A day of changes
Another deal from Krivsky retools roster
BY JOHN FAY | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER
<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->
WASHINGTON - The move on the surface doesn't look like much. The Reds acquired outfielder Cody Ross from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named.
But the ripples from the trade are larger than the trade itself:
To make room for Ross, the Reds designated Tony Womack for assignment. The club has 10 days to trade or release Womack. If he's not traded, the club is on the hook for $1.1 million.
With Womack gone, there's no easy move to get Ken Griffey Jr. back on the roster Friday when he's eligible to be activated from the disabled list.
"Yeah, it'll be a tough move," Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky said. "We'll deal with that when Junior's ready to play."
If Griffey's not ready by Friday - but indications are he will - he'll be ready shortly thereafter.
It's says something about owner Bob Castellini's trust of Krivsky that he allowed him to make the move with Womack, knowing it could mean Castellini and his fellow owners will pay Womack all that money not to play.
"We thought Ross was a better fit for the club," Krivsky said. "I'm going to do my best to find a spot for Tony with another club. Hopefully, it will work out; if it doesn't he becomes a free agent."
Womack was one of former GM Dan O'Brien's offseason acquisitions. O'Brien traded two minor leaguers to the New York Yankees to get Womack. The Yankees are paying $900,000 of Womack's salary.
But Womack had become the club's fourth option at second base behind Brandon Phillips, Ryan Freel and Rich Aurilia.
The Reds got Phillips in a trade April 7. Phillips and Ross were both out of options and obtained for a player to be named later.
But don't expect Ross to do what Phillips has, i.e. become a regular.
Ross, 25, has only 28 games total in the big leagues.
The Dodgers acquired Ross just before last season. He spent most of the year with Triple-A Las Vegas.
He hit .267 with 22 home runs, 21 doubles and 63 RBI.
He made a splash this year when he hit a grand slam and a three-run homer in a 13-5 win over Pittsburgh.
"We didn't have anyone at that game," Krivsky said. "We had some scouts ... that liked him."
Ross says he won't overwhelm anyone with his skills.
"I play with heart and effort," he said. "I don't have a lot of tools. I'm just a baseball player."
Reds manager Jerry Narron and Krivsky love players like that.
They had to love him to acquire him. That fact that Ross is out of options is why the Dodgers designated him for assignment.
There's a possibility Ross could be the player to go when Griffey returns, but it would seem unlikely the Reds would do that just a few days after trading for him.
If not Ross, who goes?
There are three possibilities:
The Reds go with 11 pitchers. "Doubtful," Narron said. "But a possibility."
The Reds designate Quinton McCracken, the other extra outfielder. McCracken is the last position player on the depth chart, along with Ross. But McCracken is a switch-hitter with a career average of .280 against right- handers. He's also a proven pinch-hitter (he had 19 pinch-hits for Arizona last year).
The Reds go with two catchers. That doesn't seem likely given all the good things Narron has said about third catcher David Ross.
Of course, the other possibility is the Reds will make another trade.
Krivsky has shown no reluctance to make moves.
Just ask Womack, Allan Simpson, Luke Hudson, Jason Standridge, Wily Mo Peña, Bubba Nelson, Josh Hancock, Tommy Phelps, Frank Menechino and Jacob Cruz.
That's a list of the players who started spring training with the Reds and who are no longer in the organization.
E-mail [email protected]
