Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

Gotta run!.

CINCINNATI (AP)—The Cincinnati Reds and right-hander Andrew Brackman
finalized a one-year deal on Wednesday, uniting him with his hometown team.

Brackman was the New York Yankees’ first-round pick in 2007 even though they
knew he needed reconstructive elbow surgery. He had the operation nine days
after signing. He went 15-29 in 58 starts and 31 relief appearances in the
minors from 2009-11 with a 5.11 ERA.

The Yankees called up the 6-foot-10 Brackman last September and he pitched
in three games. They declined his contract option after the season.

Brackman would be paid $500,000 by the Reds if he’s in the major leagues and
$480,000 if he’s in the minors.

The Reds also announced that their pitchers and catchers will report and
have their first spring training workout in Goodyear, Ariz., on Feb. 19. The
rest of the squad will report and work out on Feb. 24.

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There is the quick update of the day.

Reliever Sean Marshall has been in the big leagues for six seasons and they’ve all been with the Chicago Cubs. It’s looking right now like he’s going to get a taste of a new hometown soon.

ESPN Chicago reports that the Virginia native is close to being shipped to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for soon-to-be 25-year-old lefty pitcher Travis Wood.

Wood went 6-6 with an ERA of 4.84 in 18 starts last season with the Reds, his second in the bigs. Last year, ESPN notes, he won his first game in the majors against the Cubs.

The 29-year-old Marshall is “one of the best left-handed relievers in baseball,” ESPN reports. He had 34 holds, good for a second-place tie for best in the majors by a lefty. In 2010, he had 22 holds.

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Related: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds

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Paul Maholm may not be the only left-handed starting pitcher that the Chicago Cubs are pursuing this offseason.

The Cubs are reportedly discussing a trade with their National League (NL) Central rival, the Cincinnati Reds. Reports indicate that the Cubs would receive 24-year-old starting pitcher Travis Wood. The Reds would receive 29-year-old setup specialist Sean Marshall. The Cubs might also get prospects.

Assuming these reports are true, it’s beginning to look like Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer want every left-handed player in MLB other than Prince Fielder on the Cubs’ roster in 2012. Seriously though, they’re placing a strong emphasis on adding left-handed hitters into their lineup and at least one left-handed pitcher into their starting rotation.

Marshall has been one of MLB’s best left-handed setup specialists for the past two seasons. Marshall finished the 2011 season with a 2.26 ERA in 78 appearances. Marshall was praised by some fans as an All-Star candidate as he had a 0.95 ERA after 28.1 innings pitched. A midseason slump prevented him from being selected.

The Reds acquired starting pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres. They’re currently looking to bolster their bullpen with a quality left-handed reliever. Marshall would be the perfect candidate because of his familiarity with the NL Central. Wood has become expendable because of Latos.

The Reds selected Wood with a second-round pick in 2005. He had a solid MLB debut in 2010 that included a 5-4 record, 3.51 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in 17 starts. Wood debuted against the Cubs on July 1, 2010. He earned a no-decision after he surrendered two hits and two earned runs in seven innings. Wood took a perfect game into the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in just his third start.

2011 wasn’t as kind to Wood. He finished with a 6-6 record, 4.84 ERA and 1.49 WHIP. Wood was demoted to Triple-A for approximately two months for underperformance. He was also the subject of trade talks before the July trading deadline.

Was 2010 a fluke? According to RedLegs Baseball, Wood was the No. 4 prospect in the Reds’ farm system heading into 2010. Epstein is also rumored to be intrigued in him.

Wood appears to be extremely dependent on flyballs. That always worries me with pitchers at Wrigley Field. I prefer strikeout pitchers and groundball pitchers. A flyball pitcher is always at risk when the wind is blowing out.

You might be wondering, “Why doesn’t Marshall just move back into the starting rotation?” I’d actually rather see that happen before a straight swap for these two players. I think the Cubs should just keep Marshall if they can’t get more for him.

