This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

Welcome back to baseball season, everybody. Reds pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training today, and it’s usually a time when players, coaches, front-office members, media and -- most of all -- fans have a little extra spring in their step.

For me, this is the start of my 23rd season covering baseball with MLB.com and my 18th reporting on the Reds. I love my job and never take this for granted, especially after these last few years.

• What to know about Reds Spring Training

In 2020, Spring Training was halted abruptly by COVID-19.

In 2021, I covered camp remotely from Cincinnati because access was limited. Blech.

In 2022, there was a lockout that delayed camp. I made three separate trips to Arizona: the first two for Minor League camp, then again for an abbreviated three-week Spring Training that was like no other. Within the first few days, the Reds decided to tear down their roster for a rebuild and traded many key players for prospects.

The moves that sent away Jesse Winker, Sonny Gray, Amir Garrett and Eugenio Suárez sucked a lot of the oxygen out of the clubhouse. It made it tough for the players to bond as a team going into Opening Day, and well, we saw the results: A franchise-worst 3-22 start and a 62-100 record for the season.

I know that has made many fans cynical going into 2023, which is understandable. For me -- getting back to the aforementioned gratitude -- I’m happy that this should be a “normal” camp free of cost-cutting trades and pandemic restrictions. In the weeks leading up to Opening Day, we can focus on baseball and whatever this season has in store for Cincinnati.

All 30 clubs have questions heading into the new season, but the Reds probably have many more than most. I focused on three storylines in last week’s newsletter, but here are just some of the questions hanging over this club:

Can the rotation trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft take steps forward in their sophomore seasons?

Will Tyler Stephenson and Jonathan India have strong rebound seasons after being crushed by injuries in 2022?

Can Joey Votto not only come back from major left shoulder surgery, but also return to form for what could be his final year in Cincinnati?

Does free-agent signing Wil Myers have 20-30 home runs in him this season?

Will Jose Barrero’s adjustments make him a good enough hitter to be the starting shortstop?

Is Spencer Steer ready to be the everyday third baseman?

Can the oft-injured Nick Senzel not only stay healthy enough to be the center fielder, but also finally have a breakout season as a hitter?

Will Alexis Díaz deliver as the closer following a breakout rookie season?

Can the bullpen as a group perform more like it did in last season's stronger second half rather than in its tough first half?

Will the Reds avoid injuries and the type of roster churn that forced them to use a franchise-record 66 different players in 2022?

Could there be a camp surprise among the smaller signings like Brandon Drury in 2022 and Tyler Naquin in ’21?

Is there an available player not currently in camp who could boost the team? (Think the addition of Scooter Gennett via waiver claim in 2017).

Will the prospects waiting in the wings such as Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Brandon Williamson, Levi Stoudt, Andrew Abbott and Ricky Karcher have success if and when called upon?

If the answer to all of those questions is “yes,” then the Reds will have a good chance to exceed expectations heading into 2023. But it’s rare -- if ever -- that everything goes that smoothly during a 45-day camp and 162-game season.

Under manager David Bell, Cincinnati will need to show that it's making progress and the rebuild is headed in the right direction. If that can be achieved, the 2023 season will in many ways be viewed as a positive.