with the idea of a reunion with a former player, one whom they've often spoken
with in recent years since his previous heyday with the club. It's Bronson
Arroyo - because of course - and he'll be 40 years old on Opening Day in 2017,
and a quick jolt to your memory will let you recall he was busy this time just
last year discussing the same exact decision.Only this time, it appears he just
might actually re-sign with the Reds, as SB Nation's Chris Cotillo relayed
yesterday.Reds and Bronson Arroyo are working on a deal and a reunion is
considered "likely" at this point
Max Schrock Jersey,
source tells SBN. Nothing confirmed done.— Chris Cotillo January 30, 2017Arroyo
spent 8 years with the Reds after being plucked from the Boston Red Sox in
exchange for Wily Mo Pena back in March of 2006, and he stuffed the stat sheet
repeatedly in that time. He amassed a 105-94 record in 1690.1 innings, his 4.05
ERA in that span good for a 105 ERA+. He made an All Star team, won a Gold
Glove, received both MVP votes and Cy Young Award votes, and chalked up 21.5
bWAR while with Cincinnati, and even smacked 5 career double-flapped dingers at
the plate.That was ages ago, however, as Arroyo left town following the 2013
season, and a litany of arm injuries since he left town have prevented him from
appearing in a big league game since the 2014 season.If signed, it'll be on a
minor league deal, one that'll include an invite to Spring Training in Goodyear
to hang out with former teammates like Joey Votto, Homer Bailey, and the like.
It will not be a deal that will ask him to anchor the rotation, nor one that
will guarantee him oodles of money. In fact, before you jump to your keyboards
to complain that the Reds will be doting unrealistic expectations on Arroyo
thanks to their inability to evaluate talent, consider this list of fine
fellows:Josh SatinIrving FaluJose MijaresJonathan SanchezTrevor BellTim
CrabbeLee HydeRey NavarroRossmel PerezChien-Ming WangThat's just a sample of the
lengthy list of players who the Reds have signed to minor league deals and
invited to Spring Training since Arroyo's final game with Cincinnati in 2013, an
example of how these types of deals rarely include any assurances. If you dig
back to Arroyo's previous 8-year tenure with the Reds, you'll find that the
likes of Ryne Reynoso, Daryl Jones, Sean Gallagher, and Clay Hensley all also
received similar contracts and invites, and I'd bet a buffalo nickel you don't
remember them to any effect now
Joey Votto Jersey,
either. Look, there are plenty of mounds at the team complex in Goodyear, and
once pitchers and catchers report there will be ample baseballs to throw around,
regardless. Signing Arroyo to see what he's got, to hear what he can say
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to have the notorious workout freak in the clubhouse is a no-risk move that is
only making headlines due to his previous career experience. It's a move in the
vein of last year's Dan Straily acquisition, of the previous year's Jason
Marquis move, and will be done with so little financial risk that if we don't
see Arroyo ever make the big league roster we'll be forgetting this ever
happened almost immediately.Still, get your cornrows ready, just in case.
The Wall