red's history, and that's what the museum is all about.
And Rick, I think it's fascinating that in Aaron Harang, Brandon Phillips, Reggie Sanders and Loupanella, you have four distinct personalities and it must be something that I'm sure you take into consideration when you make for initial contact with them. How are they going to respond? And must be one of the joys of your job knowing that each one of these players and manager have an opportunity to enter into a very highly regarded place in the organization.
I love that you're still right on I mean the different personalities.
I mean when I call Loopenel and I've talked to Loo many times over the years, he's been back. Same with you know, with Aaron Harang, who is a fantasy camp coach for us even this year next week, so we've seen him a lot. And then of course Reggie Sanders has also been a camp coach, and I've seen them on social media. I see how they interact with the fans. I know how it's going to go down,
and it was exactly like I thought it was. They were so happy about it and that's just a testament to you know, their attachment to the Reds and the organization and the history and understanding that lou Pannelli said is the best Christmas present I could ever have. And his wife was crying and it was just a really neat moment. And that's kind of what you expect when you hear you're being inducted into a Hall of Fame, you.
Know, Rick, during that the Hall of Fame weekend, like you said, April twenty fourth or the twenty six, what can fans expect to see when they come to the ballpark during that weekend.
Well, that's a super strong class. As we talked about.
We've got a manager, outfielder, an infielder, and a pitcher, right, so these are people that everyone's really aware of. But we also bring back all the former Hall of famers, so if you were wearing a Red jacket, you'll remember. You and a guest are invited back to great activities at the Hall.
Special receptions.
But what the fans get to do is, you know, they definitely want to be at the ballpark and around the Hall of Fame to meet these guys. They will be available for me and greets and photo ops. Saturday, the twenty fifth is when the induction takes place on the field. You go want to get here early, get your seat and be part of that. Sunday our induction gala,
which is about a fourteen hundred person event. It probably will sell out this time at the Convention Center, which is really one of our big events, the fundraiser for the museum, but it gives everyone a chance to gather and celebrate history. The current team goes to that, all the former players, all the fans, and this is a great chance to just celebrate Red history.
You know, Rick, One of the things that I'm biased, but I believe that that Hall of Fame right across the street is one of the singularly best hall of fames in all of team sports. I really do believe that. I've been around the you know, the country, you know, covered the Red Sox, and they certainly do their thing with Fenway Park. But what makes even as it's been around years and years, what makes the Hall of Fame here in Cincinnati so unique.
I think it's the fans. I think it's we treat it as a palace for the fans. We understand how it connects with the community. We think baseball is synonymous with the history here in town and with the word Cincinnati and from once a Red, always a Red, always keeping that mantra in mind, and when we deal with former players, that's what kind of gives you the foundation and the fans and the appreciation for the history and
those players and wanting to stay engaged with that. If we keep that as our foundation and collect and preserve and promote Red's history and think about generations from now how they'll look back on it, we'll be way ahead of everybody. And that's what the museum strives to do. Collect, preserve, and think about the future.
And you have another big thing coming up this week on Saturday, Red's Fantasy Camp begins and you mentioned Aaron Harangues among the coaches that'll be there. You have twenty five former players turning out. What can you tell us about Fantasy Camp.
Well, if you haven't been to Fantasy Camp, you need to put it on your bucket list. I really want to got to go. You know, we all have one hundred and forty four spots. It sells out within hours usually when we open it. It's a week long Baseball in Goode Arizona at the first class Red Spring Training Complex. You get to be a pro week and we always tell people go on out there, have a great time.
You get the uniform, you get to interact with all these coaches you just mentioned, I mean Aaron Harang, some new coaches this year that we brought out in Johnny Gohmes, Jason LaRue and Paul Yannish. But there's Hall of famers like Jim Maloney that out there out there also, Billy Hatcher is always there, Tom Hume, Ted Power, Joe Oliver, Eddie Talbins, run RUMs, names that all Reds fans know. But you get to go out. Ages thirty to eighty five are at this camp and it's such a special experience.
Guys have been going to camp for twenty thirty years because they love it so much.
You're building a great camaraderie there.
It's a fundraiser for the museum, but just a great chance to kind of celebrate Red's history in a different way.
I just think it's amazing that you have so many former players involved in the Fantasy camp, and I think that's a testament to how they respect what you're trying to pull off and how much joy they are trying, you guys are trying to bring to fans.
