Reds sign minor leaguers

[Mainspark]

CINCINNATI REDS—Signed LHP Jason Kershner, RHP Victor Santos, RHP Tom Shearn, C Dan Conway, C Ryan Jorgensen, C Miguel Perez, IF Anderson Machado and OF Dewayne Wise to minor league contracts.

[jmcclain19]

RHP Victor Santos
LHP Jason Kershner

Very interesting two signings there. I like both of those. Probably won't come of anything, but at least that piques an interest. Both could be a suitable summer call up due to injuries at least.

[gm]

Conway's a former Demon Deacon. Expecting a scouting report from 15fan, shortly

[Mainspark]

Marc Lancaster's comments:


The name that jumped out at me from the non-roster invitees was Victor Santos. The guy has spent almost all of the last three seasons in the majors, mostly as a starter. Sounds like he'll definitely get a look for the fifth spot in the rotation.

"He’s a versatile guy that can start and relieve," said Wayne Krivsky. "He’s going to come to camp and, at least at the outset, compete for a starting spot. That’s what he was signed to do. We’ll see how it goes, but a guy like him could make the team either as a starter or in the bullpen – it just depends on how things shake out."

The other unfamiliar pitcher, Kershner, also might be in the running. He's mostly been a reliever lately but has been starting in Puerto Rico and pitching well.

Also, Krivsky said the Reds are still in negotiations with the agents for Paul Wilson, Eddie Guardado and Kent Mercker. They'll get minor league contracts if they decide to stay on.

One more thing: Someone wondered in the comments why Joey Votto wasn't on the list: He's on the 40-man roster, and everyone on the 40-man is invited to camp.

And yet another item: Got an e-mail from the Giants with their list of non-roster invitees, and it includes both Sun-Woo Kim and William Bergolla. Thought I'd pass that along.

[redsupport]

kershner's whip 1.3 not bad

[TOBTTReds]

Originally Posted by Mainspark

IF Anderson Machado

Fewww...can't believe we almost let him slip away. Where the LTC?

[mth123]

Add to the glut. At least they are cheap. Reds need catchers for Spring Training with all the pitchers for the pen and 5th spot. They get 3 here. We'll see what happens when spring is over. Maybe Moeller won't be needed.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by mth123

Add to the glut. At least they are cheap. Reds need catchers for Spring Training with all the pitchers for the pen and 5th spot. They get 3 here. We'll see what happens when spring is over. Maybe Moeller won't be needed.

We can only hope and pray there.

Thanks for the info Mainspark. I'm not one who has the time to follow minor league signings/acquisitions such as these, so I appreciate it.

[dfs]

Signed LHP Jason Kershner, RHP Victor Santos

Santos will compete with Rameriz, Livingston and Belisle as the non-Baily candidates for the fifth slot.

What is Jason Kershner's agent thinking? How many lefties can you fit in a pen? (Shack/Bray/Cormier/Stanton/Coutlangus/Kershner/They're talking to Merker and Guadardo)

dfs

[Mainspark]

Santos, Kershner in rotation mix

By Marc Lancaster
Post staff reporter

The Reds have known since the end of last season that four spots in their 2007 starting rotation already were set.

Unless the Reds add an established starter before pitchers and catchers report in five weeks, the competition for the spot behind Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Eric Milton and Kyle Lohse figures to be wide open.

The team Monday announced its first batch of non-roster invitees to major league spring training, and at least one player on the list will be in the mix for a starting spot.

Right-hander Victor Santos, who spent much of last season in the Pirates rotation and the previous two years with the Brewers, will definitely get a look.

"He's a versatile guy that can start and relieve," said Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky. "He's going to come to camp and, at least at the outset, compete for a starting spot. That's what he was signed to do. We'll see how it goes, but a guy like him could make the team either as a starter or in the bullpen - it just depends on how things shake out."

Santos, 30, went 5-9 with a 5.70 ERA in 25 appearances for Pittsburgh last season, 19 of them starts. He doesn't miss many bats, allowing 150 hits in 115 1/3 innings last year and more than a hit per inning over the course of his career. Santos has also pitched in the majors for the Rangers, Rockies and Tigers.

He'll fight it out with the likes of Matt Belisle, Elizardo Ramirez, Bobby Livingston and Phil Dumatrait for the final starting job. You can put Homer Bailey's name on that list if you like, but he probably will begin the season in Louisville.

Bailey was also among the big-league camp invitees, along with fellow right-hander Tom Shearn, left-handers Michael Gosling and Jason Kershner, catchers Miguel Perez, Ryan Hanigan, Ryan Jorgensen and Dan Conway, infielders Paul Janish and Anderson Machado and outfielder Dewayne Wise.

All but Santos, Kershner and Conway were in the Reds' organization last year.

Kershner has a chance to see the majors at some point this season, with 89 big-league games on his resume. He has been strictly a reliever the past two seasons for three different Class AAA clubs, but has found success as a starter in winter ball.

Pitching in Puerto Rico for Arecibo, Kershner has a 2.30 ERA in 10 starts, walking just seven batters in 58 2/3 innings. Krivsky said the Reds have heard good things about Kershner from Arecibo's manager, former big-leaguer Pat Kelly, and the left-hander may end up in the rotation competition.

These additions bring to 52 the number of players expected in major league camp next month. That's 10 fewer than the Reds took to camp last year, so expect some more signings in the coming weeks.

"I'm trying to add some more depth if I can," said Krivsky.

[BRM]

Harang, Arroyo, and pray for rain for three consecutive days.

[vaticanplum]

I have a feeling that we're going to have to get used to a lot of shuffling, a lot of hit-and-miss, a lot of chances taken on the #4-5 spots in the rotation as long as Krivsky is here.

Not passing judgment one way or another...just saying that I'm starting to believe this is not just a first-year thing. I have a feeling that those spots may be places where he tries to pan for gold a lot and that we're going to have to get used to seeing new or recently-absent faces once a week, that not having guys written in there with magic marker doesn't make him nervous.

Purely speculation on my part, though.

[penantboundreds]

how do we have 4 rotation spots already set? on what other team would eric milton be allowed to continue to ruin every 5th game for his team?

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by penantboundreds

how do we have 4 rotation spots already set? on what other team would eric milton be allowed to continue to ruin every 5th game for his team?

There's probably a dozen and a half teams where he would be pitching in the rotation, maybe more. The main criterion for a pitcher these days is a pulse and they're breathing. So we're not alone in this. Let's not kid ourselves.