Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

ASHLAND, Ky. — George Allen was a head coach in the NFL who had great success. Preferring veterans to rookies, it was Allen who once said, “The future is now.”
Don’t tell that to Cincinnati Reds’ first-year general manager Dick Williams.
Although players like infielder Jose Peraza, outfielders Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton and Jesse Winkler, and pitchers Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed, Michael Lorenzen, Amir Garrett, Raisel Iglesias and Brandon Finnegan weren’t in attendance, they were certainly part of the conversion.
The Cincinnati Reds’ Caravan made its annual Tri-State stop on Saturday at Fannin Motors and most of the talk centered around not only this season but the future of the organization.
“We’ve got the second youngest roster in baseball so this will be a real spring training in the true sense of the word where there’s a lot of opportunity, a lot of jobs are open, a lot of young guys coming up that we really hope will take advantage of it,” said Williams.
The Reds were 68-94 last season and finished last in the National League Central Division.
Injuries to the pitching staff at the beginning of last season led to a lot of the early losses, but Williams is optimistic the team will be much improved.
“Fans can expect winning baseball,” said Williams who takes over full general manager duties from Walt Jocketty.
“We have better improvement from last year. We have an exciting young group of players who will be hungry. I think if we can just stay healthy, we’ll have a lot better showing this year. We’ll surprise some people.”
Being a small market team, the Reds don’t have the money to build a roster full of high-salaried players. Williams said the Reds and similar organizations much build through their farm system.
“The way you do it is to bring up young players though your system, draft and develop, and our farm system right now is getting better and better and better,” said Williams.
“These young guys are on the verge of making it to the major leagues. When they do, we can go out and acquire some free agents and put together a good ball club. We’re on the verge. I think in the next couple of years we’ll be on the upswing.”
One veteran free agent the Reds did acquire is relief pitcher Drew Storen who signed a one-year, $3 million deal earlier this month to help bolster the Reds’ bullpen.
Storen, 29, made 57 appearances last season pitching for Toronto and Seattle. He spent the majority of his career with Washington.
“I’m very excited just to be with Cincinnati and to be in this area,” said the right-handed pitcher who is from Indiana.
“Being able to have my own Reds’ uniform will be kind of cool.”
Storen is a former high school teammate of Reds’ catcher Tucker Barnhart. Storen said Barnhart knows the Reds’ organization.
“(Barnhart) told me just how much young talent is here and — in reality —moving in the right direction. So adding veteran pieces is really something that they need,” said Storen.
Rumors surfaced this past week that the organization was in talks with former Reds’ pitcher Bronso Arroyo.
Williams said the rumor definitely had legs.
“Bronson has an interest in trying to pitch again and if he’s healthy and can come into camp, I think he can be a real asset to have around our young guys,” said Williams.
We’ve taken a lot at him. We’ve watched him pitch once. He’s just started to get off the mound. I think there’s a chance. If he were to come back, I think he would come to our camp first and — like I said — be a great guy to have around. But nothing is finalized yet.”
The Reds helped their farm system by trading veteran pitcher Dan Straily to the Miami Marlins for three top prospects.
Straily was claimed off waivers from the San Diego Padres last spring and became one of the team’s best pitchers. He was 14-8 with a 3.76 earned run average in 191.1 innings.
“He’s a good guy so it was a tough trade to make, a really tough trade,” said Williams. “The guy stepped up big for us. We got him on a waiver claim last year and he was one of the most important pieces in our rotation.
“He taught the young guys well. It was not a trade I took lightly, but it was a chance for our organization to get better, set some young talent back.”
Eric Davis — a member of the Reds’ Hall of Fame who helped the team win the 1990 World Series — began his career in 1984 with the organization and was part of the caravan stop.
Davis won three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and has been involved with helping the younger players in the organization.
“I don’t think you could ever get to this point without a true passion and a true love for the game,” said Davis. “Having been a part of this organization for over 20-some years, the Reds have given me so much and now it is my time to give back. Any time I have an opportunity to do that is very inviting and I love to do it.”
Davis said the younger players need to take advantage of their opportunities, especially this spring.
“For one, you have to take pride in what you’re doing and any time that you put yourself in a situation where you’re rebuilding, as any young player, you should strive in that situation.”
Minor league catcher Chris Okey was also on the caravan and he is just one of the many young players in the Reds’ future plans.
Okey played at Clemson and was the No. 43 pick overall by the Reds in 2016. He hit .243 with six home runs playing for the Dayton Dragons last season.
Okey knows he has plenty of time to develop his game before hopefully making the major leagues some day.
“It was an awesome transition going to the Dayton Dragons’ stadium and having a packed house every night and playing in front of those fans and getting to play baseball every day and not have to pick up any more books,” said Okey with a grin.