CINCINNATI -- If they had handed him a pre-game script for Opening Day, Marlon Byrd would have grabbed a red grease pencil and performed some heavy-handed editing.
When you are making your debut for a new team the last thing you want to do is strike out three times on 12 pitches in your first three appearances.
And when your mother, father, wife and kids come to town to watch it isn't something you keep on videotape for future enjoyment.
Byrd, the new left fielder for the Cincinnati Reds, was all smiles in the pre-game clubhouse Wednesday because he didn't need his momma to tell him there will be better days.
And Monday was not a complete washout for Byrd. First of all, the team won and won in a dramatic way with a three-run home run by Todd Frazier in the eighth inning that gave the Reds a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Byrd was not by himself in doing little damage with his Luisviulle Slugger. Not too many Reds made noise offensively.
If anything, defense carried the day -- along with seven shutout innings by starting pitcher Johnny Cueto.
Manager Bryan Price counted six outstanding defensive plays that either save runs or prevented possible big innings by the Pirates.
And one of them was by Byrd. The Pirates scored two runs in the eighth on Andrew McCutcheon's two-run home run to tie it, 2-2. It could have been worse. In that same inning Gregory Polanco shot one deep to left, headed for the left field wall, where it might do heavy damage to the wall and the Reds chances to win.
Byrd fled to the warning track and kept going. He stuck up his glove over his shoulder and snagged the baseball at full speed before crashing into the wall.
"That play very much could have been a game-saver," said Price. "And he did it in left field, where he hadn't played much since the minor leagues. He came up as a left fielder (with the Phillies in 2002), but that was 13 years ago and he hasn't been out there that much until this spring. That made it that much more impressive.
"I've always considered him a very sound outfielder," Price added. "I've never seen him as anything more than a very solid defensive outfielder."
In addition to Byrd's play, the Reds received maximum glove work on individual plays by third baseman Todd Frazier, first baseman Joey Votto, center fielder Billy Hamilton, right fielder jay Bruce and shortstop Zack Cozart.
Of his play, Byrd said, "The offense wasn't there, so the defense better be there. This team has to play good defense, especially when you get good pitching like Cueto gave us. It was too bad for Johnny that he didn't get the win, but we'll pick him up later."
To show what a team player the 37-year-old Bryd is, even with his family watching his plate futility, he said, "It couldn't have turned out any better."
Byrd, as is the case with most of the Reds, has read and heard the pundits say this team most likely is a bottom feeder, destined to drown at the bottom of the standings. And Byrd understands that.
"I can see why people don't believe in a team that stunk last year and had tons of injuries," he said. "But you'll always have your critics and the right people believe in us, the people in this clubhouse. Everyone just needs to do their job and do what it takes to stay on the field. If we do that we'll be right where we need to be."
Byrd also knows his 0 for 4 with three strikeouts isn't the Byrd that fans will see this season. Over the last two seasons he has hit 24 and 25 home runs and driven in 88 and 85 runs.
That's the Byrd fans will see, and if he can slip in a spectacular catch now and then, so much the better.
