One day after the Cincinnati Reds hired Joel McKeithan as their assistant hitting coach, McKeithan was in Florida with hitting coach Alan Zinter to visit with shortstop Jose Barrero.
It was a chance for McKeithan to meet Barrero, one of the franchise’s best young players, and the Reds wanted their hitting coaches to work on Barrero’s swing before Major League Baseball’s lockout prevented contact between coaches and players.
Barrero was scheduled to begin playing in the Dominican Winter League in a couple of weeks, but it’s unclear if the lockout will affect whether Barrero is permitted to play in the league.