Cincinnati Reds: David Bell raised some eyebrows in his first win

The Cincinnati Reds new manager David Bell got his first win in the team’s Opening Day victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bell made successful, yet questionable calls.

Maybe we’re just not used to the new style of managing that David Bell brings with him to Cincinnati. The Reds new skipper emerged victorious on Opening Day with a 5-3 win over the Pirates. It was the Cincinnati Reds first Opening Day victory since 2016, and while questionable at times, Bell’s decisions paid off.

The city of Cincinnati began the day celebrating in the streets as the Findlay Market Parade weaved its way through downtown. The energy in air was palpable and there were several times throughout the game where fans were on the edge of their seats. David Bell was tasked with taking this franchise to the next level and on Thursday he showed some interesting ways that he hopes to accomplish that feat.

Bell’s first big decision came several days ago when he announced that Luis Castillo would be the Opening Day starter. That decision worked out quite well as Castillo went 5.2 innings, allowed only 2 hits and struck out 8 batters before being pulled after surrendering a 2-out single in the top of the sixth inning.

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That brings us to our first questionable decision by the Reds’ new skipper. Castillo was mowing down opponents. His changeup was on another level, and while he did walk three batters, he still seemed to maintain control. After allowing Josh Bell to reach base on a soft liner to right, Bell immediately emerged from the dugout and replaced Castillo with the reliable right-hander Jared Hughes.

Unfortunately for Hughes, Francisco Cervelli took an 0-1 pitch to left field and advanced Bell to second. With runners on first and second, Jung Ho Kang lined a ball into left field and because of a poor throwing decision by Jesse Winker, Cervelli scored all the way from first base. That inning took a little of the shine off Castillo’s outing and hung an earned run in the column for the Reds’ starter.

Bell’s decision to pinch hit with Derek Dietrich in the bottom of the seventh inning turned out to be a game changer. Following a home run by Jose Peraza, a walk to Tucker Barnhart, and a double by Jose Iglesias, Bell decided to let Dietrich pinch hitter for the pitcher’s spot with two on, no outs, and the score knotted at two a piece.

Dietrich delivered with a bomb to right-center field and the Cincinnati Reds reclaimed the lead 5-2. Great American Ball Park was going nuts and Dietrich excitedly rounded the bases and even emerged from the dugout for a curtain call.

Bell made the curious decision to remove Jesse Winker from the lineup, move Scott Schebler to left field, and he brought in Michael Lorenzen to play center field. Lorenzen had pinch run in the previous inning.

In the eighth inning, David Bell turned to Raisel Iglesias. For the last two seasons Iglesias had been the Reds’ closer, but Bell said during Spring Training that the team would not be afraid to use their best pitchers in high-leverage situations. Unfortunately, that move didn’t pay off when Corey Dickerson took Iglesias deep and closed the gap to two.

Iglesias got the next three batters out, but another curious decision arose in the ninth inning when Bell decided to keep Raisel in the game. Iglesias did not have his best stuff today and walked two of the first three batters he faced.

David Bell went to his bullpen and Amir Garrett struck out one batter and was lifted from the game in favor of David Hernandez with one out to go and Pablo Reyes up next. Hernandez walked Reyes on four straight pitches to load the bases for the Pirates’ best hitter Dickerson.

Bell, with Wandy Peralta warming up in the bullpen, decided to stay with the veteran and it paid off. After a 12-pitch at-bat, Dickerson grounded to second and Peraza threw onto the first to seal the Reds’ 5-3 win and the first win of David Bell’s career as a big league manager.

Bell’s decision making was questionable at times, but what matters is the results. The Cincinnati Reds are 1-0, in large part to some of the risky, yet calculated choices of their manager. Bell showed that he’s not afraid to manage the game a certain way and I for one find his style very fun. Let’s go Reds!