I think with a player, there's a time in their history when they realize that, you know, they miss the game. I think leaving the game for a few years you let people kind of set for about five years and they realize, I still want to be connected to the game. And if you're a Red. And some of the players I mentioned that their coaches out there weren't a Red their entire career, but we like to think of them only as a Red, so they'll come out and show up.
For instance, Reggie Sanders is a works for the Royals right now. He does two weeks of Fantasy Camp out there, but he still thinks of himself as a Red, you know. So we have that great event out there, and I'm just looking forward to going out there on Saturday for about six days. I'll come back for Reds Fest and a lot of our alumni will be there as well.
Rick.
We really appreciate you stopping over here. Thank you so much for coming in and telling us about Fantasy Camp and the Reds Hall of Fame and people can come out.
You got a Redsmuseum dot org for all the info of everything we've talked about.
All right, well, thank you very much to Rick Walls.
We're gonna step aside for a little bit, and then when we come back, we're gonna talk to Mark Fineshand, a good friend of ours from MLB dot Com. And for now, you're listening to the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF on the Reds Radio Network. Reds Fans, Now is the time to get your twenty twenty six season two tickets. Members sit in the same seat for every game with their friends and family, and enjoy a flexible ticket exchange program. Visit Reds dot com slash Membership
for details. And we are back with the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF, live at the BEDMGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watchbar at the Banks Mark Sheldon along with Mike Petralia. We're filling in for Tommy and Jim. As promised. Our next guest is someone who is plugged into the business of baseball, not just here, but around Major League Baseball. He is the national reporter for MLB dot Com and a feature news insider that often appears
on MLB Network. Please Welcome via the phone from New Jersey my longtime friend and colleague Mark Finestand Mark, how you doing the night?
Bags?
And Sheldon two of my favorite boys, doing great?
Hey, Mark.
You know, as we've talked often during this offseason, the Reds have solidified their bullpen, They've added to the outfield so far this offseason, but it clearly feels like there's unfinished business because they don't have the off's a boost they still need. What do you think they can still do with the time left in the offseason.
Well, you know, there are still some big bats out there that we've all been talking about for weeks and months, and you know, Bashett and Tucker and Bellinger. I don't see the Reds getting involved in those three players. You know, they took the big swing at Schwarburb and I think he was a unique situation just given his hometown roots, et cetera. But a guy that I think could fit in there nicely would be Hadeo Suarez.
I always been there before.
Forty nine home runs last year, big power bat isn't going to cost what some of those other big bats are going to cost. And you know, bangs to the buckwise in terms of adding power to a lineup. I think he's probably the best, the best option out there right now.
Park It's tracks And by the way, it's great to be reunited with you after all of those years covering the Red Sox and Yankees that we did back in the early two thousands. So this is a trait for me personally. I wanted to ask you. Obviously, for agency is one way to add talent, but trades are another.
And I'm wondering what you're hearing out there about the Reds being involved in talks with other teams to acquire a bat and perhaps this is also a way to like, you know, move some contracts that the Reds maybe don't want to keep on the payroll.
I'm just curious what you're hearing in that regard.
You know, most of the trade talk that's been out there this winter, for the most part, has been for pitching. You know, we saw Edward Cabrera move to the clubs today, Kensey Gore, Ornnie Baralta, there are plenty of Sandy ol Contra is probably not going to get moved, but his name has been.
Out there a lot.
Obviously, the biggest fish out there. If you were to be traded Derek Scouble, But I haven't heard all that much about big bats that are that are out there to be had, So I'm not saying there aren't any, but none are coming to the.
Top of mind at the moment.
That would really fit the bill, you know, for the Reds and trying to boost their lineup.
So it sounds like the Reds are pretty much rolling out the same lineup with the exception of Austin Hayes.
Being out JJ Blane being in.
Mark If this is what the Reds look like going into twenty twenty six more or less, do you feel like does the industry feel like they can still contend in the National League Central or for a National League Wild card?
Well?
I picked them to be in the playoffs last year, and I really liked their club. I think if you get a little more from a couple of the guys who are there, you know, if Ellie takes a step forward and comes to players that everybody believes he can be, you know, they get full healthy seasons from other other guys, and those guys sort of take a step.
Forward as well.
I think they have enough talent to compete. I mean, the pitcher staff is very good, but gone was a great return in the full pen. So I think, you know, the NL Central is not exactly overloaded with We're not talking about the Al East here with the Blue Jays and Red Sox and Yankee and Orioles raised. So you know, I think if the Brewers trade Peralta, that certainly, you know, gives a hit for them. You know, the Cubs they added Cabrera, they haven't added a bat to replace Tucker.
