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.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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 six-foot-10 Brackman last September and he pitched in three games. They declined his contract option after the season.

Brackman would be paid US$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.

The Reds had a Western Carolina League team in Rock Hill (N.C.) in 1963 and there, Weaver hit .280 in just 143 at-bats with five doubles, three triples, seven homers and 27 RBI.

Late in the season, he was advanced to the Reds’ Class A Midwest League team at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He batted just 11 times with one hit.

“I went to Cedar Rapids, I thought I was on my way,” he said. “I made a lot of friends there.”

He played almost every day for Peninsula in the 1964 season, hitting .262 in 302 at-bats, with 23 doubles, four homers and 36 RBI.

Though it would be his last, the 1965 season was Weaver’s favorite.

The Grays won their division by 10 games and won the league’s playoff championship as well. He hit .259 and stroked 10 doubles, one triple, five homers and 35 RBI.

During the season, Weaver was called up to Class AA Knoxville of the Southern League.

He had four hits in 31 at-bats, including three doubles, and drove in five runs.

“I’ll never forget the 1965 (Carolina) league championship series,” he stated. “It was against Greensboro, a Yankees farm team, and their shortstop was (future Yankees star outfielder) Bobby Murcer.

“Pinky May was our player manager,” Weaver said. “Our batboy was (hi son) Milt May. He went on to become a major league catcher. Lot of fond memories there,” Weaver said. Continued…

While May played 15 years in the big leagues, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, Weaver never realized that ultimate dream.

He came pretty close, though, in one regard, reporting to spring training with the Reds in Tampa in both 1965 and ’66, playing alongside Reds stars Pete Rose, Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Deron Johnson, Sammy Ellis, Jim Maloney and two young, future Hall of Fame stars and biggest prospects at that time – slugging first baseman Tony Perez and a 17-year old catcher named Johnny Bench, who was considered baseball’s top prospect that year.

“I was with the big club,” he said. “Rose, Robinson, Vada Pinson, (Weaver searched his memory for the name of Ellis, a 22-game-game winner whose career was cut short by injuries), Jim Maloney.”

Weaver said he learned from Bench, despite his youth, and called him “the best catcher I ever saw.

“I still remember, what a thrill it was,” he said. “That was the first time I’d ever been on an airplane and the first time I’d ever been to Florida.

“I dressed right next to Joe Nuxhall,” Weaver said, referring to one of the most popular Reds players, who pitched for them at age 15 – in the big leagues – and was one of their radio play-by-play men for 40 years before passing away in 2007.

“Ryne Duren was with the Reds then,” Weaver said, referring to the hard-throwing former New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics reliever.

“What a great opportunity that was, to participate in a major league camp in Tampa,” Weaver said. I’ve always felt that was my biggest thrill,” he said.

After spring training in 1966, Weaver “decided to give up baseball. My father never forgave me.”

“A lot of people speculate that I would have made it, but nobody really knows that. I had a great time and I decided that … in the back of my mind, I wanted to be a coach.” Continued…

TROY — Bob Weaver wouldn’t trade his time in professional baseball for anything.

The former Cincinnati Reds farmhand will be inducted into the Capital District Baseball Hall of Fame later this week. He referred to his induction as “a great honor and a great thrill.”

Weaver, a left hand-hitting catcher, played four years in the Reds system, reaching the Class AA level before deciding to retire from baseball prior to the 1966 season. He recalls his career as if were just a few years ago.

“I went to a couple of tryouts,” he said. “I went to a Pittsburgh tryout at Adirondack Community College. The following week, I went to a tryout for the Reds at (Troy) Catholic High and I was signed that day by (Reds scout) Gene Ward.

“That was one of the happiest days of my life,” Weaver said.

The Reds sent the 18-year old catcher to the tiny Western Carolina League, a June-August Class D League (under the old AAA-AA-A-B-C-D classification system), where many teams did not have major league affiliations.

He batted .253 (45-for-190) in 70 games with eight doubles, two triples, three home runs and 23 runs batted in for Salisbury (N.C.), which that year of 1962 had numerous players owned by the National League’s first-year New York Mets.

Weaver remembers his first pro game.

“It was in Shelby, North Carolina. I was a nervous kid and it was the first night game I ever played in.” He went 1-for-4.

“But I couldn’t believe I actually got paid to play,” he said.

The Reds had a Western Carolina League team in Rock Hill (N.C.) in 1963 and there, Weaver hit .280 in just 143 at-bats with five doubles, three triples, seven homers and 27 RBI.

