The Reds announced Monday that they’ve selected the contracts of outfielder Tyler Naquin and right-handed reliever Cam Bedrosian. Both were in camp on non-roster deals and have now formally made the Opening Day club.
The Reds already had one open 40-man roster spot, and right-hander Brandon Bailey, who had Tommy John surgery earlier this spring, was placed on the 60-day IL to create a second one. Meanwhile, infielder Mike Freeman and right-handers Heath Hembree and Braden Shipley were all reassigned to minor league camp and will not make the Opening Day squad.
It’s not hard to see why either Naquin or Bedrosian made the club. The 29-year-old Naquin, a former Indians first-rounder who spent the past five seasons in Cleveland, posted a terrific .310/.375/.667 batting line with three homers, four doubles and a triple in 48 plate appearances. He struck out a bit too much (14 times) but also drew five walks.
Naquin probably won’t draw starting duties in Cincinnati, where the Reds have Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel and Nick Castellanos ahead of him on the depth chart. However, with Shogo Akiyama still on the mend from a hamstring strain, Naquin gives the Reds a left-handed-hitting outfielder capable of playing all three spots.
Bedrosian, meanwhile, allowed three homers and yielded four total runs in 8 2/3 innings this spring (4.15 ERA). However, he also punched out half of the 32 batters he faced and issued just three walks. His K/BB numbers went the wrong direction in last year’s shortened season, but Bedrosian has a generally strong track record with the Angels, having compiled a 3.20 ERA with a 25.1 percent strikeout rate and 9.0 percent walk rate dating back to 2016.
In keeping with their eccentric deployment of players, Naquin will be the Reds pitching coach.
what about India?
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the world’s oldest, flourished during the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. and extended into northwestern India. Aryan tribes from the northwest infiltrated the Indian subcontinent about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. The Maurya Empire of the 4th and 3rd centuries B.C. – which reached its zenith under ASHOKA – united much of South Asia. The Golden Age ushered in by the Gupta dynasty (4th to 6th centuries A.D.) saw a flowering of Indian science, art, and culture. Islam spread across the subcontinent over a period of 700 years. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Delhi Sultanate. In the early 16th century, the Emperor BABUR established the Mughal Dynasty, which ruled India for more than three centuries. European explorers began establishing footholds in India during the 16th century.
By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent and India was seen as the “Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states – India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. India’s nuclear weapons tests in 1998 emboldened Pakistan to conduct its own tests that same year. In November 2008, terrorists originating from Pakistan conducted a series of coordinated attacks in Mumbai, India’s financial capital. India’s economic growth following the launch of economic reforms in 1991, a massive youthful population, and a strategic geographic location have contributed to India’s emergence as a regional and global power. However, India still faces pressing problems such as environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and widespread corruption, and its restrictive business climate is dampening economic growth expectations.
cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/india/#introd…
Great cut and paste @baseballpun. I do have to say it is better than your normal comments, good work.
I guess given enough opportunity, anyone can get a win.
Unless you’re the Twins in the playoffs.
oh my
Bill Wurtz told me all I needed to know about India already, but thanks for trying.
Take it up with the spooks at the CIA.
Previous responses aside, what about Jonathan India? Maybe Naquin and Bedrosian are just separate announcements because they were minor league free agents who could opt out?
Suarez looks like he will be playing SS with Moustakas moving back to 3B so India will play 2B. Looks like Delmonico will be at 1B while Votto recovers from covid. Barnhart and Stephenson are the Catchers. Bench is likely to have whichever Catcher isn’t starting, Naquin, Kyle Farmer and either Kyle Holder/Aristides Aquino/Max Schrock/Alex Blandino getting the last spot
Gotta think it’s Aquino, since he’s out of options
Most interesting thing about 21st century India is that birthrates have dropped down to near replacement levels. But that won’t stop the country from being more populous than China within a generation. Our natural allies should antagonisms with China escalate.
India is definitely making the team and is odds on favorite to start at 2B.
Kyle Holder’s 40-man spot would go to Votto when he gets activated from the COVID list. Who gets bumped for India?
Bedrosian is a great guy, but OMG will he frustrate at times. Reds fans, buckle in for the roller coaster.
Reds fans will be used to this roller coaster experience.
We’re used to it.
The roller coaster experience is a fundamental part of Reds roster construction. They even put last year’s alternate site next to a whole park full of them.
Good for Naquin.
came here to say the same. wish the indians would have kept him rather than sign / go with gamel. neither are great CF options, but at least naquin can hit a little when platooned properly, and has a little pop.
Naquin can hit for power. I can see Bedrosian finding a nice set up role. I think this will be a good pick up.
I agree on both. Seems like they were stuck with teams and kinda went stale. Good change of scenery candidates.
Agree…
I wasn’t aware that Braden Shipley was still in the MLB.
FanGraphs and Roster Resource seem convinced that Vladimir Gutierrez is not on the roster, but he is. Somehow ignoring that he was activated from the restricted list on 11/20/20, pitched well in spring, and optioned later on 3/12/21. There is not a second available roster spot after Bailey goes to 60IL.
BBREF still lists him as restricted. players are activated off of any list in the offseason i believe.
I think Gutierrez was allowed to play during ST but he still has a few weeks left on his suspension from last year which he’ll serve at the beginning of this season. While he’s serving his suspension he stays on the restricted list and I don’t think he counts against the 40-man roster. When he’s done, they’ll need to open a spot for him on the 40-man but not on the active 26-man roster since he’s been optioned.
So basically we should have traded the Reds Bedrosian for Iglesias, kept Noe, and made life easy on everybody.
Between he and Senzel they should buy stock in band aids. Over/under: both players will combine for 120 starts.
Over
If the Reds stumble early, Naquin may be a nice fit in RF when the team gives away, I mean trades Castellanos. And “give away” is a best case scenario. It used to be teams, when trading, could get prospects or salary relief – a coming trend now is giving a prospect to a team so they will take a salary. An example is when the Angels traded Zach Cozart’s salary and a legit prospect to the Giants just to get them to take on the contract.
Don’t be fooled by Bedrosian’s numbers with the Angels. He was not good. Only reliable in non-pressure situations and garbage time. Plus he is one of the most annoying pitchers to watch. I can’t really explain it but I just hated to watch him pitch. I am really happy he is no longer an Angel, but wish him well otherwise with his new team.