I’m guessing that Kerry Wood would become the full-time setup specialist. Jeff Samardzija would probably be the secondary guy. The Cubs might attempt to develop Andrew Cashner into a closer if Carlos Marmol doesn’t fix his control issues.

Joshua Huffman grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as a Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cubs enthusiast. He immediately gained an admiration for Cubs fans after watching numerous games on WGN during the mid-90s. His favorite Cubs moment was Kerry Wood’s(notes) 1-hitter, 20K extravaganza that was only denied of a no-hitter by Kevin Orie’s defensive blunder. As a Packers and Cubs fan, he suffered through Steve Bartman and “4th & 26″ in a span of three months.

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With the acquisition of pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres, the Cincinnati Reds have made it as clear as a crisp post-season October sky; they plan to compete in 2012.

Great American Ballpark – Home of the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Game
2009

The Reds began 2011 with a bang and fans were excited to enjoy a successful season. However the team faltered, in large part due to inconsistent starting pitchers, and the team eventually slipped slowly but surely out of contention. Granted the Reds are in a tough division as they battled regularly against the two teams that eventually made it to the National League Championship game in 2011 – the Milwaukee Brewers and St Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals, of course, went on to win the World Series.

However the days of Marge Schott are gone, and Reds management no longer favors players based on their lack of facial hair, nor do they rely on the fur from a dearly demised saint bernard for good luck. Reds general manager Walt Jocketty knows what needs require attention and controlling owner Bob Castellini is willing to do what it takes put together a winning team.

Mat Latos is a young, powerful addition to the Reds where they need it most – starting pitching. In 2011 Johnny Cueto (9-5, 2.31 ERA), Mike Leake (12-8, 3.86 ERA) and Homer Bailey (9-7, 4.43 ERA) were the only Reds starters with winning records. Veteran Bronson Arroyo was iffy at best, finishing the season at 9-12. Latos went 9-14 for the Padres in 2011 , but that was without the strength of a stellar offense he will have backing him up as he pitches for the Reds. Latos ERA was 3.47, and he held opponents to a batting average of .233; he is only 24 and the Reds clearly anticipate long term success from him.

In exchange for Latos, the Reds gave up pitcher Edinson Volquez who ended 2010 with a less than impressive record of 5-7 and 5.71 ERA. They also lost Yonder Alonso, who was ranked as the Reds number two prospect; yet Alonso was unable to reach his full potential at first base with Joey Votto firmly entrenched in the starting lineup. Other top prospects were included in the trade as well, but the Reds aren’t overly focused future potential, they are about winning in the here and now.

Walt Jocketty told reporters, “Our offseason objective was to try to upgrade our rotation and add a top-of-the-rotation starter.” Though only time will tell, Lato does indeed seem to fulfill this objective, and if nothing else it is clear the Reds are taking the steps they find necessary to succeed moving forward. It’s hard for any fan to take issue with that.

Lisa has been a fan of the Cincinnati Reds since her family moved to Cincinnati when she was in elementary school. Her favorite player is the great Barry Larkin and she looks forward to him receiving his just rewards and being inducted in the Hall of Fame. Lisa was away at college when the Reds won the World Series in 1990 and forever regrets not being in town to celebrate appropriately. She longs for the day when her Reds win it all again.

Cash Kruth, “Cincinnati Reds land Mat Latos in five-player deal with San Diego Padres,” reds.com

Player Stats, reds.com

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In an off-season that has so far seen them improve by standing pat and witnessing their division foes succumb to attrition, the Cincinnati Reds have finally started making a little noise of their own. After watching Albert Pujols leave the St. Louis Cardinals via free agency and Ryan Braun leave the Milwaukee Brewers , at least temporarily, at the hands of a suspension for the use of performance enhancing drugs, the Reds on December 17 pulled off what I would consider to be a blockbuster trade. In the deal, the Reds paid a king’s ransom to bring in starting pitcher Mat Latos from the San Diego Padres, although the young hurler has a chance to actually be worth the price. What is really encouraging to me about this trade, though, is that it represents the first sign that Cincinnati might make an honest effort to retain Joey Votto beyond this season.

