DECEMBER 2, 2014 CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

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1 CINCINNATI REDS PRESS CLIPPINGS DECEMBER 2, 2014 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY: DECEMBER 2, 1948 RHP WAYNE SIMPSON WAS BORN IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. SIMPSON WAS DRAFTED EIGHTH OVERALL BY THE REDS IN THE 1967 AMATEUR DRAFT. HE PLAYED THREE SEASONS IN CINCINNATI ( ) AND WAS AN ALL-STAR IN CINCINNATI ENQUIRER Cespedes-to-Reds rumors swirling John Fay Yoenis Cespedes was the hot name on the rumor mill in Redsland over the holiday weekend. My buddy Bobby's barber (say that three times fast) thinks the Reds should trade Mat Latos for Cespedes. A Twitter rumor had just such a trade complete. As it was related to me, a a Reds clubhouse kid had it as a "done deal." I don't think the Reds have made up any Cespedes jerseys, but they seem to be a match for the Red Sox. The Red Sox plan to play newly signed Hanley Ramirez in left. Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote this: John Farrell spoke to Cespedes last week about possibly playing right or center field, and Cespedes signed off on doing what's best for the team. Does this mean he won't be traded? So much depends on the Sox getting Jon Lester. If they do, they can concentrate on getting a No. 2 or No. 3 starter, such as Mat Latos or Mike Leake from Cincinnati. The Reds would have a need for Cespedes's bat, but they would also probably have a need for shortstop Deven Marrero. Johnny Cueto? It would take Cespedes and maybe two top prospects to land him. Awfully tempting. Again, I don't see the Reds trading Cueto. Marrero is a 24-year-old shortstop. He hit a combined.258 with six home runs and 59 RBI in Double-A and Triple-A this year. I don't see the Reds moving a starter for him. If the Reds could move Leake for Cespedes, I think they'd have to do it. Latos? That's not a slam dunk. If Latos is healthy -- as he was in 2012 and '13 -- he gives you a legitimate No. 2 starter. If you go by WAR (wins above replacement), he was more valuable than Cespedes both of the years. Latos had a 4.1 WAR in '12 and a 3.8 WAR in '13. Cespedes' WAR was 3.4 and 1.7 those two years. The Red Sox probably don't trade for Latos unless they are sure he's healthy. He had elbow and knee surgery and was shut down at the end of the year by a bone bruise. Cespedes would definitely be an upgrade in left field. He hit.260/.301/.450 last year. The Reds' left fielders hit.233/.288/.339. But I don't see Cespedes as the ideal upgrade because of the.301 and.294 on-base the last two years. But his power would play well at Great American. Allen Craig of the Red Sox could be available as well. But he's pricey ($25.5 million over the next three years) and his numbers plummeted last year. His slash line went from.315/.373/.457 in '13 to.215/.279/.315 in '14. TENDER TIME: Tomorrow is the day teams must tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players. In the Reds' case, that's nine players: Latos, Leake, Alfredo Simon, Chris Heisey, Logan Ondrusek, Aroldis Chapman, Zack Cozart, Todd Frazier and Devin Mesoraco.

