The Reds have signed 28-year old lefty starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis to a minor league deal. Willis pitched in 15 games (13 starts) for the Tigers & D-Backs last season and he was 2-3 with a 5.62 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. He has now pitched in 192 games (189 starts) in his 8 years in the majors and he is 71-63 with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. I never hurts to give a guy like Dontrelle Willis a shot because he was once one of the better pitchers in the N.L. when he pitched for the Marlins, not so long ago.

33-year old righty starting pitcher Bronson Arroyo finished in a tie for 12th in the voting for the N.L. Cy Young Award voting with Matt Cain of the Giants. Arroyo started 33 games for the Reds last season and he was 17-10 with a 3.88 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He has now pitched in 295 games (259 starts) in his 11 years in the majors and he is 103-93 with 1 save, a 4.19 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP. Arroyo is a workhorse pitcher at the top of the Reds’ rotation and as the team continues to get better so will his record because he pitches deep into games.

Dusty Baker finished 2nd to Bud Black of the Padres in the voting for the N.L. Manager of the Year Award, losing by only 1 point. Baker led the Reds to a 91-71 (56.2%) record during the regular season but they got swept by the Phillies in the first round of the playoffs. For some reason the Reds looked like the bad version of the Bad News Bears against the Phillies. Baker has now been a manager in the majors for 17 seasons and he has compiled a 1,405-1,284 (52.2%) record during the regular season and he is 17-22 (43.6%) in the post season. Baker did a great job of leading the Reds to a N.L. Central Championship last season but his work will be cut out for him to repeat that feat.

The Reds have re-signed 34-year old righty swinging catcher Ramon Hernandez to a 1-year deal worth around $3 million bucks. Hernandez played in 97 games for the Reds last season and he was 93 of 313 (.297 avg, .792 OPS) with 30 runs scored, 7 homers and 48 RBIs. He has now played in 178 games in two years with the Reds and he is 167 of 600 (.278 avg, .747 OPS) with 55 runs scored, 12 homers and 85 RBIs. This was a smart move for the Reds as Hernandez and Ryan Hanigan have done a great job with the young pitchers of the Reds.

30-year old lefty swinging outfielder Laynce Nix has rejected a minor league assignment from the Reds thus becoming a free agent. Nix played in 97 games for the Reds last season and he was 48 of 165 (.291 avg, .805 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 4 homers and 18 RBIs. He played in 213 games in two years with the Reds and he was 122 of 474 (.257 avg, .780 OPS) with 58 runs scored, 19 homers and 64 RBIs. The Reds have some younger outfielders on the way and they will likely give them the at bats that went to Nix the last couple of seasons.