WEBVTT - Reds Hot Stove League -- 1/13/26 0:00:00.280 --> 0:00:03.960 This is the Budweiser reds Hot Stove League. The Red 0:00:04.120 --> 0:00:06.000 surround the Radio. 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:11.080 The Hotstove League is brought to you by Jtmfood Group. 0:00:11.320 --> 0:00:16.640 Let's create great dishes together. JTM MSA Design, the Legion's 0:00:16.720 --> 0:00:20.440 leader in sports education and civic design and the official 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:25.200 architect of the Reds Tom's Watchbar. All the sports, all 0:00:25.280 --> 0:00:28.960 the time. Bet MGM. Now you're betting with the King 0:00:29.040 --> 0:00:34.200 of sportsbooks. Download the bet MGM app today. Please gamble responsibly. 0:00:34.440 --> 0:00:37.199 The reds Hot Stove League is also brought to you 0:00:37.280 --> 0:00:42.000 by Kelsey Chevrolet, now driving forward with a new look, 0:00:42.240 --> 0:00:45.080 the same promise and more ways to deliver peace of 0:00:45.159 --> 0:00:47.320 mind from our family to yours. 0:00:47.520 --> 0:00:49.360 Visit kelseyschev dot. 0:00:49.120 --> 0:00:54.440 Com and by RNL Carriers. Visit RLC dot com and 0:00:54.560 --> 0:00:58.120 make RNL Carriers your global transportation provider. 0:00:58.480 --> 0:00:59.920 Deep the center field. 0:00:59.640 --> 0:01:02.960 Going on at the wall leaved it is long gone. 0:01:03.320 --> 0:01:09.240 Belli dala cruzza. 0:01:11.120 --> 0:01:13.640 Now the reds Hot Stove League. 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:16.959 And hello and welcome, one and all to the Budweiser 0:01:17.000 --> 0:01:20.200 reds Hot Stove League, presented by UDF Live at the 0:01:20.200 --> 0:01:24.240 BEDMGM Sportsbook inside Tom's Watchbar. Here at the banks, back 0:01:24.280 --> 0:01:27.080 once again behind the microphone. I'm Mark Sheldon, the senior 0:01:27.120 --> 0:01:29.840 beat reporter who covers the Reds for MLB dot com, 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:32.760 and I'm joined by Mike Petralia from CLNS since ape 0:01:32.840 --> 0:01:36.360 dot com, where he covers all Sincy sports, all Cincinnati sports. 0:01:36.360 --> 0:01:39.440 Pardon me, Your regular hosts, Tommy Thrall and Jim Day 0:01:39.480 --> 0:01:41.720 are off again, but guess what, they return to the 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:44.720 airwaves next week, so you'll have them back. Our guests 0:01:44.720 --> 0:01:47.520 tonight are red Starting pitcher Nick Lodolo, and then to 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:50.280 talk all things Reds Fest, we will speak with Charlie Frank, 0:01:50.480 --> 0:01:53.720 the executive director of the Reds Community Fund. As you 0:01:53.760 --> 0:01:56.840 may know, Redsfest, presented by PNC, is returning this weekend 0:01:56.840 --> 0:01:59.720 at the Cincinnati Convention Center after a two year hiatus. 0:02:00.480 --> 0:02:00.680 Mike. 0:02:00.760 --> 0:02:03.080 There was also some free agent news that broke over 0:02:03.120 --> 0:02:06.160 the weekend. According to sources, the Reds agreed to terms 0:02:06.200 --> 0:02:09.200 on a one year contract with right handed reliever Pierce Johnson, 0:02:09.240 --> 0:02:12.239 who was a former Brave setup man. The deal team 0:02:12.320 --> 0:02:14.400 with a mutual option for twenty twenty seven and has 0:02:14.400 --> 0:02:17.320 a total value of six and a half million. Of course, 0:02:17.360 --> 0:02:19.519 it is not yet official and pending the passing of 0:02:19.600 --> 0:02:22.560 Johnson's physical later this week, but assuming that is only 0:02:22.560 --> 0:02:25.280 a formality, Mike, what are your thoughts as the Reds 0:02:25.280 --> 0:02:26.880 try to further bolster their bullpen. 0:02:27.200 --> 0:02:31.519 Mark, I love the move, and as any manager or 0:02:31.560 --> 0:02:33.800 a pitching coach, and we'll hear from Nicklodolo in a 0:02:33.800 --> 0:02:37.240 few moments, Derek Johnson will tell you can never have 0:02:37.360 --> 0:02:39.560 enough quality arms at the back end of the bullpen. 