GOODYEAR, Ariz. – On Sunday, Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell spent time going through drills at first base with Joey Votto. Bell stopped players in the hallway to check in with them. He hung around the batting cage to talk to players with whom he wasn’t allowed to speak during MLB’s lockout.
He also saw starting pitcher Sonny Gray get traded to the Minnesota Twins. Over the next four weeks, Bell will have to navigate a changing roster, judge position battles and finalize the Opening Day roster in a much shorter time window than in a typical year.