2 The only non-tender possibilities are Heisey and Ondrusek. I think the Reds will tender Heisey a contract. He's a good extra outfielder -- solid defensively, good speed and good pinch-hit pop. My guess is if Ondrusek's back, it will be on a minor-league deal. Tom Browning rejoins Dayton Dragons David Clark The Reds announced that Tom Browning is rejoining the Dayton Dragons as the team's pitching coach, a role he held in It will mark Browning's ninth year as a pitching coach in the Reds' organization, according to a release sent by the team. Jose Nieves will return to the Dragons for his third season as manager. Luis Bolivar returns for his second year as the Dragons' hitting coach. The Reds also officially named Delino DeShields the manager of the Louisville Bats for the 2015 season, as previously reported by C. Trent Rosecrans. DeShields has spent the past two seasons managing the Reds' Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos. DeShields replaces Jim Riggleman, who recently was named the Reds' third-base coach. The 2015 Daytona baseball staff also was announced on Monday. More from a release from Daytona Baseball: Related: High-A Daytona team to reveal name, logos Daytona Baseball, in conjunction with the Cincinnati Reds, announced today that Eli Marrero was named field manager of the 2015 Cincinnati Reds Advanced-A affiliate in Daytona Beach. Marrero's staff includes Pitching Coach Tony Fossas, Hitting Coach Kevin Mahar and Trainer Kyle Utne. Marrero (41) will embark on his fifth season within Reds organization. The Havana, Cuba native most recently served as manager of the AZL Reds in 2013 and 2014, and was the hitting coach for both Advanced-A Bakersfield in 2012 and short-season Billings in Marrero's Major League playing career spanned 10 years with six different teams. Selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the third round of the 1993 draft, Marrero made his big league debut on September 3, 1997 with the Cardinals. The catcher/outfielder also played for the Atlanta Braves ('04), Kansas City Royals ('05), Baltimore Orioles ('05), Colorado Rockies ('06), and New York Mets ('06). Marrero attended Coral Gables High School in Florida. Fossas (56) will join Daytona's staff after spending six seasons as pitching for the A-Dayton Dragons ('09-'11, '13-'14) and shortseason Billings Mustangs ('12). In 2011 with the Dragons, Fossas oversaw a pitching staff that broke the all-time Midwest League record for strikeouts in a season, and broke the franchise record for best ERA while leading the league in ERA, strikeouts, shutouts, and fewest runs allowed. Fossas enjoyed a 21-year professional playing career and pitched in the Major Leagues for all or parts of 12 seasons with the Red Sox, Cardinals, Rangers, Brewers, Mariners, Cubs, and Yankees. Despite not reaching the Major Leagues until the age of 30, Fossas pitched in 567 big league games from 1988 until He was originally signed as a 12th round pick of the Texas Rangers in Known as one of baseball's best situational left-handed relievers, Fossas finished third in the American League in games pitched in 1993 with 71 appearances out of the Boston Red Sox bullpen. Mahar (33) begins his third season within the Reds organization after spending the first two as hitting coach for the short-season Billings Mustangs ('13-'14). The Pontiac, Michigan native played professional baseball from with the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies. Mahar made his Major League debut in 2007 with the Rangers and played in seven big league games. The former outfielder played college ball at Indiana University. Utne has served as athletic trainer within the Reds & Cubs systems, and at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. Utne grew up in Hoffman Estates, IL in the greater Chicago area. The Reds also announced Pat Kelly will be the new manager for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. Kelly managed the Bakersfield Blaze, the former Class-A Advanced affiliate for the Reds (replaced by Daytona), in Alex Pelaez will return as the Blue Wahoos' hitting coach, and Jeff Fassero will be back as the team's pitching coach.

3 MLB.COM For Reds, non-tender decisions sit at two Outfielder Heisey, reliever Ondrusek candidates with deadline on horizon By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com CINCINNATI -- The landscape of the free-agent market could be altered come Tuesday night with the arrival of the non-tender deadline. Players deemed too pricey to keep for their roles on one club could become the next bargain for another. Teams have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Tuesday to tender 2015 contracts to all of their unsigned players. A player who is non-tendered is released from their club and becomes a free agent able to sign with any of the 30 Major League clubs. Among the Reds, the only two candidates for being non-tendered are outfielder Chris Heisey and reliever Logan Ondrusek. Heisey who has long been well-liked in the organization for his off-the-bench pop offensively and his outfield versatility defensively. He avoided arbitration and earned $1.76 million in A fourth outfielder since reaching the Majors in 2010, there have been opportunities for Heisey, who will turn 30 on Dec. 14, to seize control of the regular left fielder's job the past two seasons. But he's been unable to grab it. In 119 games last season, Heisey batted.222/.265/.378 with eight home runs and 22 RBIs. His wins-above-replacement number (WAR) was 0.9. His four pinch-hit homers led the Majors, however, and his 10 career pinch-hit homers are three shy of the team record. His best season was 2011, when he hit 18 homers with 50 RBIs in 120 games. While the Reds are looking for a new regular left fielder, they currently have other outfielders on the roster that include Skip Schumaker, Donald Lutz and Jason Bourgeois. Ondrusek has struggled the past two seasons after he received a two-year contract worth $2.3 million that covered his first two years of arbitration eligibility. He was 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 40 appearances in Over 41 innings, he allowed 50 hits and 16 walks while striking out 42. Of Ondrusek's 40 first batters faced, 24 were retired, and he let nine of his 25 inherited runners score. The Reds are looking to upgrade in their bullpen after the group endured a down year in which it finished 14th out of 15 National League clubs in ERA. Cincinnati has nine players eligible for raises via arbitration. They are: closer Aroldis Chapman (second year); shortstop Zack Cozart (first year); third baseman Todd Frazier (first year); Heisey (third year); starting pitcher Mat Latos (third year); starting pitcher Mike Leake (third year); catcher Devin Mesoraco (first year); Ondrusek (second year); and starting pitcher Alfredo Simon (third year). DeShields to manage Triple-A Louisville By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com CINCINNATI -- The Reds completed some coaching-staff moves on Monday, which included the naming of Delino DeShields as the manager at Triple-A Louisville. DeShields, who managed Double-A Pensacola last season, replaced Jim Riggleman after he was promoted to be the Reds' third-base coach. Pitching coach Ted Power and hitting coach Tony Jaramillo are returning to Louisville as well. Since joining the Reds' player development staff in 2009 as a hitting coach at Rookie-level Billings, the 45-year-old DeShields has moved steadily up the organization. He managed at Billings in 2010 before managing at Class A Dayton in and at Pensacola in DeShields, a first-round pick by the Expos in the 1987 First-Year Player Draft, played 12 seasons as an infielder in the Majors from with the Expos, Dodgers, Cardinals, Orioles and Cubs.