I don't know that they're going to. I know they're still in on Brigman to some extent, But I think this is a winnable division. I don't think this is going to be a division that necessarily has a you know, ninety five ninety eight win team.
So I do like.
What the Reds you.
Know, have going for them as a whole.
And I'm a big believer in Tito and that was one of the reasons why I picked on to make the playoff last year. I think he has that team believing in itself and if you guys can, like I said, take a bit of a step forward, I think this is a team that could contend in a relatively you know, quiet division.
And that leads into My next question Mark, and that is year number two of Terry Francona in Cincinnati. He got the team to the playoffs in year number one. What does year number two look like? And do you think he makes a difference in terms of his familiarity with the.
Roster this year?
Oh, I'm sure.
I mean the fact that he you know, knows the guys coming into this year, he'll have a better sense of what he has on that roster and how he can utilize He's player. You know, I think Sheldon will be the first one to back me.
Up on this.
There was a different feeling in Reds camp last year, and I know that's always one of those, you know, very popular spring training.
Stories of Oats.
He does bringing a new attitude, but just talking, I was in Reds camp a couple of days covering from Mark last year and just talking to guys who were had been there for a bit, and they just you could just sense a different confidence in that room of I think the one line somebody said to me was, you know, we all know what it takes to win, but t is actually giving us the blueprint of how to get there. And I think, you know the fact that they did take a step forward and have some
success last year. I think that's only going to make them hungrier and that experience.
Is going to help them in trying to get back there this year.
Mark, we have about a minute left, but real quick on the lookoutside of Cincinnati and just nationally, with these free agents, you have Tucker, you have Bishett, Bregman, Bellinger. Who do you think the next domino to fall is?
I would think Bregman is probably the favorite in that group, Tucker and Bellinger. Bellinger seems to be in a situation where he and the Yankees sort of want to reunite, but there's still a gap between them, and I think he's gonna wait until Tucker signs, because you know the teams that don't get Tucker. Let's say he goes to the Blue Jays, which is where you know, all signs are pointing that he's gonna wind up there, but it's certainly not a good deal.
Then all of a sudden, the Met the Yankees.
Could be at a biding war for Bellinger. So we saw that last year with Soto and the Met to merge victorious in that fitting war. Gregman's market isn't quite as big the red Box want him back Buster Only. Our friend at ESPN reported this week that they were prepared and willing to make him a pretty big offer. I think that the natural reunion in the making to bring Gregman.
Back to Boston.
The Cubs are still in on him, the Tigers are sort.
Of marginallying on him. But unless he's willing to do what he did.
Last year, which stick a shorter term deal for a higher av Boston seems like the natural fit. And it wouldn't surprise me if you know, if that deal gets done in the next you know, called seven days or so.
That's fantastic information. Mark.
I really appreciate you, and Mike appreciates you calling in and talking to us for a little bit. Thank you again very much, and I'll see you sooner and down the road and we'll talk again.
Good talking to you, Fella's take care.
Thanks Mark.
Thanks Mark. Wow, that was pretty good stuff right there right.
I love talking to Mark.
Well, before we go to break, I just wanted to a lurt those listening on Flagships seven hundred WLW because of Savior Basketball. The second half of our show is moving over to thirteen sixty, so please join us over there.
The rest of us. The rest of.
You can stay right where you are and we'll have Red's outfielder JJ Bloda joining us next on the Budweiser Red's Hot Stovely presented by UDF on the Reds Radio Network. Get access to all thirteen Tuesday Reds home games this season with the three two one Tuesday Ballpark Pass for as low as forty nine to ninety nine. Budweiser three two to one Tuesdays at Great American Ballpark include three dollars beers, two dollars hot dogs, and one dollar ice
cream cups. Get your three two one Tuesday Ballpark Pass now at Reds dot com slash Pass and welcome back to the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF Live at the BEDMGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watch Bar at the Banks. We are your substitute hosts Mark Sheldon and Mike Petralia in for Tommy and Jim. Our next guest was signed to a one year contract by the Reds late last month, and he was so excited about the move that he already had a Reds cap on during
his zoom meeting with all the reporters. That's pretty cool, well prepared, well prepared. His name is JJ Blade. He is joining us on the phone with everything settled in now for a couple of weeks. JJ, how how are you feeling about your new deal with the Reds.