Late in the season, he was advanced to the Reds’ Class A Midwest League team at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He batted just 11 times with one hit.

“I went to Cedar Rapids, I thought I was on my way,” he said. “I made a lot of friends there.”

He played almost every day for Peninsula in the 1964 season, hitting .262 in 302 at-bats, with 23 doubles, four homers and 36 RBI.

Though it would be his last, the 1965 season was Weaver’s favorite.

The Grays won their division by 10 games and won the league’s playoff championship as well. He hit .259 and stroked 10 doubles, one triple, five homers and 35 RBI.

During the season, Weaver was called up to Class AA Knoxville of the Southern League.

He had four hits in 31 at-bats, including three doubles, and drove in five runs.

“I’ll never forget the 1965 (Carolina) league championship series,” he stated. “It was against Greensboro, a Yankees farm team, and their shortstop was (future Yankees star outfielder) Bobby Murcer.

“Pinky May was our player manager,” Weaver said. “Our batboy was (hi son) Milt May. He went on to become a major league catcher. Lot of fond memories there,” Weaver said.

While May played 15 years in the big leagues, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, Weaver never realized that ultimate dream.

He came pretty close, though, in one regard, reporting to spring training with the Reds in Tampa in both 1965 and ’66, playing alongside Reds stars Pete Rose, Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Deron Johnson, Sammy Ellis, Jim Maloney and two young, future Hall of Fame stars and biggest prospects at that time – slugging first baseman Tony Perez and a 17-year old catcher named Johnny Bench, who was considered baseball’s top prospect that year.

“I was with the big club,” he said. “Rose, Robinson, Vada Pinson, (Weaver searched his memory for the name of Ellis, a 22-game-game winner whose career was cut short by injuries), Jim Maloney.”

Weaver said he learned from Bench, despite his youth, and called him “the best catcher I ever saw.

“I still remember, what a thrill it was,” he said. “That was the first time I’d ever been on an airplane and the first time I’d ever been to Florida.

“I dressed right next to Joe Nuxhall,” Weaver said, referring to one of the most popular Reds players, who pitched for them at age 15 – in the big leagues – and was one of their radio play-by-play men for 40 years before passing away in 2007.

“Ryne Duren was with the Reds then,” Weaver said, referring to the hard-throwing former New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics reliever.

“What a great opportunity that was, to participate in a major league camp in Tampa,” Weaver said. I’ve always felt that was my biggest thrill,” he said.

After spring training in 1966, Weaver “decided to give up baseball. My father never forgave me.”

“A lot of people speculate that I would have made it, but nobody really knows that. I had a great time and I decided that … in the back of my mind, I wanted to be a coach.”

So, he returned to Troy and coached football at Cardinal McCoskey and basketball for 15 years at McCoskey, Bishop Maginn, Troy High and Catholic High. He posted a combined record of 183-150.

Weaver had come to pro baseball when the major leagues had just begun expansion.

There are now 30 teams in the majors and he was asked if there’d been as many teams back then, could he have reached the big leagues.

“I don’t know,” he said, “but my experiences in baseball were great. I wouldn’t trade them for anything. I had a great time, being paid to play a game I love. I had the opportunity that millions of guys can only dream about.”

Pro baseball, from the big leagues to the low minors, faces a number of problems these days, most of which have been fairly well-chronicled.

Weaver believes – and fears – baseball’s biggest malady lies within the amateur ranks.

“Kids just don’t play the game anymore,” he said. “Nobody plays (on summer days) in the parks like we did.

“We played every day,” he said. “Sometimes we’d climb the fence at school, even to just play stickball. Can you imagine kids doing that today? You just don’t see kids out there playing like we all did.”

“I hope it changes … but I don’t know,” he said.

By SportsDirect

CINCINNATI — Bronson Arroyo pitched a six-hitter and the Cincinnati Reds wrapped up their home schedule Wednesday with a 2-0 win over the Houston Astros.

Miguel Cairo homered as Cincinnati finished 42-39 at Great American Ball Park. The Reds drew 2,213,498 this season, an increase of 152,948 over last year’s attendance when they won the NL Central.

The game took only 2 hours, 12 minutes, the fastest of the season for the Reds. There was a 4-minute delay before the fourth inning because of flashing lights triggered by a fire alarm.

