Bazzana Bananza at the Corner!
Travis Bazzana hits his first MLB home run in a 6-4 win for the Guardians!
Lance McAlister discusses the Cincinnati Reds' current struggles as they prepare for a weekend series against the Houston Astros. The team has faced challenges with pitching injuries and underperforming bats.
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Lance McAlister, WLWās Pre & Post Game Host for Reds baseball,Ā sits down to preview Houstonās weekend series in Cincinnati.
Q:Ā The Reds have cooled down a little since their hot start.Ā Whatās the overall pulse of the club presently?
A:Ā They are in a precarious spot. They got off to a big start, with strong pitching, defense and bullpen. The hope was the bats would come around. They havenāt, and now the other spots are leaking oil.
Everything that was going right, winning close games, finding ways to win, has flipped. 3 starting pitchers on the IL hasnāt helped. Missing the bat of Eugenio Suarez (oblique) hasnāt helped. Hot shot rookie Sal Stewart has cooled.
Q:Ā Ā Tonight youāll send Nick Lodolo to the mound.Ā What can you share with our Astros readers about his skillset and what he throws?
A:Ā When healthy, he can dominate with a wipeout slider. The issue continues to be a blister that has landed him on the IL three different seasons.
It all ties to his slider.Ā The grip that causes the friction on the pad of his finger, is the pressure point that creates the slider. They canāt figure it out. Honestly, no reason to believe they can. Itās been ok for the two latest rehab starts. But, who knows.
Q:Ā At SS,Ā you have something special in Elly De La Cruz.Ā When he gets rolling, the whole lineup seems to feed off of him.Ā Would you agree with that assessment?
A:Ā Elly stirs the drink. He can impact and change games at the plate, in the field, and on the bases. This season, the game appears to have slowed down for him. He is more relaxed.
The Cincinnati Reds are struggling, with injuries to three starting pitchers and underperforming bats affecting their performance.
Injuries to key players, including three starting pitchers and Eugenio Suarez, have contributed to the Reds' recent struggles after a strong start.
Lance McAlister is WLWās Pre & Post Game Host for Reds baseball, providing insights and previews for the team's games.
Travis Bazzana hits his first MLB home run in a 6-4 win for the Guardians!
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Q:Ā Final question.Ā JJ Bleday was called up and has demonstrated some power. Do you like him batting in the #2 spot?
A:Ā Heās been an interesting add. He was their first free agent signing of the offseason, albeit only 1-year at $1.4M.
*He didnāt make the team out of spring training. But he didnāt pout. He went to Louisville and hit and hit and hit. Lack of MLB outfield production led to his call-up. Heās continued to hit, with pop.*Their No. 2 spot was a dark hole with Matt McLain. Heās given them a big boost.