I'm feeling great, guys. I'm really looking forward to it.
I'm excited, and you know, I'm just kind of ready to get things going.
What has been your biggest priorities, JJ, in terms of getting ready in the off season.
Yeah, I think just you know, making sure my body is prepared for another you know, long baseball season. Making sure I'm I'm staying mobile, I'm keeping my quickness, I'm keeping weight, and I kind of getting to that that place where you know you're going to be comfortable throughout the whole course of the season. And then outside of that,
it's just improving your game. You know, It's it's settling in what you want to work on mechanically at the play, and then you know, defensively, uh, you know, making sure you get enough reps going on the spring training.
I think one thing that stuck out to me in your zoom call with reporters right after you signed in Cincinnati was the fact that you acknowledged. You know, last year was kind of a rough year for you, an off year, but you look to bounce back. And what you referenced is what you just spoke about becoming more athletic.
Focusing on becoming more athletic. What does that look like, not only in your offseason preparations, but what do you envision it looking like in twenty twenty six at Great American Ballpark?
Yeah, I just see myself being an athlete and competing, you know, like just being fluid and just you know, being a bastard in the box as best I can. And that's you know, just fight fighting to see new pitch it or more pitches, and putting yourself an.
Account to do damage and just you know.
Going balls out like you know, going after balls, taking the extra base and just playing the game hard, you know, as hard as I've ever I've ever played JJ.
As you full well know, you hit your first home run at Great American Ballpark back in twenty twenty two. You're nine for thirty one over here with five extra base hits. Why or and maybe how does this particular ballpark play into your strength? Yeah?
I don't know if I mean, it's just kind of a byproduct.
You know, it's just you know, I just I've just played well there, you know, every every time I've played or you know, I've played two series there and uh one with Miami, one with.
Bas and I mean it just sort of happened, you know.
I mean it's just, uh, I like the area, I like the stadium, and it's just a good recipe for things to happen when when everything falls in line.
What have your conversations been like with Tito?
Uh?
Very you know, just this real casual. You know, he just congratulated me and looking forward to getting to beat.
Me, and you know, just kind of talking about uh my roots throwing up here in western Pennsylvania and just kind of telling me he's from that area, and just you know, we're just kind of joking around.
Along those lines.
You know, last year we talked about you had the plate, but also you know, you didn't have your best year defensively either. You've been generally over your your career been a strong defensive outfielder. What do you think changed in that area and what on that side of your game are you work looking on to bring it back to where it was in twenty twenty six.
You know, I don't want to like point fingers and have excuses.
I mean it was tough.
It was tough playing in the ballpark you've never played in before, especially in minor league stadium and and you know, now just looking back, you know, I just I just got to do more.
I gotta I gotta do more.
Speed wise, I got to do more, you know, fly balls, take my shagging more seriously. And that's kind of been the main emphasis this offseason is is get outside, have someone hit me fun gos, you know, two three times a week right now before going in spring training, and really just working on that first step.
I feel like my first step last year wasn't very good.
I wasn't taking good routes at the ball, and you know, as a result, kind of lost a little bit of confidence out there. So it's just regaining that back and just getting after it and going, you know, just trying to literally catch everything.
Hit my way right now.
One thing that stuck out to me JJ about this Red's clubhouse in twenty twenty five, I think one of the big reasons they were able to eventually make the playoffs is they had a very tight clubhouse. They very had each other's backs.
There was no.
Backbiting, you know, back and forth. And I'm curious if you've heard the same thing about this clubhouse, how together they are, the young leadership that's in there, namely guys like Tyler Stevenson for one and Gavin Lux for another. How have you gotten to know them in your time so far in the last month, you know.
Honestly haven't delved too much into that. But like just from watching Afar, you know, playing in the past few years, you could just tell there's no drama, Like it's not a drama team. The egos, you know, there's no huge egos. Everyone's in line. Everyone seems like they get along with
one another. And I think just you know, that's just you know, courtesy of the organization as a whole, and then just the staff and then the with sure players that are in the that are in the clubhouse, and you know, I think just right now, it's it's having guys like a million Pagan reaching out.
It's Spencer Steer who I played.
With in the Cape Cod League and just communicating with them and just having some type of dialogue to make myself comfortable.
And they just do a good job at communicating that.
So I'm just I just think that's how they do a good job and that's why they win.
JJ.