Arroyo (9-12), who had been 0-2 over his previous four starts, retired his first 10 batters. He didn’t allow a hit until Carlos Lee led off the fifth with a soft single just over the glove of a leaping Cairo at third base.

Arroyo walked none and struck out two. He needed just 91 pitches in his fourth career shutout and first since beating Washington on Aug. 13, 2009.

The Reds right-hander didn’t allow a home run, keeping his season total at 44, four short of tying the National League record and six short of matching the major league mark.

Houston didn’t get runner to third until the eighth and Arroyo responded by striking out pinch-hitter Brian Bogusevic and Jordan Shafer.

The Reds took a 1-0 lead against Wandy Rodriguez (11-11) in the first when Brandon Phillips led off with an leadoff infield single, stole second and scored on Chris Heisey’s two-out bloop single.

Cairo hit a 410-foot drive into the upper deck in left in the second. It was his career-high eighth homer of the season.

Rodriguez allowed four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings. He recorded his 1,000th career strikeout by fanning Joey Votto leading off the sixth.

NOTES: The Astros finished their road schedule with a 25-56 record. … Houston RHP Bud Norris’ right shoulder still was sore Wednesday morning after he left his start on Tuesday in the fourth inning. His availability for his next start probably won’t be decided until the team returns to Houston and he can be examined by team doctors, manager Brad Mills said. … Reds C Ryan Hanigan and 3B Scott Rolen won’t play the rest of the season, manager Dusty Baker said. Back spasms have kept Hanigan sidelined since Sept. 15. Rolen hasn’t been able to completely get over arthroscopic surgery performed on Aug. 3 on his left shoulder. … Reds CF Drew Stubbs was scratched from the original starting lineup. Stubbs was hitless in his last 13 at-bats with eight strikeouts to reach 200 for the season. … Houston opens its final homestand of the season Thursday against Colorado. RHP Henry Sosa will face the Rockies for the first time in his career. … The Reds start their final road trip of the season Friday in Pittsburgh with RHP Edinson Volquez seeking his first win in four starts since June 29. He spent most of the second half of the season at Triple-A Louisville.

The Cincinnati Reds snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Astros on Tuesday night.

CINCINNATI –

Homer Bailey lived up to his name by beating his hometown team for the fourth time.

Bailey shut Houston down again and came up with a career-high three hits and Devin Mesoraco homered to help the Cincinnati Reds snap a four-game losing streak with a 6-4 win over the Astros on Tuesday night.

Brandon Phillips also homered while Jay Bruce had three hits and Dave Sappelt and Juan Francisco each added two hits each as the Reds broke out of a slump. Their nine hits through five innings were one more than their total from the previous three games.

Bailey (9-7), who went into the game 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three starts against the Astros this season, set a career-high in wins while allowing six hits and two runs with two walks and five strikeouts in seven innings.

“He did everything tonight,” Dusty Baker said. “He fielded and got three hits. We needed him to go deep in the game with our bullpen situation.”

Bailey is from LaGrange, Texas a little over 100 miles from Houston.

“I like to pitch in Houston more,” Bailey said.

The 25-year set career highs even though he missed the first five weeks of the season with an impingement in his right shoulder.

“My number one goal for next year is to stay healthy,” Bailey said. “I had some injuries that were no one’s fault but if you look at my wins per start, I’d be at 15 wins over a full season.”

Houston manager Brad Mills has seen enough of Bailey for the year.

“How about that not only pitching against us but offensively too. He’s had some good outings against us,” Mills said.

Francisco Cordero pitched the ninth for his 34th save.

Houston starter Bud Norris (6-11) left the game two outs into the third inning with discomfort in his right shoulder. Norris allowed seven hits and three runs with two walks and three strikeouts while setting a career high in losses.

Juan Francisco led off Cincinnati’s second against Norris with a single to center. After Drew Stubbs, extending his single-season franchise strikeout record to 199, Mesoraco hit a 369-foot line drive into the left field seats for his second career homer.

The Reds loaded the bases on singles by Paul Janish and Bailey and a walk by Phillips, and Sappelt grounded an RBI single up the middle for a 3-0 lead.

Houston cut the lead to 3-2 in the third on Jordan Shafer’s leadoff walk and J.D. Martinez’s one-out homer into the visitors’ bullpen down the right field line.

The 334-foot drive on Bailey’s first pitch was Martinez’s ninth homer of the season and first since Aug. 20. That matched the number of runs scored by the Astros in Bailey’s three previous starts against them this season.