0:02:40.080 --> 0:02:46.040 And this is somebody who has a wide variety or 0:02:46.600 --> 0:02:50.680 wealth of major league and professional experience. He spent some 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:55.520 time in Japan. He's coming back now into Major League Baseball, 0:02:55.600 --> 0:02:59.079 I think his third year back in MLB, and he's 0:02:59.160 --> 0:03:03.679 been I think this matters. He's been with the Atlanta Braves. 0:03:04.000 --> 0:03:07.800 And when you talk about an organization that knows its pitching, 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:10.320 it's the Atlanta Braves. And I think when you can 0:03:10.440 --> 0:03:16.480 add a picture from a great organization with great acumen 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:21.960 and great reputation of developing pictures and even developing maybe 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:25.480 reclamation projects if you will, I think it's a great move. 0:03:26.120 --> 0:03:29.520 The price is right, and I think Pierce Johnson is 0:03:29.560 --> 0:03:33.200 going to probably fit right in with that Reds bullpen, 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:35.840 giving them kind of depth that Terry Francona and Derek 0:03:35.880 --> 0:03:37.520 Johnson are looking for at the end of games. 0:03:37.600 --> 0:03:41.600 Yeah, definitely became a priority when Emilia Pigan became a 0:03:41.600 --> 0:03:44.240 free agent. He came back, but they also lost guys 0:03:44.280 --> 0:03:48.680 like Scott Barlow, Brent Suter and a few other guys, 0:03:48.760 --> 0:03:51.000 and they needed to fill that group up. They got 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:53.800 Caleb Ferguson, like I said, they got Pegne back. Now 0:03:53.840 --> 0:03:57.040 they have Pierce Johnson, who is more of a curveball guy. 0:03:57.080 --> 0:03:59.320 That's his deadly pitch and he'll be a different kind 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:02.840 of look maybe, and Graham Ashcraft Tony Santion setting up 0:04:02.840 --> 0:04:04.640 in the late inning, so we'll see what happens there. 0:04:05.560 --> 0:04:07.960 In other news, the Reds also announced that pitchers and 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:10.680 catchers and players that are participating in the World Baseball 0:04:10.720 --> 0:04:13.640 Classic are scheduled to report to spring training in Goodyear 0:04:13.920 --> 0:04:17.320 on February ninth, and their first workout will be February eleventh. 0:04:17.600 --> 0:04:21.479 Red's position players report on February fourteenth, with the first 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:25.720 full squad workouts set for February sixteenth. As you may 0:04:25.720 --> 0:04:28.080 have heard already, the Reds earlier today put out a 0:04:28.160 --> 0:04:31.760 list of non roster invitees to big league camp. Some 0:04:31.839 --> 0:04:33.840 of those nine names should be familiar, but there are 0:04:33.880 --> 0:04:36.800 a few new faces. The list includes right handed pitchers 0:04:36.839 --> 0:04:41.559 tj Antone, Carson Spires, Lyon Richardson, Hagen Danner, left handed 0:04:41.560 --> 0:04:46.560 pitcher Joel Valdez, catcher Will Banfield, and infielders Garrett Hampson, 0:04:46.680 --> 0:04:48.520 Michael Chavis and Michael Tolia. 0:04:49.480 --> 0:04:51.000 Mike, what do you think about it? 0:04:51.160 --> 0:04:53.960 I mean, can you not root any harder for tj 0:04:54.120 --> 0:04:56.760 an Town. I mean, look at what he's been through. 0:04:56.800 --> 0:05:01.599 He's been through multiple Tommy John procedure three three. It's 0:05:01.640 --> 0:05:05.520 it's just remarkable. And to see him with the will, 0:05:05.680 --> 0:05:08.080 the desire to want to come back and pitch for 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:11.240 the Reds. I think it's a great story to follow in. 