Reds notebook: Andrew Abbott on his spring, a unique WBC story

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Leading up to his fifth start of the spring, Andrew Abbott’s big point of emphasis was being more directional to the plate, allowing his pitches to stay over the plate and further developing his secondary pitches. On the whole, he felt like he did that against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday.

“Mechanic wise I was sound,” Abbott said. “The off-speed pitches were good except the one to McCann.”

Abbott left a first pitch changeup right over the middle of the plate to Diamondbacks catcher James McCann, which led to a big double on another rough day for the Reds’ Opening Day starting pitcher.

Abbott was charged with eight runs on the day. The Reds used the reentry rule in spring training to get Abbott back on the mound in the fourth inning, and the Reds also had relievers up just in case in the first and second inning. Abbott only recorded six outs between those three-plus innings, and he walked three batters.

He has allowed multiple runs in each of his spring training outings.

“I’m overall frustrated,” Abbott said. “The results aren’t what I want obviously. I feel my process is there. My work in the bullpens has been there. I’m waiting out the storm, waiting to see when it’ll click.”

The walks have been unusual for Abbott, and he’s also leaving pitches over the plate this spring that he typically hasn’t in the big leagues. The hope is that when the lights turn on and the season starts, Abbott will snap back into form. Process-oriented goals like his direction to the plate, mechanics and secondary pitches are small wins, but Abbott is in a bit of a funk (sometimes, that just happens during spring training).

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Terry Francona said that he doesn’t want to complain about the World Baseball Classic. “They’re trying to grow the game,” he said.

But the reality for Francona and the Reds is that the World Baseball Classic has created a unusual dynamic as Cincinnati tries to set its Opening Day roster.

Every team has guys competing in the tournament, but reliever Kyle Nicolas is a unique case.

The Reds acquired him from the Pirates for Tyler Callihan on March 4, and Nick Krall said that they viewed Nicolas as an option in the bullpen with real upside who’d compete for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Right now, Nicolas is competing with Connor Phillips, Zach Maxwell, Sam Moll, Hagen Danner and Luis Mey for one of the three spots that remain up for grabs.

At the time that the trade was executed, Nicolas was already with Team Italy and away from spring training. He still hasn’t even had a single day in camp with the Reds to get to know his new teammates and coaches (it should help that there’s familiarity with Reds bullpen coach and former Pirates pitching coach Oscar Marin).

Since then trade took place, Nicolas has thrown one-third of an inning in the WBC. He allowed two runs against Great Britain on March 8, and he hasn’t pitched in a game since.

“That’s a big deal for us,” Francona said.

The Reds have a scout at the WBC watching Team Italy. But you can’t evaluate Nicolas if he doesn’t pitch.

“Nicolas is hard because we don’t know him,” Francona said. “It’s been frustrating. I’m not frustrated with him. Just the fact that we’re dying to get to know him and we’re not.”

Italy is playing in the WBC semis tonight, and the finals are tomorrow. At best, he may be able to get a couple of spring training outings at the end of this week with the Reds.

Also, as Francona said on the day the Reds traded for Nicolas, he will likely have to go back to Bradenton, where he was in spring training with the Pirates, and “pack up his life.”

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The Reds optioned Blake Dunn to Triple-A on Monday. While Dane Myers and Rece Hinds are ahead of Dunn on the outfield depth chart, that doesn’t take away from the fact that Dunn had a good camp and that he has improved a lot over the last year.

“I told him that all of the things that I preach — getting your (tail) down the line at first — he does that to a tee,” Francona said. “He just needs to go play. He’s in a good place. He has worked really hard at a lot of things.

Dunn, who has intriguing power as well as elite speed, reworked his approach at the plate during the second half of last season in Triple-A. It worked, and he’s hitting the ball more on a line and using his speed.

He also worked a lot on his mental game, meeting weekly with a mental performance coach. Dunn developed tools to better deal with frustrating moments on the field, and he has become a lot more consistent.

“He has worked at it, and it shows,” Francona said. “I’m proud of him.”