4 At Pensacola, veteran Minor League skipper Pat Kelly was named as DeShields' replacement as manager. Kelly, 59, managed last season at high Class A Advanced Bakersfield and has served the organization since 2006 at a variety of levels. Alex Pelaez and Jeff Fassero will return as the team's hitting coach and pitching coach, respectively. At the Reds' new Class A Advanced affiliate in Daytona, Eli Marrero was named manager, with Tony Fossas as pitching coach and Kevin Mahar as the hitting coach. In his fifth season with the Reds organization, the 41-year-old Marrero was manager of the AZL Reds in , and he was the hitting coach for both Bakersfield in 2012 and Billings in '11. A former catcher, he played 10 years in the big leagues with six clubs. Daytona, previously a Cubs affiliate, will announce its new team name and logo on Thursday. It was also announced that Jose Nieves will be back for his third season as manager at Dayton. Luis Bolivar is also returning for his second year as the Dragons' hitting coach, and former Reds pitcher Tom Browning has rejoined the affiliate as pitching coach after he served in that role for Dayton in Browning was at Billings in 2013 and Bakersfield in '14. FOXSPORTSOHIO.COM Reds, Indians face Tuesday deadline for tendering arbitration-eligible players Joe Reedy FOX Sports Ohio Tuesday marks the deadline for teams to offer contracts to players eligible for arbitration next season. For the Indians, there shouldn't be any drama but for the Reds there could be a couple of interesting decisions. The Reds have nine players eligible for arbitration while the Indians have five. Cincinnati has the more interesting names coming up again for arbitration including pitchers Mat Latos, Aroldis Chapman and Mike Leake, third baseman Todd Frazier and catcher Devin Mesoraco. However when it comes to Chris Heisey and Logan Ondrusek, it is not a given that they will be tendered. Heisey has been unable to nail down the starting spot in left field and batted just.222 with eight home runs and 22 RBI in 122 games last year. He does offer some versatility off the bench but the Reds have a logjam of outfielders, especially in left. In 40 appearances, Ondrusek was 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA. According to STATS LLC, the right-hander let 36 percent of his inherited runs score (9 of 25), which was second most on the team last season. Of the five on Cleveland, the only one that might bring up some discussions is Josh Tomlin. But with his value as a starter in case of injury and in the bullpen, he should be tendered. Any players non-tendered become free agents and are eligible to sign with any team. Here is a look at the players for both teams that need to be tendered along with the MLB Trade Rumors estimate of what they will make if it reaches arbitration. Up until last year the Indians did not have a case reach arbitration since 1991: INDIANS First year: P Carlos Carrasco ($1.4 million), 3B Lonnie Chisenhall ($2.2 million), P Bryan Shaw ($1.5 million) Second year: P Mark Rzepczynski ($1.9 million), P Josh Tomlin ($1.7 million) REDS First year: IF Zack Cozart ($2.3 million), 3B Todd Frazier ($4.6 million), C Devin Mesoraco ($2.8 million) Second year: P Aroldis Chapman ($8.3 million), P Logan Ondrusek ($2.3 million) Third year: OF Chris Heisey ($2.2 million), P Mat Latos ($8.4 million), P Mike Leake ($9.5 million), P Alfredo Simon ($5.1 million)

5 TRANSACTIONS 12/01/14 Tampa Bay Rays traded 2B Sean Rodriguez to Pittsburgh Pirates for Player To Be Named Later and cash. Pittsburgh Pirates designated 1B Gaby Sanchez for assignment. Los Angeles Dodgers sent Jarret Martin outright to Oklahoma City RedHawks. Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent CF Gorkys Hernandez to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Pittsburgh Pirates signed free agent 3B Deibinson Romero to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.