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Home , Aroldis Chapman, Barret Loux, David Weathers, Dioner Navarro, Dusty Baker, Lars Anderson (baseball)

MLB.COM

Reds sign free agents Parra, Olivo Reliever could bolster lefty presence in ‘pen; brings depth to camp February 1, 2013, 9:57 PM ET

By Mark Sheldon

CINCINNATI -- The Reds on Friday added some depth to their and behind the plate by signing two free agents. Lefty was signed to a one-year contract worth a reported $1 million, with a chance to earn an additional $400,000 in appearance bonuses.

Earlier in the day, the club signed catcher Miguel Olivo to a Minor League contract with an invite to big league as a non-roster player. To make room for Parra on the 40-man roster, right-handed Todd Redmond was designated for assignment.

Parra, 30, spent his entire pro career in the Brewers organization, including five seasons in the Majors. He was thrilled to be joining a former Central rival.

"I was excited, especially when I heard they were interested," Parra told MLB.com. "I'm excited to have an opportunity with a team that's doing so well. I always had a ton of respect when playing against them and now I am looking forward to playing for them."

Originally a prized young who once threw a in Triple-A, Parra didn't develop into the Milwaukee hoped for. He was to be moved to the bullpen in 2011 but missed the entire season with a sprained elbow ligament and back issues.

In 2012, Parra was 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA in a career-high 62 appearances while earning $1.2 million. He was arbitration-eligible this winter and the Brewers did not tender him a contract, which made him a free agent.

"For missing all of 2011, I was happy with how I handled it," Parra said of being in the bullpen. "I'm looking to build on that."

Earlier in the winter, Reds general indicated he would keep an eye on the market for a left-handed reliever. With just under two weeks left until Spring Training camps open, prices are likely falling for free agents.

After they moved to the rotation this offseason, the Reds had only from the left side in their bullpen heading into 2013. If Parra is successful, he would make the Majors' best bullpen last season even stronger. Lefty hitters batted .229 against Parra last season.

Parra said he and the Reds have discussed philosophies and how he might be used but wanted to meet face-to-face with pitching coach . A resident of nearby Scottsdale, Ariz., Parra expected to arrive early at Reds camp in Goodyear on Monday.

"We've discussed but I'd like to hear Bryan say it," Parra said. "I can go multiple innings if needed and face guys on both sides of the plate. I've always done it. But I won't concern myself with the role. I just want to get out there pitching and see what happens."

Besides having two separate tours with the Mariners, the 34-year-old Olivo has also played for the White Sox, Padres, Marlins, Rockies and Royals. His last two seasons were spent in Seattle, where he batted .222 with 12 home runs and 29 RBIs in 87 games during 2012.

Lifetime, Olivo is a .241 hitter with a .275 on-base percentage.

Cincinnati enters camp with veteran as the primary catcher and backing up. The team expects to have 28 report on Feb. 12, and they will all need someone to throw to behind the plate. Olivo's addition will give the Reds six in camp.

Desert bound: Reds truck loaded for spring camp Club packs 25,000-30,000 pounds of equipment, scheduled to depart Monday February 1, 2013, 2:47 PM ET

By Mark Sheldon

CINCINNATI -- The loading dock at on Friday resembled an aisle from your average Costco wholesale store. Lots of boxes and supplies were stacked high and ready to move in bulk.

A 53-foot tractor-trailer truck was backed up to receive these goods for the annual pack-up for Reds Spring Training in Goodyear, Ariz.

If a Reds player needs something during camp, there's an excellent chance that clubhouse manager Rick Stowe will have it. After all, it likely went on to the truck headed west.

"We've got a skid of bats," Stowe said as he unveiled a list that totaled three pages. "We've got duffel bags. We've got all of the players' stuff. We have a skid of Nike and Majestic short-sleeved and long-sleeved shirts. We have underwear and jock straps. That's all on one skid. We have towels. We have a skid of white and gray pants.

"We have everything from shoe stretchers, hat stretchers and our press to make uniforms, to Gapper's outfit here."

You need ? What kind? Stowe packed 40 cases of balls already rubbed down with mud and another 100 cases of pristine, white practice balls. There are 72 balls per case, according to Stowe.

How about bats? Sixty dozen are going to Goodyear. Helmets? There are 11 helmet bags packed with 32 helmets inside each bag.

All totaled, there will be an estimated 25,000-30,000 pounds of stuff packed on to the truck that is scheduled to depart Cincinnati on Monday. The journey from Cincinnati to Goodyear is 1,863 miles.

Besides baseball equipment, the clubhouse staff used forklifts and push carts to pack up the usual assortment of luggage, golf clubs, office supplies, Gatorade and food. The medical staff includes its supplies, while the scoreboard department also sends out cameras and multimedia equipment for shoots that take place during camp.

The truck must leave six days earlier than last year because the has pushed up Spring Training report dates. Reds pitchers and catchers are due to report on Feb. 12, with the full squad arriving on Feb. 15.

This is the fourth year that the Reds have been holding Spring Training in Arizona after decades in Florida. The club was in Sarasota from 1998-2009.

"It's so much easier," Stowe said. "Every year, it gets easier and easier out there. I actually get most of my stuff shipped out there or we leave it out there -- stuff we used to have to send to Sarasota. We have the facility out there to do it. We didn't have the facility in Sarasota. There was no storage or places to leave it secured."

It's hard to believe with all of the volume of boxes and bags that it only takes Stowe and his staff about 45 minutes to load up the truck.

"It used to take days to do when we were in Florida," Stowe said.

Reds have work to do with four arbitration cases With three signed, Bailey, Latos, Leake and Choo remain as hearings approach February 1, 2013, 1:27 PM ET

By Mark Sheldon

CINCINNATI -- Three down, four to go. That's where the Reds stand in their efforts to clear the deck of arbitration cases before hearings begin.