We have a few other things we want to get to you with you, but we have to take a quick break. We'd love to talk to you on the other side if you don't mind, so we will be back with more with JJ Bladay. This is the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF on the Reds Radio Network presented by Penn Station is on sale now. Receive an exclusive Ellie d La Cruz light Up bibblehead plus your choice of six home games to purchase, go
to Reds dot com slash pick six. You are listening to the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF live at the bed MGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watch Bar at the Banks with Mike Petralia. I'm Mark Sheldon, and we are back with another segment with new Reds outfielder JJ Blade.
JJ.
A while back, you were in Cincinnati playing for Midland, a famed travel team around here before heading off to college at Vanderbilt. You live just across the river, I think at Newport, Kentucky. What was that like for you to be in this area.
It was a blast, man, it was.
It was.
It was in a really good spot.
We did get to go to many Reds games because we were playing ourselves, but you know, we could watch it from afar hear the fireworks. Remember going to a lot of good restaurants, one of them being the Precinct.
Which is owned by Jeff Ruby.
I believe yes, and uh so, our ostat would always take us out there, you know, every couple of weeks, and it's the blast.
It was kind of getting you ready for college and definitely was was a fun experience.
JJ.
I'm curious about Midland and it is, like Mark was just saying, it's a famed travel league, a travel team and travel organization. It really has gotten a lot of young players ready for that next level of baseball. I'm curious what you knew about that organization about Midland prior to it and what it was like playing there.
Yeah, it was always like a rival. We'd always see them at tournaments.
And I played for another team called Indiana Prospects, which was a little bit of a younger age group, and.
I just remember Midland always having a good like seventeen eighteen year old team, and I knew.
I didn't want to take classes in the summertime. I wanted to play some more baseball to get ready for my freshman year of college.
And I just think that's what it is. It's just a good discipline.
You know, they take care of the details, good coaching, and just high competitive tournaments and games. You know, you're facing some really good players in the high school class and it's just.
A fun tournament.
And then you get to go to try to go to Farmington to win it, which is like, you know, the World Series of an eighteen year old team.
Of course, you went on to play for Vanderbilt, where you you ended up being the SEC Player of the Year in twenty nineteen. Your coach Tim Corben called you an old soul and a low maintenance guy with quiet confidence. Do you still feel that that is true even as you've matured a few years.
Oh yeah, yeah, I don't see, like I'm oh my god, it's gonna have many issues.
You know.
I'm kind of a guy that likes to, you know, listen, you know, and then and then speak.
So I like to just kind of see how things are are run and and going and then kind of go from there.
Also, we have heard that you are talented in playing the piano. I'm curious, are you Billy, Joel?
Are you out?
And John?
What's your style? You know?
I was actually just playing like ten minutes before this, before I got you guys. Yeah, just we got one right before the holidays. We got one from my wife's family member, so.
It needs a tune in. But I'm more of an old school like cloud cool, Mozart, Beto.
You don't get a lot of that in the clubhouse, no, you know, if guys.
From the Dominican Pro I don't even know who.
They are, you should teach them. It's good music.
Yeah, it is good music. I mean everyone should know that, right right. Everyone probably does know some tunes.
Right absolutely.
And as you mentioned your teammates, you're gonna get to meet a whole bunch of them next week. I understand you are confirmed to attend Reds Fest, which is returning to the Convention Center here in town after a two year hiatus. What are you looking forward to about meeting your teammates and manager. You've talked to a few guys.
You mentioned Pegan, you mentioned Tito Francona. What are you looking forward to about getting together with these guys in about you know, ten days or so, you know, just.
Putting the name to the faces, just kind of hanging out, having some some basic conversation and you know see how talk talk some baseball, you know, talk talk city, you know, food, places to live and then you know, just kind of get together.
To to see the fans. So nothing too crazy, just just got very nice.
Oh what do you think about your about trying out for an everyday role. You still obviously have to come to camp. You got to earn You're gonna have a spot on the team, but you want to earn a regular role. I imagine what what do you feel about the competition that you have coming up?
Yeah, I think there's you know, good competition on this squad. And you know, I do see myself playing.
Left field, and I'm I feel like I'm a corner guy long term, you know, as much as uh, you know, I played center in twenty four and I played center last year, I still see myself more as a corner corner position. And you know, I'm just gonna, like you said, I mean, just just come in and working hard to earn a spot and earn the job and and just do my best to stay focused and trust that process.
Jay, Jay, what is it that you're looking forward to playing in Cincinnati the most?