In order to acquire Latos, general manager Walt Jocketty shipped starting pitcher Edinson Volquez, first baseman Yonder Alonso, catcher Yasmani Grandal and right-hander Brad Boxberger to the Padres. Grandal and Boxberger are two highly-regarded prospects with high ceilings, but Alonso is the key name among the castoffs. The young first baseman has been viewed alternately as the heir apparent to Joey Votto at first, or as being blocked by Votto, depending on who is speaking and how cynical the mood. With Alonso moved out of town, it would seem that the Reds don’t plan to pluck Votto off the sack in Great American Ballpark anytime soon.

Votto is in his final season before free agency, and we’ve been debating his future with the Reds for a couple of years now. Votto is 28 and in his prime, so he is likely to command something close to the contract that Pujols inked with the Los Angeles Angels, which would put him in the neighborhood of $20 million per season for 10 or more years. That seems like a lot for the Reds to pay any one player, but with Alonso gone, they don’t appear to have a ready alternative as a slugging first baseman. With second baseman Brandon Phillips hitting free agency this off-season, the Reds also have the opportunity to open up a little salary room simply by letting Phillips walk.

Whether or not Votto sticks around after 2012, it will be very interesting to watch the results of this deal develop from both sides. Latos is coming to a decidedly hitter-friendly park, so we may be in for a period of adjustment. If he can make that leap and stay healthy, though, all indications are that he could be a legitimate top-of-the-rotation starter. That’s a rare creature in these parts.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Cincinnati Reds fan since the early 1980s, when gods like Dan Driessen and Cesar Cedeno roamed the ethereally green Riverfront turf. He thinks that Dusty Baker is the anti-Davey.

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By Jaclyn Shambaugh

Athlete’s Choice Batting Center is hosting a baseball seminar Saturday that will feature three guest speakers.

Headlining the event is Peter Faulk, the former South Brunswick baseball coach who went on to be a pro scout with the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. He’s currently a scout with the Washington Nationals.

Neil Buie and Cliff Allred are also scheduled to speak at the seminar. Buie has nearly three decades of umpiring experience at the high school level, and is now a booking agent for baseball and softball officials in the area.

Allred is a showcase coordinator at the Greensboro Batting Center and used to be an assistant coach at Pfeiffer University.

The three men will be giving information on umpiring and recruiting at NCAA Division I, II and III colleges, as well as JUCO and NAIA colleges. The seminar is designed for youth and high school baseball players and their parents who are interested in getting more information about playing at the collegiate level and getting drafted to play professionally.

Athlete’s Choice Batting Center owner and coach Derick Graham will serve as the seminar’s emcee. Graham was a member of the Hoke County baseball team that won the state championship before being drafted by the Cincinnatti Reds.

The seminar will be at the batting center on Rankin Street from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $30. For more information about the seminar, contact the center at 487-4487.

Girls on the Run returns

Registration is now open for the spring session of Girls on the Run, the wellness program for girls ages 8 to 12 that focuses on healthy living by training girls to run a 5k race.

The program debuted in the Fayetteville area in the fall, and is expanding to hold the 10-week training program at a number of elementary schools across the county.

Registration is available through the YMCA of the Sandhills at the Fayetteville location on Fort Bragg Road or the Hope Mills location on Ellison Street.

For more information, contact the Y at 426-9622.

A week or two ago Brandon Phillips tweeted optimistically about working out a contract extension with the Cincinnati Reds. Nothing happened right after that — if I was the Reds I’d be a bit miffed that Phillips was tweeting about that — but it’s being reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer today that the Reds have made an offer.

Nothing seems imminent, but it certainly does seem that the Reds are going to lock up their second baseman at some point in the not-too-distant future.