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:12.320 Uh. 0:05:12.480 --> 0:05:16.039 You know, obviously in spring training we'll see how he does. 0:05:16.520 --> 0:05:19.160 Everybody has to earn a spot, but it'd be great 0:05:19.200 --> 0:05:24.000 if tj Antone, uh could follow in the footsteps of 0:05:24.360 --> 0:05:27.480 other pictures who have been down that road before, battled 0:05:27.760 --> 0:05:30.920 when they were non roster invites and made it back 0:05:30.960 --> 0:05:35.040 onto the roster. Obviously, Carson Spires has served the Reds 0:05:35.360 --> 0:05:39.840 very very well. Again, he is another story where if 0:05:39.880 --> 0:05:43.440 the right position fits for him, right role fits in 0:05:43.480 --> 0:05:45.640 the bullpen or even in the starting rotation. 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:47.520 I mean, he's he's got some real hard to do 0:05:47.600 --> 0:05:49.440 still with Tommy John he probably won't be ready for 0:05:49.480 --> 0:05:51.160 the start of the season, but he will be on 0:05:51.200 --> 0:05:53.800 the on the you know, in the organization, which is important. 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:56.800 But just the fact that they want him back in 0:05:56.839 --> 0:06:01.080 the organization I think is interesting. And I will tell 0:06:01.080 --> 0:06:03.120 you that one name that sticks out to me, and 0:06:03.160 --> 0:06:05.640 I covered him from my latter days in Boston is 0:06:05.720 --> 0:06:09.120 Michael Chavs, first round pick of the Boston Red Sox 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:12.119 way back in twenty fourteen. He's got a lot of power, 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:16.120 and when I see Michael Chavas, I think of Dustin Pedroia. 0:06:16.279 --> 0:06:18.200 Well, we'll see over the coming weeks and months of 0:06:18.279 --> 0:06:20.640 any of these guys, we'll crack the twenty six man 0:06:20.880 --> 0:06:23.240 opening day roster. One person who will be on that 0:06:23.320 --> 0:06:26.280 roster as our first guest. He joined the organization as 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:28.680 a first round draft pick in twenty nineteen and has 0:06:28.680 --> 0:06:31.080 been with Cincinnati in the Big League since twenty twenty two. 0:06:31.520 --> 0:06:34.440 He will be attending Redsvest this weekend. So let's welcome 0:06:34.680 --> 0:06:38.800 starting pitcher Nicolodolo Nick. How's your off season been going? Hey, Mark, 0:06:39.360 --> 0:06:39.960 how you doing? 0:06:41.320 --> 0:06:42.040 I'm doing well. 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:43.360 Doing, well, what. 0:06:43.320 --> 0:06:44.599 Have you been up to this offseason? 0:06:47.160 --> 0:06:51.080 Not much, you know, being a first time dad, just 0:06:52.040 --> 0:06:55.560 hanging out and you know, doing dad things, and you're 0:06:55.600 --> 0:06:57.320 just getting ready to get it going. 0:06:57.160 --> 0:07:02.000 Here neck gets Mike Patral looking forward to seeing you 0:07:02.040 --> 0:07:05.159 in a goodyear in a couple of weeks. I'm sure 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:08.359 that this is not only a relaxing time for you. 0:07:08.440 --> 0:07:11.080 But when as Mark and I were just talking about 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:13.920 all the moves that the team is making, does that 0:07:13.960 --> 0:07:16.480 get you excited kind of revved up to meet some 0:07:16.600 --> 0:07:19.600 new faces and kind of get on with the twenty 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:20.480 twenty sixth season. 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:24.240 Yeah, for sure. I mean a lot of the guys 0:07:25.320 --> 0:07:26.800 they haven't been on the team, but I feel like, 0:07:26.960 --> 0:07:29.080 you know, they're guys that we've competed against and seen 0:07:29.120 --> 0:07:31.160 them play and stuff, so you know, you know what 0:07:31.200 --> 0:07:33.240 they bring to the table, and you know it. Definitely 0:07:33.840 --> 0:07:36.440 it gets you excited. But I think overall, you start 0:07:36.480 --> 0:07:39.120 to hit this point just in the offseason and you know, 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:41.840 you start you start itching to get going again here. 0:07:42.800 --> 0:07:46.800 Obviously we mentioned just a few moments ago Nick about TJ. 