Major League Baseball

Padres-Reds preview

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 3:14 p.m. ET

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CINCINNATI -- While a youngster growing up in Lexington, Ky., Andy Green was a Cincinnati Reds fan. His favorite player in the early 1980s was shortstop David Concepcion and he idolized many of the members of the Big Red Machine clubs of the 1970s.

While the San Diego Padres skipper remained focused on coming away with a victory in this weekend's four-game series, he admitted to feeling a little like a fan as the Reds honored Pete Rose and many other legends from the 1976 World Series champs.

"I was here when Tony Perez had his statue unveiling," Green said. "That was very special. Davey Concepcion took the lineup card out and I was fighting for it because he was my favorite player. They didn't let me, so it was kind of disappointing. Nobody can stop me this year, so we'll have to see who takes the lineup card out."

On Saturday afternoon, there will be an on-field ceremony to induct Rose into the Reds Hall of Fame. Rose, of course, is ineligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame due to his banishment for gambling on baseball.

More than 20 members of the Reds Hall of Famer will be in attendance, including Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Eric Davis.

"This series has a homecoming feel to it," said Green, who spent one year in the Reds' minor league system. "It would have been special to have worn a Reds uniform at the major league level. But, I was thrilled to play for the Diamondbacks and the Mets."

It will be a matchup of left-handers on Saturday with the Reds' Brandon Finnegan (3-5, 3.81 ERA) going up against Drew Pomeranz (6-7, 3.00 ERA)

Finnegan leads the Reds' staff with eight quality starts. He's allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his 15 starts and 12 times allowed three earned runs or fewer. It will be his first appearance against San Diego.

Pomeranz also has eight quality starts this season and had an 18-inning scoreless streak snapped earlier this season.

On Friday night, the Padres tied a season-high with four home runs including two by left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. in a 13-4 victory.

Cincinnati hasn't won a season series against San Diego since 2012 and is 6-14 against them since then. The Padres will be looking to extend that dominance.

But, before Saturday's game begins, Green will be appreciating some Reds history .

"It's hard not being a Pete Rose fan growing up in (Cincinnati)," he said. "So it's going to be special to watch that happen on Saturday. I didn't leave a ton (of tickets). But, I'll leave a lot throughout the weekend."

Reds manager Bryan Price said he references Rose's approach to the game with his players during Spring Training.

"We talk about busting it out of the box the way he did," Price said. "It'll be nice to see him be inducted (into the Reds Hall of Fame). It's something that would have been instantaneous under different circumstances."

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