The Reds regained their three-run lead in the fourth on Bailey’s leadoff single, Sappelt’s one-out walk, a wild pitch and Bruce’s two-run single, which snapped a 0-for-16 drought.

Pinch-hitter Chris Johnson roughed up reliever Bill Bray for a two-run homer into the second deck of the left field bleachers in the eighth. It was his seventh homer of the season and first pinch-hit homer of his career.

Phillips countered in the bottom of the eighth with his 18th homer of the season into the Reds’ bullpen in left-center field. It was his sixth in the first nine games of this homestand.

“I’m just swinging the bat,” Phillips said. “I feel comfortable at the top of the lineup.”

The win tied Baker with Earl Weaver with 1,480 career wins and 21st place all-time.

“It took a week to get,” Baker said. “It’s nice to move up the ladder but we really just needed the win.”

Notes: Reds RHP Johnny Cueto will finish six innings short of qualifying for the ERA championship. Cueto, who left his last start with a strained muscle in his upper right back, said Tuesday that doctors have advised him to not throw for a while. Currently second to Los Angeles LHP Clayton Kershaw in the ERA race, Cueto needed six innings to reach the 162 he needs to qualify for the title. … The start of the game was delayed 13 minutes by rain. … Cincinnati’s Joey Votto singled in the ninth after going a season-high 14 at bats without a hit. … Houston’s Brett Wallace is hitless in his last 27 at bats after striking out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. … Houston LHP Wandy Rodriguez, Wednesday’s scheduled starter, has been on a strikeout tear lately, with a total of 33 over his last 24 2-3 innings, spanning four starts. He needs two to reach 1,000 for his career. … Cincinnati’s starter, RHP Bronson Arroyo, will very likely see his streak of consecutive 200-inning seasons snapped at six. He has 182 innings with two remaining starts.

Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer in the 11th inning that lifted the Cincinnati Reds to an 8-6 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday night.

Joey Votto led off the 11th against James Russell (1-6) with a double to left-center field. Bruce connected on the next pitch for his 31st homer of the season, giving the Reds their third straight win over Chicago after losing the opener of the four-game series.

Nick Masset (3-5) pitched the 11th for the win.

The Cubs handed Francisco Cordero his first blown save since July 10 by scoring twice in the ninth to make it 6-all. Tony Campana led off with a pinch-hit single and scored on pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano’s double. One out later, Darwin Barney chopped a tying single.

Cordero had successfully converted 16 consecutive save opportunities since the All-Star break.

Reds starter Homer Bailey, who hadn’t allowed more than two home runs in any of his previous 19 starts this season, gave up a pair in a span of four batters in the first inning.

Aramis Ramirez singled with two outs and Carlos Pena followed with his 28th home run of the season, a majestic 461-foot drive on a 3-2 pitch that landed in a party area on top of the center field batter’s eye.

Bryan LaHair kept the inning going with a single to center, extending his career-opening hitting streak to nine games, and Marlon Byrd hit the first pitch 414 feet into the Cincinnati bullpen in left-center field.

Bailey settled down and lasted six innings, giving up six hits and four runs with three walks and nine strikeouts, matching his season high.

Brandon Phillips hit his 16th home run, and fourth of the four-game series, in the third to cut Chicago’s lead to 4-1. Chris Heisey hit his 17th homer, and second in two nights, in the Reds fourth.

The Reds scored three times in the fifth. Bailey started the rally with a one-out single. Phillips doubled and Drew Stubbs hit an RBI single just over the glove of a leaping Starlin Castro at shortstop.

Votto walked to load the bases, and Wells walked Yonder Alonso to force in the tying run. Jeff Samardzija relieved Wells and got Heisey to hit a sharp one-hopper that glanced off the pitcher’s foot to Castro, whose throw to first wasn’t in time, allowing Stubbs to score the go-ahead run.

The Reds reached Randy Wells for seven hits and five runs with two walks and three strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings. He also threw a wild pitch.

The Reds added a run in the sixth when Paul Janish drew a leadoff walk, moved to third on Stubbs’ two-out single and scored on reliever John Gaub’s wild pitch.

NOTES: Soriano’s double was the 400th of his career. … Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo, scheduled to start against Milwaukee in Friday’s series opener, is coming off the shortest start of his career. He failed to get an out in the second inning of Cincinnati’s 12-7 loss Saturday at Colorado. … Cubs RHP Matt Garza is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA over his last three starts going into his appearance Friday against Houston at Chicago.