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:52.160 Anton and Carson Spires. To see those guys being invited 0:07:52.200 --> 0:07:55.880 to spring training, and especially with TJ's situation. To see 0:07:55.920 --> 0:07:59.680 what he's battling through, how does that inspire you as 0:07:59.680 --> 0:08:02.920 someone one who all but he has a spot obviously 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:04.120 cemented in the rotation. 0:08:06.080 --> 0:08:08.920 Yeah, it's you know, TJ's a great person first of all, 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.400 so you're always rooting for good people, and you know, 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:15.160 for a guy to go through three arm surgeries and 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:17.840 continue to get after it and you know, want to 0:08:17.920 --> 0:08:21.600 keep chasing that dream, it's something you know, you you 0:08:21.680 --> 0:08:23.320 got to hand it to the guy. It's something that's 0:08:23.400 --> 0:08:27.360 it's pretty cool. And I mean when TJ's been healthy 0:08:27.400 --> 0:08:30.160 in the big leagues, He's produced at a high level, 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:33.160 so he knows how to do it. You know, we 0:08:33.559 --> 0:08:35.720 all wish the best of luck for him because we 0:08:35.800 --> 0:08:37.880 wanted to we know what he can do. So if 0:08:37.880 --> 0:08:40.800 he can stay healthy and everything, not only for himself, 0:08:40.840 --> 0:08:43.319 I personally would just love to see it for him. 0:08:43.679 --> 0:08:47.160 Yeah, Nick sent several career highs last season. You had 0:08:47.679 --> 0:08:50.319 a career highs and innings starts, strikeouts. You were nine 0:08:50.320 --> 0:08:52.280 to eight with a career best three point three three 0:08:52.280 --> 0:08:54.319 e r A in twenty nine games. They also two 0:08:54.320 --> 0:08:56.440 complete games. What was kind of the big key for 0:08:56.480 --> 0:09:00.240 you to kind of have this relatively strong excellency it. 0:09:02.240 --> 0:09:04.599 Uh. You know, I think a lot of things you 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:07.680 could probably contribute it to. I would say number one 0:09:08.760 --> 0:09:11.720 is that I've really had a full off season to 0:09:12.200 --> 0:09:15.440 worry just about getting my body, like I guess in 0:09:15.840 --> 0:09:17.840 a spot to be able to do that. The last 0:09:18.240 --> 0:09:20.120 year and a half before that was just trying to 0:09:20.200 --> 0:09:24.680 get myself back onto the field and that was a struggle. 0:09:24.760 --> 0:09:26.920 So you know, having that full off season I think 0:09:26.960 --> 0:09:33.120 really helped to chase that. And there's nothing like you 0:09:32.760 --> 0:09:35.320 when when you're hurting stuff, you go through a lot 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:37.080 that you have time and stuff to try to figure 0:09:37.080 --> 0:09:40.120 out how to like do things to make your body 0:09:40.160 --> 0:09:44.160 recover better and things like that. So I think throughout 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:46.559 the years you've just kind of you learn things and 0:09:46.679 --> 0:09:48.760 you put it all together, and I think, you know, 0:09:48.880 --> 0:09:51.080 last year I was just a benefit of that plan 0:09:51.200 --> 0:09:51.760 coming together. 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:55.280 Excellent, Nick. We got to step aside for a quick break. 0:09:55.280 --> 0:09:56.920 If you don't mind hanging on, we will pick up 0:09:56.920 --> 0:09:59.439 the conversation on the other side, But for right now 0:09:59.800 --> 0:10:02.440 you we are listening to the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove League, 0:10:02.440 --> 0:10:12.800 presented by UDF here on the REDS Radio Network. REDS fans. 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:15.040 Now is the time to get your twenty twenty six 0:10:15.120 --> 0:10:17.840 season tickets. Members sit in the same seat for every 0:10:17.880 --> 0:10:20.480 game with their friends and family and enjoy a flexible 0:10:20.480 --> 0:10:24.920 ticket exchange program. Visit Reds dot com slash Membership for details. 