Quick rundown of recent acquisitions

I'm a bit behind on the Reds' acquisitions, but I wanted to run stats on everyone the Reds had recently acquired, going back to the Volquez trade. Here we go....

Edinson Volquez, 24-year old RHP
Acquired in the Josh Hamilton trade in December.

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9		BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G
2005	21	Rk/A+/AA	127.3	9.0	2.1	1.1		0.312	4.10	3.59	0.249	0.304	0.399	0.703	4.2
2006	22	AAA	121.0	9.7	5.4	0.7		0.262	3.20	3.90	0.195	0.318	0.300	0.618	3.5
2007	23	A+/AA/AAA	144.6	10.3	3.7	0.8		0.247	3.67	3.42	0.186	0.277	0.307	0.584	3.1
3-years	---	---	392.9	9.7	3.7	0.8		0.275	3.67	3.63	0.210	0.299	0.336	0.635	3.6
Majors
Year	Age	Team	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9	%GB	BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G	RAR
2005	21	TEX	12.7	7.8	7.1	2.1	42.3%	0.449	14.21	7.19	0.403	0.493	0.661	1.154	12.8	-11.0
2006	22	TEX	33.3	4.1	4.6	1.9	42.7%	0.363	7.29	6.60	0.359	0.427	0.538	0.965	8.5	-8.2
2007	23	TEX	34.0	7.7	4.0	1.1	38.2%	0.303	4.50	4.56	0.262	0.342	0.408	0.750	4.7	5.2
3-years	---	---	80.0	6.2	4.7	1.6	41.0%	0.357	7.20	5.76	0.329	0.335	0.511	0.846	7.6	-14.0

Volquez has been very dominant in the minor leagues, despite an above-average walk rate. Major league hitters have proven more difficult to dominant in limited innings, but it should be noted that Volquez has been exposed to them at a rather young age while pitching in an absolute bandbox of a park (though the R/G and RAR numbers are park-corrected). And least year, though the sample is limited, he seemed to take a step forward in the majors while also improving his minor league numbers. If he can even be league-average next season (~4.50 ERA), he'll be a tremendous help to the rotation. I'm sure the Reds' scouts think he's capable of doing at least that, or they would never have parted ways with a talent like Hamilton's. Volquez should be out of option years at this point (right?), so he is (probably) a lock for a spot on the roster.

Daniel Herrera, 23-year old LHP
Acquired in the Josh Hamilton trade in December

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9		BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G
2006	21	Rk/A+	62.0	10.5	1.7	0.0		0.291	1.45	1.70	0.194	0.254	0.218	0.472	1.8
2007	22	A+/AA	63.3	10.7	3.6	0.6		0.338	3.69	2.98	0.236	0.322	0.331	0.653	3.7
2-years	---	---	125.3	10.6	2.7	0.3		0.315	2.59	2.35	0.216	0.290	0.276	0.566	2.7

Mostly pitching in relief, Herrera has put up very impressive numbers in his two seasons thus far. Most impressive are his strikeout numbers, though word is that this is due primarily to a screwball/change, and one has to wonder whether it will continue to fool hitters at higher levels. At least his strikeout numbers didn't take a hit as he moved up last season, which is encouraging. I'd like to see him start the year in AAA, with scouts paying close attention to how he performs against the top hitters in that league International League. If he can get those guys out, he might make the Reds' bullpen as early as late next season.

Jeff Fiorentino, 24-year old LHB OF
Acquired off of waivers from Baltimore on 4 January

