The Cincinnati Reds have signed speedy center fielder Willy Taveras to a two-year contract the team is reporting. Taveras has played the last two years with the Colorado Rockies and led the majors with 207 infield hits and as also stolen atleast 33 bases in each of his four seasons in the big leagues.

He will play pretty good defense in centerfield and has the speed to catch those balls that would normally get through the gaps and roll all the way to the wall. We can probably expect Taveras to be the new lead off hitter for the Reds as well.

Tavaras choose the Reds because he has heard good things about manager Dusty Baker and that he is a players manager. He wanted to give it a shot since the team is young and he feels like he could blend in and help this team in the Central Division.

Reds Blog

Finally something to blog about here on the blog! On Tuesday, the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles worked out a four player trade. Ryan Freel and two minor league infieldrs will be going to the Orioles and the Reds will be getting catcher Ramon Hernandez.

The two minor league players are Justin Turner and Brandon Waring.

As part of the deal, Baltimore will give Cincinnati cash to offset part of Hernandez’s contract. He is owed $8.5 million next year.

I personally do not like this deal for the Reds. Freel is a nice player to have in the outfield and he gives it his all on every play. The risk of injury is always there, and I expect that played into the decision a little bit.

What are your thoughts?

Edinson Volquez suffered through his first subpar outing of the year, giving up seven Blue Jay runs (five earned) in four and one-third innings, while Jesse Litsch stymied the Reds batters, giving up only one run in eight innings pitched.  Scott Rolen homered and drove in three runs for the Jays, while Brandon Phillips drove in the only Reds run with a sacrifice fly.

Jerry Hairston Jr. was activated before the game and led off for the Reds.  To make room on the roster for Hairston, Paul Janish was optioned to Louisville.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, a better alternative to OPS.

Johnny Cueto duelled Andy Pettite for five innings, but did not come back out after an hour-long rain delay, and the Yankees found the offerings of the Reds bullpen more to their liking, scoring three in the sixth off Gary Majewski and Jeremy Affeldt.  Jason Giambi was 3-for-3 with two RBI for the Yankees.  Ken Griffey Jr. hit a solo homer for the Reds’ only run.  Mariano Rivera pitched the final inning and a third to earn his 21st save of the year.

A bearded Jeff Keppinger, activated before the game, started the game at shortstop, but briefly moved to third when Edwin Encarnacion developed back spasms.  Andy Phillips was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Keppinger.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, a better alternative to OPS.

Daryl Thompson pitched five scoreless innings in his major-league debut, and Bill Bray picked up the win in relief as the Reds offense finally broke through against Yankee pitching in the seventh and eighth innings.  Edwin Encarnacion, Brandon Phillips, and Corey Patterson drove in two runs apiece, Patterson with the 100th home run of his career.

Thompson was activated before the game when Jolbert Cabrera went on the DL.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, a better alternative to OPS.

Edinson Volquez got his eighth win of the season, giving up only two hits while striking out eight through seven innings.  Joey Votto broke up a Brett Myers no-hit bid in the seventh, and drove in both Reds runs with a pair of run-scoring doubles.  Brandon Phillips stole two bases, one of them standing up after being picked off first, and scored both Reds runs.  Phillips and Votto also made a pair of nice defensive plays.  Francisco Cordero pitched the final inning and a third to record his twelfth save of the year.

Ken Griffey Jr. was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game with a sore knee.  Corey Patterson, who was called up before the game when Ryan Freel was placed on the 15-day DL, was in the lineup instead.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Phillies right-hander Adam Eaton frustrated Reds hitters for six and two-thirds innings, Chase Utley drove in yet another run, Pat Burrell hit his 14th homer of the year, and Brad Lidge earned his 15th save as the Phillies beat the Reds for the second night in a row, 3-2.

Aaron Harang pitched credibly for the Reds but was once again the victim of poor run support.  Edwin Encarnacion appeared to have finally hit his way out of his extended slump, hitting a solo homer and a triple, and scoring both Reds runs.  Ryan Freel singled, stole a base, made a run-saving catch, threw a bat into the crowd, and suffered a hamstring injury.  Diminutive screw-balling lefty Danny Herrera made an impressive debut for the Reds, striking out Ryan Howard and Pat Burrell with the bases loaded.  Herrera was called up before the game, when Kent Mercker was moved from the 15-day to the 60-day DL.

Bluzer runs RedlegStats.com, the home of Absolute Average, an alternative to OPS.

Centerfielder Jay Bruce has been called up by the Cincinnati Reds.  Bruce will get most of the playing time in centerfield GM Walt Jocketty said.  I would imagine taht Corey Patterson will be released or demoted to Triple A.

It is now time for Bruce to show what he can do.  Can he hit the ball well enough at the big league level?  It looks like the Reds will give him that chance and they are hoping he won’t have any problems.

Jerry Hairston Jr. has been called up by the Cincinnati Reds as Juan Castro has been designated for assignment.  The Reds hope that Hairston Jr. can hit the ball like he was at Triple-A where he was batting .421 with three home runs, seven doubles, and three triples.

Castro was 0-10 this season with the Reds.

Reds Blog

The Cincinnati Reds have finalized their 25 man roster for opening day.  Johnny Cueto, Paul Bako,  Mike Lincoln, Kent Mercker, and Corey Patterson all had their contracts purchased by the big league club and made the roster.

David Ross, Alex Gonzalez, and Matt Belisle were all placed on the 15 day disabled list.

Mike Stanton and Jon Coutlangus were designated for assignment.