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:27.760 And we are back with the Budweiser Red's Hot Stove 0:10:27.800 --> 0:10:31.000 League presented by UDF Live at the bed MGM Sportsbook 0:10:31.120 --> 0:10:34.559 inside Tom's Watch Part at the banks Mark Sheldon along 0:10:34.559 --> 0:10:37.080 with Mike Petralia, and we're going to continue our conversation 0:10:37.160 --> 0:10:40.120 with Nick Lodolo. Nick, you've been to Reds Fest a 0:10:40.160 --> 0:10:42.800 few times now. From the player's point of view, what's 0:10:42.840 --> 0:10:45.440 that like for you to enjoy and interact with the fans. 0:10:46.840 --> 0:10:49.880 It's a lot of fun. You know, I've grown up 0:10:49.880 --> 0:10:52.400 as a kid. I feel like in California we really 0:10:52.440 --> 0:10:55.280 never had anything like that. So to see, you know, 0:10:55.600 --> 0:10:58.640 a community and everything get so excited for the start 0:10:58.640 --> 0:11:01.240 of baseball season and everything, it's something I thought that 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:03.720 was pretty special the first time go into it, So 0:11:04.880 --> 0:11:06.840 you know, I kind of get that that fel end 0:11:06.880 --> 0:11:09.040 of time and you feel the excitement and it's always 0:11:09.040 --> 0:11:12.040 it's good to see your teammates and everything. So looking 0:11:12.040 --> 0:11:13.400 forward to its coming weekend. 0:11:14.679 --> 0:11:18.880 Nick, I'm curious about the rotation and the stability of 0:11:18.880 --> 0:11:21.600 the rotation and what that means to you as a 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:25.480 member of the upper part portion of that rotation. Coming 0:11:25.480 --> 0:11:30.119 into twenty twenty six, you have the obviously have Hunter Green, yourself, 0:11:30.520 --> 0:11:34.520 Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer. We'll see how the fifth spot 0:11:34.640 --> 0:11:38.000 in the rotation works out. But what is it like 0:11:38.120 --> 0:11:41.240 to know that you guys have that set going into 0:11:41.320 --> 0:11:41.840 a season. 0:11:44.040 --> 0:11:46.880 I mean, it's it's definitely it's nice, for sure. I 0:11:46.880 --> 0:11:50.280 think the one thing I like is every guy's different 0:11:50.440 --> 0:11:53.680 we have from a standpoint of how we pitch and everything. 0:11:53.679 --> 0:11:55.800 So I think it gives us a good, good look 0:11:56.760 --> 0:11:59.040 just match up to match up day to day. And 0:11:59.720 --> 0:12:01.240 like you said, I mean we got a lot of 0:12:01.240 --> 0:12:03.720 options and a lot of good options. So I mean 0:12:03.760 --> 0:12:06.960 that's definitely exciting, and I think it gives you confidence. 0:12:06.960 --> 0:12:09.520 You don't matter you know who's going out there, we've 0:12:09.520 --> 0:12:10.760 got a good shout to win the ball game. 0:12:11.040 --> 0:12:13.480 And what kind of sticks out to me, Nick about 0:12:13.520 --> 0:12:16.120 what you just said is you do have a lot 0:12:16.120 --> 0:12:19.160 of styles. You do have a lot of different approaches 0:12:19.520 --> 0:12:22.360 to taking the mound every fifth day in that rotation. 0:12:22.920 --> 0:12:26.320 Derek Johnson's a big part of that. How how has 0:12:26.400 --> 0:12:29.120 Derek Johnson helped you and how do you think he 0:12:29.240 --> 0:12:32.960 has worked his magic throughout the last several years in 0:12:33.480 --> 0:12:35.720 working with so many different styles in the rotation. 0:12:37.280 --> 0:12:40.800 Yeah, DJ, DJ has been great, especially for me personally. 0:12:41.400 --> 0:12:43.640 I've really enjoyed working with him. He's taught me a lot. 0:12:44.600 --> 0:12:47.760 The one thing I think that DJ does really well is, 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:51.280 like I said, those different styles, DJ doesn't try to 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:54.200 group everybody into the same bucket. It's kind of his 0:12:54.280 --> 0:12:57.960 thing is always just be good at like, you know, 0:12:58.120 --> 0:13:00.840 be good at what you're good at, and so he's 0:13:00.840 --> 0:13:03.040 going to take your strength and try to maximize those 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:06.680 and instead of, you know, trying to get everyone to 0:13:06.840 --> 0:13:09.080 like throw the same pitch or anything like that, it's 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:11.319 it's like, all right, you're great at this, and we're 0:13:11.320 --> 0:13:13.000 going to run with this, and that's what makes you you. 0:13:13.320 --> 0:13:16.199 So I think that's one thing that really helps. 