3 biggest overreactions from the Reds Opening Day loss to the Pirates

2. Overreactions from Reds Opening Day loss: David Bell pulled Hunter Greene too early.

It's been a common theme among the Cincinnati Reds fanbase that manager David Bell goes to his bullpen way too often and does not allow his starting pitchers to work through tough innings.

There is certainly some merit to that argument, but Bell was completely in the right when he removed Hunter Greene from the game without getting out of the fourth inning. Now, it didn't work, and Fernando Cruz walked in two runs, but Bell made the correct decision lifting Greene from the game.

First, Greene had thrown 32 pitches in the previous inning. After striking out Jack Suwinski, Greene allowed a double to Ji Hawn Bae. The Pirates infielder swiped third base, but it was that seven-pitch walk to Pirates catcher Austin Hedges that forced Bell's hand. Granted, ball four could have easily been called strike three.

With Oneil Cruz, who'd just taken Greene deep in the previous inning, up to bat, Bell made the decision to go to the bullpen. Cruz entered and looked horrific. The right-hander couldn't even get out of the inning and was replaced by Alex Young after allowing one earned run and walking three batters.

The easiest thing in the world to do is second guess the manager's decision after things go awry. That kind of stuff happens. It's baseball. But don't be so quick to jump on the "fire David Bell" bandwagon.

Had Greene taken care of business against Hedges, Bell said (via MLB.com) that he'd have allowed his ace to face Cruz once again. But at 83 pitches in the first game of the year, there was no need to leave Greene out there. Now, if the same scenario occurs in June after the starters are stretched out, then we can have this conversation once again.