The Reds have released 30-year old Chris Burke. Burke played in 66 games in AAA-ball this season and he was 59 of 248 (.238 avg, .674 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 5 homers, 26 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Burke was kind of upset and he’s thinking about quitting baseball. He has played in 477 games in the majors in his career and he is 303 of 1,267 (.239 avg, .674 OPS) with 176 runs scored, 23 homers, 111 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.

40-year old lefty reliever Arthur Rhodes has been simply amazing for the Cincinnati Reds so far this season. He has pitched in 35 games (0 starts) for the Reds this year and he is 2-1 with a 0.28 ERA and a 0.81 WHIP. Rhodes has only given up 15 hits in 32 innings this season while whiffing 30 batters which is pretty darn amazing. Rhodes has now pitched in 101 games (0 starts) in his two years with the Reds and he is 3-2 with a 1.69 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP. It looks as if signing Arthur Rhodes two winters ago was a coup for the Reds.

The Reds have signed 35-year old switch hitting outfielder Gary Matthews to a minor league deal. Matthews played in 36 games for the Mets earlier this season and he was 11 of 58 (.190 avg, .507 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 1 RBI and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 1,281 games in his 12 years in the majors and he is 1,056 of 4,103 (.257 avg, .737 OPS) with 612 runs scored, 108 homers, 484 RBIs and 95 stolen bases. If Matthews has anything left this was a good move for the Reds….and if not they can just cut him loose.

29-year old righty swinging outfielder Jonny Gomes played in 98 games in 2009 with the Reds in which he was 75 of 281 (.267 avg, .879 OPS)with 39 runs scored, 20 homers and 51 RBIs. He had to think he was going to get a semi-decent offer on the free agent market but it never came. He accepted another minor league deal winning a spot on the Reds this spring. He has played in 63 games for the Reds this season and he is 60 of 205 (.293 avg, .858 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 9 homers and 49 RBIs. If Gomes keeps hitting like he is so far this season the Reds won’t be able to play chicken with him over the winter as some team will give him a good contract. Of course, maybe the Reds will do the right thing and sign him to a contract extension with a nice raise before the season is over.

36-year old righty swinging infielder Miguel Cairo has really been a solid player off the bench for the Reds so far this season. He has played in 32 games for the Reds this year and he is 20 of 71 (.282 avg, .728 OPS) with 11 runs scored, 2 homers, 9 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Cairo’s versatility in the field really helps the Reds’ bench and as long as he keeps hitting they will keep giving him a solid number of ABs. He was a longshot to make the team this spring but he played hard and earned a spot to keep his major league career rolling along.