0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:19.480 We're talking with a red starting pitcher, Nick Lodolo. Nick, 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:22.960 you guys went through a grind of a season, eighty 0:13:22.960 --> 0:13:25.840 three wins. You guys were fighting for your playoff lives 0:13:25.880 --> 0:13:27.760 all the way to the very end, clinched the spot 0:13:27.840 --> 0:13:30.400 on the last day. Obviously the season ended a little 0:13:30.440 --> 0:13:32.480 shorter than you guys would have wanted. But what was 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:35.720 that experience like for you individually as a starting pitcher? 0:13:35.760 --> 0:13:37.200 And then what do you think it does for the 0:13:37.240 --> 0:13:39.240 team to build off this going in the next season. 0:13:41.320 --> 0:13:43.200 I think it's good. It's just, you know it, it 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.959 gives us that little taste of what it's like. I mean, 0:13:47.040 --> 0:13:50.920 obviously it ended short than we wanted to, but you know, 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:54.800 we can say we've experienced it now and everything, so 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:57.960 we know what to expect. And you know, I think 0:13:58.679 --> 0:14:00.560 we'd all love for it to you know, be on 0:14:00.600 --> 0:14:02.959 our terms on the last day of the season. We're 0:14:03.320 --> 0:14:07.120 over before that. But you know, I'm excited for it. 0:14:07.320 --> 0:14:10.520 I think it probably serves a bigger purpose than we 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:13.079 even realize right now, getting that experience. 0:14:14.040 --> 0:14:16.840 Do you have specific goals coming into twenty twenty six, Nick, 0:14:16.880 --> 0:14:18.440 And if you do, what are they? 0:14:20.960 --> 0:14:24.320 I don't really have any specific ones right now. You know, 0:14:24.640 --> 0:14:26.960 my main goal right now is to build up and 0:14:27.000 --> 0:14:29.320 be ready to go and camp and get through camp 0:14:29.360 --> 0:14:32.480 healthy and you know, be in a good spot when 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:34.160 when we get rolling here open day. 0:14:34.600 --> 0:14:36.240 Nick, how's your your finger? 0:14:36.280 --> 0:14:38.640 Obviously the blister issue kind of popped up on you 0:14:38.680 --> 0:14:41.000 this season a little bit. Luckily for you, is only 0:14:41.160 --> 0:14:43.520 a two week absence. You had it also in twenty 0:14:43.560 --> 0:14:45.600 twenty four you had in the minor leagues. How have 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:48.480 you been able to work on getting your fingers ready 0:14:48.520 --> 0:14:50.680 for basically for pitching a whole season. 0:14:51.920 --> 0:14:55.640 Yeah, that's a good question. Yeah, you know, it's it's 0:14:55.680 --> 0:14:58.880 something that just the way I throw the ball, it's 0:14:58.960 --> 0:15:02.360 doing something. So I'm trying a couple of different things. 