Weathers signs two-year deal to return to Reds

[NatiRedGals]

By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Free agent reliever David Weathers is closing in on a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds, two baseball sources at the winter meetings told ESPN.com. The agreement is believed to be worth about $5 million.

Weathers, 37, has a 63-70 record in 16 major-league seasons. The San Francisco Giants were another club that expressed interest in him, and one source said Weathers turned down at least one three-year offer to pitch for Cincinnati.

He saved 12 games for Cincinnati last season and could be a closer option for the Reds, who also signed Mike Stanton to a two-year, $5.5 million deal two weeks ago.

Weathers makes his offseason home in Loretto, Tenn., and sources said Cincinnati appealed to him because he wants to remain close to his family.

Jerry Crasnick covers Major League Baseball for ESPN Insider.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2685719

[guttle11]

I'm ok with one year at $2.5 Mil, but dude's old, why two years?

[Shaknb8k]

i will be surprised if its 2 years at a total of 5 million.....im guess more like 6 million but we will see

[Joseph]

I think Wayne is addicted to multi year deals for old relievers.

[corkedbat]

I'm ok with one year at $2.5 Mil, but dude's old, why two years?

Makes him easier to deal at the trade deadline?

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

I'm ok with one year at $2.5 Mil, but dude's old, why two years?

I cant see any reason why Weathers wouldnt have atleast 2 more years left, so why not. The old FO seemed content with rebuilding the bullpen every year, maybe this one wants a little stability so that they can focus on other things next offseason.

[mound_patrol]

or maybe we give them two years because thats what makes them come here over their other 1 year options

[Shaknb8k]

Makes him easier to deal at the trade deadline?

I think thats it. A team that really needs a RP to make it to the playoffs that year would trade for a guy with a 2-year deal just so it helps them this year. Plus 2.5-3 million isnt a lot for a team to eat the next year if they dont think he will be good again. 2-year deals dont hurt a team all that much. Its when someone gets signed for a 6-year deal rather than say a 4-year. I have no problem with this signing.

[shredda2000]

Good signing...and the fact he turned down a possible 3-year deal with another club shows his dedication to Cincinnati.

[Handofdeath]

The Cincinnati Reds continued to bolster their bullpen Monday, re-signing free-agent right-hander David Weathers.

FOXSports.com has learned that Weathers will receive a two-year deal worth approximately $5 million, pending results of a physical, which Weathers will take today.
The deal will keep Weathers in Cincinnati, where he has played the last two seasons appearing in 140 games. The contract also includes incentives that will increase the value of the deal if Weathers ends up closing games.

Interest in Weathers had been high and the reliever turned down three-year deals from a pair of teams to remain a Red.

Earlier this off-season, the Reds had given a two-year deal to left-hander Mike Stanton, who spent the 2006 season with the Nationals and Cubs.


Looks like the Reds have their closer.

[edabbs44]

Wayne is going overboard with the bullpen. I think he is shell-shocked from last year.

[Johnny Footstool]

Wayne is going overboard with the bullpen. I think he is shell-shocked from last year.

I like the idea of loading up the bullpen. However, Wayne is simply doing it the wrong way, IMO. You need fireballers in the bullpen -- guys who miss bats. The Reds currently have ZERO high-K relievers. That spell a lot of blown saves in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.

[red-in-la]

Wayne is going overboard with the bullpen. I think he is shell-shocked from last year.

Yeah.....sure is lucky he has been able to bring back basically the same cast then....

[Edd Roush]

Wayne is going overboard with the bullpen. I think he is shell-shocked from last year.

Overboard? If Wayne has the ability to have a deep bullpen with adequate fillers in the minors, I'm all for it. Last year, we lost a few games for the bare fact that our bullpen was as thin as Paris Hilton. Weathers will be a welcome addition to the pen. Now, let's find a back of the rotation starter and a plattoon bat for first base.

[Edd Roush]

I like the idea of loading up the bullpen. However, Wayne is simply doing it the wrong way, IMO. You need fireballers in the bullpen -- guys who miss bats. The Reds currently have ZERO high-K relievers. That spell a lot of blown saves in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings.

Fireballers are usually overpaid in free agency. Who in the current free agent market would you have prefered the Reds to go after? I'm just curious.