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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2008 > December > 09
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Reds acquire catcher for Freel
Ryan Freel is gone and Ramon Hernandez is coming.
The Cincinnati Reds have plugged one of their holes by acquiring catcher Hernandez from the Baltimore Orioles.
The Reds sent infielder/outfielder Ryan Freel and two minor-league prospects to the Orioles and the deal hinged on the Orioles picking up a portion of the $9 million the O’s owe Hernandez.
Because the Reds are to receive $1 million from the Orioles, the deal had to be approved by the commissioner’s office, which it was.
In addition to sending Freel to the Orioles, also going are minor-league infielders Brandon Waring and Justin Turner. Waring, a third baseman, hit .270 with 20 homers and 71 RBIs last season for the Class A Dayton Dragons. Turner, a second baseman, played at Class AA Chattanooga last season.
Hernandez will make $8 million in 2009 and there is a club option for $8.5 million in 2010, with a $1 million buyout.
Freel will make $4 million this year, so with the $1 million in cash and Hernandez’s $9 million, the Reds invested $4 million.
Hernandez, 32, hit .257 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs last season. He is a native and resident of Venezuela, originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Oakland A’s in 1994.
He played for the A’s and the San Diego Padres before the Orioles signed him to a four-year free agent contract in 2005. He hit 23 homers and drive in 94 runs for the 2006 Orioles.
Freel, 33, is a hard-playing fan-favorite who was jammed up by injuries most of his six years with the Reds, playing only 75 games in 2007 and 48 games last season and didn’t play after June 3. eventually undergoing right hamstring surgery.
In 2006, Freel started at five different positions over his 108 games - all three outfield spots, plus second base and third base.
The Reds reportedly are one of three teams in running to sign free agent lefthanded relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes, who is expected to make his decision this week. The other two teams were not identified and terms of the Reds’ offer were not
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