0:15:02.360 --> 0:15:02.520 You know. 0:15:02.680 --> 0:15:05.400 Obviously I'm trying to toughing up like the skin in 0:15:05.440 --> 0:15:08.720 that area and everything like that. But at the end 0:15:08.760 --> 0:15:11.720 of the day, it just comes down to throwing in 0:15:11.720 --> 0:15:14.880 the middle of the season and everything. So you know, 0:15:15.000 --> 0:15:18.120 like we said, we're trying some different things and you know, 0:15:18.200 --> 0:15:22.440 hopefully we can keep that keep up, I guess popping 0:15:22.560 --> 0:15:24.120 up and keep it rolling in the middle of the year, 0:15:24.120 --> 0:15:27.880 because believe me, I'm tired of it coming up and 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:28.800 stopping me. 0:15:28.920 --> 0:15:32.920 So what was the one thing that or two things 0:15:33.000 --> 0:15:36.120 or several things you learned about pitching and playing for 0:15:36.240 --> 0:15:37.600 Terry Francona last year. 0:15:39.560 --> 0:15:43.720 Uh, you know, Tito is awesome. Tito really he lets 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:46.920 you do your your own thing. You know, if you 0:15:47.040 --> 0:15:49.080 if you want some advice or something, you know he's 0:15:49.120 --> 0:15:51.560 there to give it, Tia, and there's very few better 0:15:51.600 --> 0:15:54.960 to get it from. So you know, I really enjoyed 0:15:54.960 --> 0:15:57.400 playing for him. I know the guys did as well. 0:15:58.120 --> 0:16:00.360 He just you know, he brings a sense of the 0:16:00.480 --> 0:16:04.640 confidence in the locker room and get us ready to play. So, 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:07.600 like I said, I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking 0:16:07.600 --> 0:16:08.440 forward to doing it again. 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:10.840 I know that Andrew Abbott. 0:16:10.920 --> 0:16:12.960 I think a couple of times last year I can 0:16:13.040 --> 0:16:15.200 remember when he didn't want to come out of a game, 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:18.320 would turn the other way and try to avoid making 0:16:18.360 --> 0:16:22.560 eye contact with Tito. And I remember Andrew in the 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:25.520 clubhouse would kind of joke with us the day after 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:30.080 and about trying to make avoid making eye contact with Tito. 0:16:30.320 --> 0:16:33.280 Can you ever remember any moment like that last year 0:16:33.320 --> 0:16:35.960 when you were like, boy, I'm really pitching well and 0:16:36.000 --> 0:16:37.520 I don't want to come out of this game. You 0:16:37.560 --> 0:16:39.720 did have two complete games and a shutout. 0:16:41.240 --> 0:16:43.560 Yeah, I think that's probably most of the time. When 0:16:43.600 --> 0:16:46.760 you see Tito start walking you and you don't want 0:16:46.760 --> 0:16:48.400 to see that. You want to stay in the game, 0:16:48.440 --> 0:16:51.040 for sure. But I could tell you what, when Tito 0:16:51.120 --> 0:16:54.680 starts making that walk, you're not convincing him. He's made 0:16:54.760 --> 0:16:55.280 up his mind. 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:57.760 Especially when he does the clap break before he gets 0:16:57.760 --> 0:16:59.600 to the mound. It seems like that's his tell that. 0:16:59.640 --> 0:17:00.720 You're coming out. 0:17:01.720 --> 0:17:04.320 Uh, he's already before that, he's already pointed the bullpen. 0:17:04.359 --> 0:17:08.239 When we get the field, Uh, Nick, when do you 0:17:08.280 --> 0:17:10.920 start kind of ramping up your throwing program and getting 0:17:10.960 --> 0:17:12.720 off the mound again? And and then also when do 0:17:12.760 --> 0:17:13.639 you head out to Goodyear. 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.479 Yeah, we're in the middle of that for sure. Some 0:17:18.560 --> 0:17:21.600 guys are different how many times they've been off the mound. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:23.200 I've been off the mount a couple of times now, 0:17:23.800 --> 0:17:27.160 So thank you said, Yeah, everyone's different there. I'm gonna 0:17:27.200 --> 0:17:32.359 head out uh the first week of February, but I said, 0:17:32.560 --> 0:17:34.560 I feel good and you know, we'll be we'll be 0:17:34.600 --> 0:17:35.160 ready to roll. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:37.880 Do you have anything new in your in your toolbox 0:17:37.880 --> 0:17:39.160 that you're going to be you know, as far as 0:17:39.160 --> 0:17:41.480 your you're either your pitch selection or just something different 0:17:41.480 --> 0:17:42.919 that you're going to be doing this spring that you 0:17:42.920 --> 0:17:43.680 maybe hadn't done. 0:17:43.600 --> 0:17:44.640 In pass camps. 