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	PA	%K	%BB		BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G
2005	22	A+	455	20%	7%		0.319	0.286	0.346	0.508	0.222	0.854	-0.702	6.2
2006	23	AA	450	13%	12%		0.296	0.275	0.365	0.413	0.138	0.778	0.174	5.4
2007	24	AA	496	18%	9%		0.325	0.282	0.346	0.445	0.163	0.791	-0.468	5.4
3years	---	---	1401	17%	9%		0.314	0.281	0.347	0.456	0.175	0.803	-0.996	5.7
Majors
Year	Age	Team	PA	%K	%BB	%LD	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G	RAR
2005	22	BAL	47	21%	4%	33%	0.294	0.250	0.277	0.364	0.114	0.641	0.175	3.5	-0.1
2006	23	BAL	50	6%	14%	28%	0.256	0.256	0.375	0.308	0.052	0.683	0.175	4.6	1.0
2years	---	---	97	13%	9%	30%	0.274	0.253	0.320	0.337	0.084	0.657	0.35	4.0	0.9

Fiorentino repeated AA last season after failing to really find his stroke the year before. And in all honesty, he didn't really do much better, which probably accounts for why Baltimore opted not to promote him to the big leagues even late in the year. He hit for a tad more power, but his walk rate declined, and the resulting drop in his OBP negated the benefits of his improved power. Defensively, he's been very good in a limited sample, with a +5 UZR across just 25 games in left and center fields. Looks to me like the guy needs a season in AAA, at least, before he can help the Reds much with the stick--but he might be ok as a 5th outfielder in a pinch, if just for an option as a defensive replacement.

Jim Brower, 35-year old RHP
Signed to minor league deal on 4 January.

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9		BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G
2005	32	AAA	4.0	2.3	4.5	0.0		0.091	2.25	4.20	0.080	0.214	0.090	0.304	0.6
2006	33	AAA	52.0	7.1	3.6	1.4		0.312	4.67	5.12	0.272	0.358	0.457	0.815	5.8
2007	34	AAA	55.0	8.0	2.5	0.3		0.331	2.45	3.04	0.251	0.327	0.318	0.646	3.5
3years	---	---	111.0	7.4	3.1	0.8		0.314	3.49	4.06	0.256	0.339	0.379	0.718	4.5
Majors
Year	Age	Team	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9	%GB	BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G	RAR
2005	32	SF/ATL	60.3	7.9	4.8	1.6	53.5%	0.343	5.37	5.47	0.403	0.493	0.661	1.154	7.0	-13.7
2006	33	BAL/SD	20.0	6.3	6.3	0.9	46.7%	0.423	12.15	5.90	0.359	0.427	0.538	0.965	9.6	-9.6
2007	34	NYY	3.3	2.7	5.5	0.0	29.4%	0.471	13.50	5.36	0.262	0.342	0.408	0.750	13.9	-3.2
3years	---	---	83.6	7.3	5.2	1.4	49.1%	0.357	7.20	5.61	0.329	0.335	0.511	0.846	7.9	-26.5

The guy the Reds got for an aging Eddie Taubensee has now returned. No longer a starter, Brower really hasn't pitched much over the last few years. And when he has, at least in the majors, he's been dreadful, especially in terms of his walk rates. I don't expect to see him with the Reds next season unless they suffer some severe injury problems.

Jolbert Cabrera, 35-year old RHB IF/OF
Signed to a minor league contract on 4 January

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	PA	%K	%BB		BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G
2007	34	A+/AAA	224	13%	4%		0.290	0.262	0.306	0.401	0.139	0.707	-0.934	3.8

Orlando Cabrera's older brother had played as a highly versatile reserve player through the 2004 season before leaving to play in Japan for two years. Last season, he tried to return to US baseball, but his performance indicated that the always-weak hitter didn't have a lot left in the tank. We might see him in a Pedro Lopez-like role next year, but nothing more.


