Maybe it's time to have 'The Chat'

CINCINNATI — Let’s just call it The Chat.

Last season, Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Andrew Abbott was 10-7 with a 2.87 earned run average and got his first All-Star Game selection.

But this past spring training camp those highlights were merely fond memories. The spring camp was far from All-Star caliber for Abbot. In fact, it was more like an old veteran trying to latch onto any team.

Abbott struggled during camp and posted an 11.25 ERA that could have been cause for a fire alarm.

But then came The Chat.

After giving up eight run in a spring game on March 16, Abbott said it was a chat with manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Derek Johnson that made his spring just a fading memory and put him back in his normal mindset.

“I think it was a mentality talk with DJ and Terry. It’s got a huge part to play in it, kind of re-shifting and re-focusing in areas. The bottom line was just going out there and competing,” said Abbott.

“Based on that conversion it revitalized it. You felt down. You’re dwelling, you’re frustrated, but I was able to move forward, forget about that stuff and focus on the next pitch, the next at-bat, the next game. I did a good job today of doing that.”

Despite losing to the Boston Red Sox on this sunny Opening Day Thursday, all of the spring problems were forgotten as Abbott went six innings throwing 59 strikes among his 83 pitches as he didn’t allow a run, struck out four, walked just one and gave up seven hits.

Abbott talked to Johnson about how he was overthinking situations and the Reds’ pitching coach gave him some simple advice.

“Remember what you made when you were good? You weren’t thinking at all. Keep it simple. After hearing that it kind of allowed me to say ‘Oh yeah. OK. This is what I was doing when I was successful.’ So, let’s get back to it and it started following the last game of spring training. It felt great and coming in here it felt even better.”

The dismal spring usually causes fans to cringe and become fearful that this may have been a one hit wonder player, a fluke season. But that wasn’t even close to what Abbott and the Reds’ coaching staff were thinking.

“I never doubt myself,” said Abbott, who got his first Opening Day start due to an injury that put Hunter Greene on the disabled list for at least 60 days.

“Frustration and doubt are two different things. Like I’m frustrated on the results per se, but I’m never going to doubt my talent and abilities which have got me here and will keep me here hopefully every day. Never going to change that,” said Abbott.

“It just came down to making pitches, executing. The defense played well behind me.”

While Abbott was upbeat about his performance, that didn’t erase the fact the Reds had lost and only mustered four hits. But Abbott took an Abbott approach to the game and it actually seemed like he was having his own little chat with his teammates and Reds fans.

“It’s a long season. We’re going to see us a lot more,” he said.

Thank you, Andrew. It’s been nice chatting to you.