Matt Bowman will be sidelined for at least another month with an elbow injury that has bothered him since preseason camp, but he’s been the most valuable player at the Cincinnati Reds’ alternate site at Prasco Park.
Things were quiet for the first week at the alternate site with no fans and no fake crowd noise. Without any minor league games, players must stay ready for a potential big-league call-up with daily live batting practice sessions.
That’s where Bowman stepped in. He transformed from injured relief pitcher to a one-man broadcasting crew. He became the public-address announcer, introducing the lineups and playing walk-up music.