I think just the chance to play playoff baseball. I think, you know, I saw it from afar with them, and I just think it's a tremendous experience to be able to get to and I have yet to have that in my career. And it just seems like the jel of those guys have.
The city.
I mean, the city just loves sports, you know, I mean, and I grew up in Pittsburgh, so it's a very similar town and similar atmosphere, and I'm just looking forward to be a part of that and to really go out there and compete, you know, all nine innings, to go out and win for that city.
Just a side note real quick, you have something in common. Joe Burrow played the piano to heal from his wrist injury. So maybe you can get together with Joe and go over your piano playing skills.
Yeah, Yeah, that'd be sweet. I'd be all for that.
Sounds good.
Hey, JJ, we really appreciate you checking in with us here tonight during the off season, and we all look forward to meeting you at Redsfest in a few days. So thank you very much for coming on.
Likewise, yes, thanks for having me.
Thanks you, Jay.
That was JJ Blade, the new Red's outfielder. We're gonna wrap it up and we're gonna finish Tiaboa on this show. So this is the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove League presented by UDF on the Reds Radio Network. Okay, this is the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDF. We're live at the bet MGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watchbar at
the Banks, and we're gonna wrap this up. Like I said earlier, Mike, we got about a month ago and then spring training kicks off, and what do you think the biggest roster battle we should be watching.
Is number five starter? Oh easy?
Yeah, I think there are so many options available to Terry Francona, after Hunter Green, Niclodolo, Andrew Rabbit and Brady Singer, those four pretty much I think locked in.
Then you have Rhet Louder.
People forget how solid he was to finish out the twenty twenty three He had a one to finish that year. That last month of the year. The last month and a half was spectacular. Then you have Chase burn who was the sensation that came up this year. I think those two could battle it out. Don't forget Brandon Williamson. He is a lefty who has a lot of major league experience, I believe five years or four years of
major league experience. If he is fully recovered from Tommy John he comes back, He's a lefty at the back end of the rotation, or he could wind up in the bullpen. And then you have Julian Aggie are a right hander. So I think those four names are spots to keep or names to keep an eye on in spring training.
Yeah, definitely.
The Reds have a very deep rotation, but the front office has been pretty adamant they don't want to part with any of these guys because the you know, Aggie, are, Williamson, and Louder all miss time the entire season last year. The rest of the rotation also missed some time on the IL except for Brady Singer. He was the only guy to go from start to finish without any iel time. So they want to protect these guys and they're going
to probably need all of them at some point. Because attrition in starting pitching is the thing now in Major League Baseball.
No question.
And you're talking about cost control. Last year at this time they had to go out and acquire Brady Singer, right, But this year you're in a position where you really didn't have to spend a lot of money to add anything to the rotation or to the bullpen. You did, obviously add Caleb Ferguson. I get that, but that was really the only significant move that the Reds made in terms of going outside the organization.
That and bringing back Emilio Pegan, Yeah, a closer. That was a huge move that kind of set the things in motion to get the bullpen back.
I love the move by the Yah.
It's a big move for them. It is good for the clubhouse.
You got it Pegan, you have setting up, you have Tony Santion, you have Graham Ashcraft.
Now you have Caleb Ferguson.
You got a guy like Connor Phillips who was very impressive in the last month of the season, and he's gonna have a shot at making a you know, making some moves in the bullpen. I mentioned Grant Ashcraft, So there's some there's some guys that could make this a very deep bullpen.
No question about that.
And other things that I'm looking forward to are how does Ellie Dala Cruz handle playing defense at shortstop after a very very rough year defensively last year. What are the improvements he is going to make this year? Matt McClain, nobody is very few people have talked about how good he was offensively before he got hurt and what he could be this year if he bounces back offensively, and I think it goes without saying the Reds are really
counting on him doing that. Throw that in with Sal Stewart and I think you've got the potential of a much deeper lineup than you thought at the end of last year.
And it could be better defensively too, because you don't forget key Brian Hazy's not a great offensive players, kind of you know, on the low end on the offense, but he is now a two time goal Glove winner.
He makes it solid three.
Games down the stretch with defensive plays.
So there's a lot to like there. Well, we just had a lot to do tonight. We got it all done.
I want to thank JJ Blade, Mark Pines and Rick Wall Betralia plus Drew wester Heidie back at the studio, and our engineer Dave Abbott. I'm Mark Sheldon from MLB dot com. Thank you so much for joining us to talk to you next time. This was the Budweiser Reds Hotstove League, presented by UDF on the Reds Radio network.