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While the Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs were making headlines during baseball’s winter meetings during the week of December 5, my beloved Cincinnati Reds were busy creating a few waves of their own. Although Albert Pujols(notes) and his suitors garnered their fair share of attention with a dance that may not finish before the meetings do, the Reds swooped in fast to get their man. That’s right, Cincinnati is now the proud employer of Jim Riggleman after luring the him away from the San Francisco Giants’ scouting department to become the manager of the Reds’ Double-A affiliate Pensacola Blue Wahoos. It may seem a bit far-flung, but I think this move may be just the ticket to free me and my fellow Reds fans from the daily machinations of big league skipper Dusty Baker.

Riggleman, you may recall, got tough with his former employer, the Washington Nationals when he demanded that the team pick up his 2012 option during the season last summer. When the Nats didn’t capitulate, Riggleman found himself out the door, then at a bar, then scouting for the Giants. Now, thanks to friend and Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, Riggleman has made it all the way back … to the minors. You have to think, though, that with Riggleman’s wealth of winning experience waiting just two heartbeats away, Dusty may feel some pressure in Cincy early in the season if the Reds don’t get off to a strong start in 2012. The Reds suffered a huge letdown after their surprising division title in 2010, and the future is uncertain with Joey Votto(notes) entering his walk year .

Riggleman may also provide some inspiration for Dusty, who is entering the last year of his contract and could be working as a lame duck. If the Reds aren’t winning a fair number of games by, say, mid-May, then players might start to take liberties in the clubhouse if they feel that Baker is on his way out. With some confidence from Riggleman’s example, Dusty just may waltz into the front office and demand a contract extension.

Which would, of course, bring us full circle to Riggleman. With a fuming Baker at his desk and a buddy just a phone call away in Florida, Jocketty might find it hard to resist dialing those numbers.

Of course, speculation like this is just good clean fun among fans. Even so, that can’t stop me from dreaming about a Dusty-free dugout, even if, in the process, Jim wriggles his way in.

Adam Hughes was raised, and still lives, in rural Indiana. He has been a Cincinnati Reds fan since the early 1980s, when gods like Dan Driessen and Cesar Cedeno roamed the ethereally green Riverfront turf. He thinks that Dusty Baker is the anti-Davey.

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Read More: Huston Street (P – COL), Josh Hamilton (LF – TEX), Edinson Volquez (P – CIN), Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds

The MLB Winter Meetings opened up on Monday, and already the Colorado Rockies have been liked to infielder Placido Palanco, but now the bigger news is that the team is reportedly in discussions with the Cincinnati Reds about a trade involving Rockies’ reliever Huston Street and Reds’ starting pitcher Edinson Volquez. Troy Renck of the Denver Post is reporting that the Rockies are looking to acquire a young starting pitcher with upside, and the Reds are trying to fill a need at closer, but the teams are struggling to make the money work.

Huston Street is due $8 million in salary in 2012, and for the Reds to even consider taking on that money in the deal they would likely also require a young, minor league pitching prospect included as well. 

Volquez went 17-6 and earned a National League all-star selection in 2008, after joining the Reds in a trade that involved outfielder Josh Hamilton, but has since served a suspension for PED use and has struggled with injuries as well. Even so, he is still only 28-years old, under team control through 2013, and made a paltry $1.623 million through salary arbitration last season.

For more coverage of all things Denver sports, stay tuned to SB Nation Denver. For more in-depth coverage of the Rockies, visit Purple Row. For more updates on the MLB Hot Stove, check out Baseball Nation.

What do you guys think about this.

Jair Jurrjens(notes) is 25 years old and has a 50-32 career record with an ERA of 3.35 and 477 strikeouts for the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves. Last season, he went to his first All-Star game in the midst of going 13-6 with a 2.96 ERA for Atlanta. So who wouldn’t want him?

The word from SI.com is that the Cincinnati Reds are “very interested” in finding a way to get Jurrjens onto their roster this offseason. Plus, the site notes that 10 teams are in on possible trade talks for Jurrjens.

MLB.com, however, reports that Cincinnati does “not appear to be going hard” after Jurrjens. The Reds do want a pitcher that would be at or near the top of its rotation, but it doesn’t have the power-hitting outfielder that the Braves want in return.

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Source: SI.comMLB.com

Related: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers

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