Andy Green, 30-year old RHB IF/OF
Signed to a minor league contract on 4 January

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	PA	%K	%BB		BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G
2005	27	AAA	609	13%	11%		0.380	0.343	0.422	0.587	0.244	1.009	-1.227	8.9
2006	28	AAA	80	18%	5%		0.283	0.240	0.288	0.320	0.080	0.608	0	3.2
2years	---	---	689	14%	10%		0.368	0.331	0.405	0.554	0.223	0.959	-1.227	8.1
Majors
Year	Age	Team	PA	%K	%BB	%LD	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G	RAR
2005	27	ARI	39	8%	18%	26%	0.241	0.226	0.359	0.258	0.032	0.617	0	3.5	-0.1
2006	28	ARI	102	20%	13%	16%	0.221	0.186	0.293	0.267	0.081	0.560	0.175	2.9	-2.4
2years	---	---	141	16%	14%	18%	0.227	0.197	0.305	0.265	0.068	0.570	0.175	3.1	-2.5

Green played in Japan last season after being released by the Diamondbacks. He had a heck of a season in AAA Tucson, though that may have been helped by both a high BABIP and an outrageous park factor. Even so, it's a little surprising that he hasn't done anything since then--though I can't seem to find his Japan numbers.


Adam Pettyjohn, 30 year old LHP
Signed to a minor league contract on 4 January

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	IP	K/9	BB/9	HR/9		BABIP	ERA	FIP	AVGa	OBPa	SLGa	OPSa	R/G
2006	29	AA/AAA	116.0	6.8	2.7	0.9		0.310	3.80	3.87	0.261	0.322	0.388	0.710	4.3
2007	30	AA/AAA	161.3	7.6	1.9	1.3		0.284	4.07	4.09	0.249	0.289	0.429	0.718	4.4
3years	---	---	277.3	7.3	2.2	1.1		0.295	3.96	4.00	0.254	0.303	0.412	0.714	4.4

Pettyjohn actually broke into the big leagues back in 2001 and threw 65 innings, but apparently suffered some major health problems that cost him his '02 season and derailed his career. He had trouble getting another shot, and had to resort to pitching in the independent leagues in 2005 before getting back into the minor league systems with Seattle. He's no spring chicken, but his numbers the past few seasons look pretty darn strong--even if he lost a k/9 and gained a bb/9 in the majors, he might still be an effective pitcher in the bullpen or even out of the back of the rotation--though certainly he'd fall in behind Cueto and Maloney on the depth charts. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see him in a Reds uniform at some point I'd give him a fair shot at helping the Reds, maybe even as a #5 starter.


Andy Phillips, 30-year old RHB 1B/2B/3B
Signed to a minor league contract on 4 January

Minors
Year	Age	Lvl	PA	%K	%BB		BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G
2005	28	AAA	340	18%	11%		0.313	0.300	0.379	0.573	0.273	0.952	0.35	7.2
2007	30	AAA	283	15%	11%		0.328	0.301	0.382	0.494	0.193	0.876	-0.117	6.6
2years	---	---	623	17%	11%		0.320	0.301	0.380	0.537	0.237	0.918	0.233	6.9
Majors
Year	Age	Team	PA	%K	%BB	%LD	BABIP	AVG	OBP	SLG	ISO	OPS	SBRuns	R/G	RAR
2005	28	NYY	41	32%	2%	26%	0.192	0.150	0.171	0.325	0.175	0.496	0	1.4	-2.9
2006	29	NYY	263	21%	6%	15%	0.281	0.240	0.281	0.394	0.154	0.675	-0.409	3.4	-2.5
2007	30	NYY	207	13%	6%	0%	0.315	0.292	0.338	0.373	0.081	0.711	-1.401	4.1	2.2
3years	---	---	511	19%	5%	18%	0.290	0.253	0.292	0.380	0.127	0.672	-1.81	3.5	-3.2

Phillips arrives with all the hype a former marginal Yankees prospect coming to the midwest might hope for. Nevertheless, his minor league numbers do show impressive power. Nevertheless, that's yet to translate into anything but strikeouts in the big leagues, so any hopes of him being a power source off the bench should be heavily tempered. I've got very limited sample sizes to look at for his fielding, but I have him as an approximately average first baseman over the past two years. If true, he's not likely to help the Reds' infield defense much, as that would put him at about -10 runs/season at second and third. All in all, not a bad pickup given that he's next to free. The Reds will need a right-handed first base option if Jeff Keppinger fails to hit next year, so Phillips would seem to have a shot at getting some playing time.