I know a lot of pitchers in spring training experiment with pitches and just take time to acclimate in general, but we are a few days from opening day and he’s not shown improvement.
So I’m interested to see if we think he’s going to put it all together or if there’s a legitimate concern moving forward.
25 comments
If he was doing well. It would matter but since he’s not it doesn’t matter
I could not possibly care less about his stats at practice.
I’m concerned. He’s looked very bad. Hoping he can turn it around for the start but it might just be something he has to work into
Just get out uninjured
Not concerned whatsoever
Every year we go through the same shit.
Spring training stats don’t matter in ANY WAY. It’s literally just a time for players to get back into their routines, loosen up, etc… It is PRACTICE
Growing pains? He’s a vet.
The dichotomy between people on this sub stoked for McClain because he’s mashing spring training while saying Abbots’ bad start means nothing is hilarious.
I don’t have any doubt about this guy.
Back in AA, he had a really rough few months where absolutely nothing was working. Then one day a switch flipped and he was completely fine again. He’ll likely find it again.
Nope. Most of the time pitchers are looking to test their location and test out new pitches. They’re gonna throw more strikes to test out bats and see how they can make hitters chase.
Im not one to look too deep into spring games. At first, it seemed it’s just spring rust. Now I think it’s fair to be concerned. Are we all leaning towards an injury that hasn’t been looked into or disclosed to the training staff??
I think guys on this team have an ego/denial issue when it comes to injuries. Too often it seems like guys try to play through discomfort when there is obviously something going on. they don’t want to admit to themselves they might be hurt and could miss significant time. So they pitch through it without saying anything and end up making it worse. Seems like a common theme for these reds pitchers
Not concerned about veteran numbers in spring. Hes not pitching the same as he will be in the season.
Not worrier. He might be trying out some new things. Like our record, none of this counts on Opening day. but it would be nice to see a good start at the end of spring training.
If he pitches well when it matters it’s nothing. If he continues to be bad it was something.
I can’t imagine that he has fallen off that much since last year. He was rock solid in damn near every outing.
It is concerning. And I expect Abbott to regress this year. I think he will still be an effective pitcher, but not at the level he pitched at last year. A correction is coming. Obviously I hope I’m wrong and he improves on a very, very impressive 2025 season.
Nope, just like how i don’t have any expectations that Mclain will be insane until i see it in season. Just want to see him be better than last year.
I’m concerned, have him anchoring my fantasy team.
Spring training stats don’t matter, unless they’re doing really really good, in which case they absolutely matter. The Matt McLain Rule.
Reds fans see McLain destroying spring training pitchers and declare “look at those monster stats, he’s back”.
Reds fans see Abbott and declare “who cares about stats, spring training pitching doesn’t mean anything”.
Spring training stats don’t matter. Only real ones remember Scott Schebler and Scooter Gennett’s electric 2019 spring training, man I bet they must’ve killed it in the regular szn.. oh wait. They sucked.
If I am going to be entering the season with an optimistic look on McLain, then I also have to take everyone else’s spring into account. Abbott worries me a lot. It’s more than him just getting the rust off – he just looks uncomfortable and I guarantee he has something lingering in terms of an arm injury. 🙁
Friendly reminder that Joey Votto’s spring training numbers were ALWAYS bad, because he would literally just take an at bat and watch the pitches to build up his eyes.