David Bell explains the Reds' new look top of the lineup

David Bell provides an explanation of the Cincinnati Reds' new starting lineup. All you need to know.

Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

The lineup is typically sent to the players by Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell the evening before every game.

[{"selector":"#anim-9af1a10c-ded5-408e-aa41-4a162dc54c5a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4156d889-984b-4bee-aabc-1b6a374dabf1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ea6c0ba0-c426-4869-bd23-43a39ced5b42 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

However, Bell scheduled his biggest lineup change since May 2021 before Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

[{"selector":"#anim-2c9f04b6-3a4f-46a3-a4f7-bc604cb7c693 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bc9e0b8e-5b1f-48f8-b6fe-2c2b9b5253a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-36ea7154-d69f-444b-8c6c-d87c5f3f1a74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

Bell was debating starting Jonathan India, Matt McLain, and TJ Friedl for the Reds at the top of the lineup.

[{"selector":"#anim-5c3c651c-5a70-430f-89f7-ab98fa522b6f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8332cfa9-7503-4710-bfbe-17f47c95d40e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3ff19899-dfdf-4131-b97f-a72e686f3cf9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.51104%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

Bell stated that he wanted to think about it for a night before making such a significant move, but on Tuesday, he made the change.

[{"selector":"#anim-c2c57cbf-80db-4c6b-a1ef-f711a3a778c0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b941e5b0-4879-4b88-a433-ec10cc1a9de2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a9ba012-7977-4be5-86b7-bece3d0c1d09","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

The outcome was a fresh starting lineup and a definite indication of a new identity for the Reds at the top of the order.

[{"selector":"#anim-c15f3d11-d85e-499c-b20d-a9e37cac179b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-445a59b2-8545-4133-b3b6-14f19f0c4f52","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e6b2110-f1fe-464c-ae5f-3cbbd2d8e6e9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

India was moved to the head of the order by Bell in 2021, the last time he made such a significant shift to the lineup.

[{"selector":"#anim-02e7248e-463a-4740-b1e7-5d6fdfaa5744 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a2440214-a2d6-4dd7-9708-3487b7582904","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-44169089-e062-484d-949a-77aac60ae3b4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

Prior to India being the Reds' leadoff hitter, the Reds' top three hitters in the lineup were Eugenio Suárez, Jesse Winker, and Nick Castellanos.

[{"selector":"#anim-8ab6b76b-8424-42d1-992c-a3813d816c9e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6e877a6d-5c2f-4483-9c8d-373d950b258f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-565b0ebb-b8bd-4967-bfd1-becdb3984a42","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

The top of the order for the Reds in 2023 has hitters of quite different types in Friedl, McLain, and India.

[{"selector":"#anim-f9281835-2942-46b7-8254-378bedbd410a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ce7695b4-2040-4163-9eb3-295a900630db","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3bbb04f6-b547-460e-bf8a-54e8e97438aa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.45741%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter

Even though India grounded out to conclude Tuesday night's 8-5 loss, the situation demonstrated why Bell made the change.

[{"selector":"#anim-384ebfa9-aec9-4c54-95c0-611b54800426 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":10000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a145c881-9386-4fd5-b785-6e298af1675e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-93646cc6-eaa2-49f3-a77d-b5595ffc62b4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.8265%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Image Source: Cincinnati Reds/Twitter Visit our Website