0:17:46.000 --> 0:17:49.240 As of right now. No, but I'm sure there's be 0:17:49.320 --> 0:17:51.600 something in camp that when we get there with DJ 0:17:51.720 --> 0:17:53.760 and stuff that he'll have selling for us, right Like, 0:17:53.880 --> 0:17:56.800 right now, everyone's main focus is just building up in 0:17:57.160 --> 0:17:59.600 health and and once you get the spring, I know, 0:18:00.640 --> 0:18:03.280 is when you know djil have something for you that 0:18:03.680 --> 0:18:05.440 he feels like we could get better at. 0:18:05.760 --> 0:18:08.400 I know a lot of baseball fans enjoyed the watching 0:18:08.440 --> 0:18:10.560 the World Series, and it was a memorable one. 0:18:10.640 --> 0:18:11.240 Obviously. 0:18:11.760 --> 0:18:16.280 Did you watch, Yeah, I sure did. 0:18:17.640 --> 0:18:20.320 And did you enjoy it? Picture yourself there one day? 0:18:21.640 --> 0:18:24.760 Oh yeah, Game seven was awesome. You know, I think 0:18:24.760 --> 0:18:27.120 that's probably one of the best World Series I've watched 0:18:27.160 --> 0:18:29.960 in a while. So you know, that's the goal is 0:18:30.000 --> 0:18:32.760 to be there and win that thing. So I mean, 0:18:33.280 --> 0:18:35.480 it'd be great if if we could do that, I'll 0:18:35.520 --> 0:18:38.480 tell you that. And I think, like I said, playing 0:18:38.440 --> 0:18:40.679 in the playoffs this year is just a glimpse of 0:18:40.760 --> 0:18:43.280 what I'm sure that's like. But playing in that atmosphere 0:18:43.320 --> 0:18:44.920 in LA was pretty cool. 0:18:45.240 --> 0:18:47.440 Well, Nick, thank you very much for joining us here 0:18:47.440 --> 0:18:49.879 on the show tonight. We will see you this weekend 0:18:49.880 --> 0:18:52.240 at Redsfest, so take care and catch you later. 0:18:53.600 --> 0:18:55.399 Yep, sounds good. We'll see y'all this weekend. 0:18:55.720 --> 0:18:58.080 Thanks Nick, Thanks Nick, and This is the Budweiser Reds 0:18:58.080 --> 0:18:59.680 Hot Stille League presented by UDF. 0:18:59.720 --> 0:18:59.880 Here. 0:19:04.720 --> 0:19:08.399 Reds Fest, presented by PNC, benefiting the Reds Community Fund, 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:11.200 is this Friday and Saturday at the Cincinnati Convention Center. 0:19:11.640 --> 0:19:14.879 Enjoy everything Reds Baseball, including photos and autographs with current 0:19:14.920 --> 0:19:18.240 and former Reds players. For Reds Fest tickets and updates, 0:19:18.359 --> 0:19:22.080 visit Reds dot com slash Reds Fest. Welcome back to 0:19:22.119 --> 0:19:25.160 the Budweiser Reds Hot Stove League presented by UDP Live 0:19:25.200 --> 0:19:27.719 at the bed MGM Sports Book inside Tom's Watchbar at 0:19:27.760 --> 0:19:30.760 the Banks with Mike Petralia. I'm Mark Sheldon and we're 0:19:30.800 --> 0:19:33.520 in again for Tommy and Jim. And that's a great segue. 0:19:33.880 --> 0:19:35.639 What I read before going into the coming out of 0:19:35.680 --> 0:19:38.280 the break is Reds Fest. It's a big week for 0:19:38.320 --> 0:19:41.399 the Reds. It's been two years since we've had Reds Fest, 0:19:41.680 --> 0:19:44.679 and here to talk about it is Charlie Frank, the 0:19:44.880 --> 0:19:47.680 executive director of the Reds Community Fund. Charlie, I guess 0:19:47.680 --> 0:19:50.200 the finishing touches are probably being put on at the 0:19:50.200 --> 0:19:51.439 Convention Center as we speak. 0:19:51.760 --> 0:19:54.760 Yeah, it's been an interesting process here. 0:19:54.800 --> 0:19:56.800 You know, we've all been on hard hat tours and 0:19:57.000 --> 0:20:00.400 obviously been watching very closely. This is a pretty compl located, 0:20:00.440 --> 0:20:03.240 an involved event to roll out a new building, but 0:20:03.760 --> 0:20:06.080 everything that we see in here is that they're ready 0:20:06.119 --> 0:20:09.280 to roll It looks fantastic. I think for fans that 0:20:09.359 --> 0:20:11.520 come down and see the new venue, they will really 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:15.359 enjoy some of these changes, a lot of the new 0:20:16.080 --> 0:20:17.840