Reliever Logan Ondrusek signed a two-year contract on Jan. 17, while and reliever Alfredo Simon inked one-year deals on Thursday.

That leaves starting pitchers , and and outfielder Shin-Soo Choo still to be signed. Going to a hearing remains a large possibility.

"I'm not any more optimistic, really, today," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said on Friday. "We haven't made a lot of progress."

Arbitration hearings league-wide begin on Monday and through Feb. 20. The Reds were not revealing their specific scheduled hearing dates.

"We still have a couple of weeks," Jocketty said.

When numbers were exchanged earlier this month, the biggest gaps were with Choo and Bailey.

Choo filed for $8 million, and the club countered at $6.75 million for a difference of $1.25 million. Bailey filed at $5.8 million, while the club offered $4.75 million -- a difference of $1.05 million. He avoided arbitration last winter by signing a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

Latos filed for $4.7 million, while the club's offer was $4.15 million -- a separation of $550,000.

The Reds discussed multi-year deals with Bailey and Latos but haven't gotten very far as of yet.

If the cases go to a hearing, the arbitrator's rulings are binding, as the player is automatically signed to a one-year contract at the ruled amount. Negotiations can and will continue right up to the last minute, if needed.

The Reds have not faced an arbitration hearing with one of their players since winning against reliever Chris Reitsma in 2004.

Reds assessing options to bring back Rolen General manager Jocketty hopes to find answer as early as ‘this weekend’ February 1, 2013, 12:56 PM ET

By Mark Sheldon

CINCINNATI -- The Reds are still exploring the notion of bringing back veteran for one more season. To make that a reality, there appears to be more to do than crossing the T's and dotting some I's.

"We don't know for sure," general manager Walt Jocketty said Friday of Rolen's status. "It's still up in the air."

Rolen, who turns 38 on April 4, became a free agent after last season and has spent the offseason contemplating retirement.

"I hope to get it resolved this weekend," Jocketty said. "I've been busy this week dealing with the arbitration guys."

If Rolen was to return, it's highly unlikely he'll earn anywhere near the $6.5 million he made in 2012 while batting .245 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs in 92 games.

The biggest question surrounding Rolen's potential return is where he would fit. The Reds' roster appears to be full. is going to be the new regular third baseman, and the club also signed free agent Jack Hannahan as a backup third baseman and infielder. Rolen, a seven-time All-Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner, has never played a position other than third base in his 17 seasons.

"It's a role we'll have to determine for him during Spring Training," Jocketty said.

Rolen missed 34 games with a left shoulder injury last season and several more with back issues. He was limited to 65 games in 2011, when his year was hampered because of left shoulder surgery.

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

PED questions follow Grandal February 1, 2013, 11:31 AM ET

By John Fay

“They traded the wrong catcher.”

I can’t tell you how many times I heard that last season. Based on the 2012, it was hard to argue. .297/.394/.469 in 192 at-bats for the Padres. Devin Mesoraco hit .212/.289/.352 in 185 at-bats for the Reds.

Grandal went to Padres in the Mat Latos deal. Presumably, the Reds could have traded Mesoraco instead.

But then came the news that Grandal had been suspended for evaluated levels of testosterone. He’ll serve the 50 games at the start of this season. Grandal was further implicated as a PED user in the report by the Miami New Times.

There’s a chance that PEDs helped Grandal’s numbers somewhat in 2012.

But the larger question about the PED guys is this: Did they become the player they are because of PEDs?

Grandal went from a 27th round pick in 2007 to the 12th overall pick in 2010. Was because of natural maturity and three years of college baseball at Miami of Florida or was it because of a chemical boost?

Grandal didn’t add a tremendous amount of weight at Miami. He was listed as 6-foot-2, 210 pounds out of high school. He was listed as 6-2, 215 pounds when the Reds drafted him.

But PEDs do more than bulk a player. Going from 15 percent body fat to 7 percent gives an athlete a huge edge. PEDs also help with recovery — that’s a big factor in baseball.

Bottom line is the jury still out on who the Reds should have traded. You can’t make a conclusion after fewer than 200 at-bats. And you can’t make conclusions about PED guys until they put up the numbers when they’re clean. Grandal will have to do that when he returns.

Erardi: Aroldis Chapman doesn’t need to close February 1, 2013, 5:38 PM ET

By John Erardi

Jeff Brantley is one of the few, maybe the only, past or present Reds player who has spoken out on the record in favor of transitioning Aroldis Chapman to the starting rotation.

He believes, as does Reds pitching coach Bryan Price and most of the Reds brain trust, that Chapman's greatest value is as a starter, because by next year he will be able to pitch three times as many innings as he can as , and even this year will be able to pitch twice as many.

To Brantley's credit, he is putting himself out there. Nobody is going to forget which side of this debate he is/was on. As a TV announcer, and especially as a Reds radio announcer, his opinions cover 38 states and the 93 stations of the Reds Radio Network.

Anybody on Brantley's side of the debate is going to need a thick skin and an adherence to reason, rather than emotion, to get through the Grand Experiment.

Because there is one thing you can almost guarantee:

Chapman isn't going to dominate as a starter as quickly and - for stretches - as consistently as he did as a closer.

Realistically, the best you can probably hope for out of Chapman this season is that he pitches like a decent fifth starter. That should be your expectation of him, with the hope that he "has it together" by season's end and can be elevated into the postseason rotation (which is usually four pitchers, and sometimes only three).

He's a two-pitch pitcher, give that last season tracked that Chapman threw 81 percent . (Wouldn't you?) Hitters batted .132 against Chapman's . He threw his 12 percent of the time, and hitters did even worse off that (.091). He threw his 6 percent of the time, a pitch he's going to have to improve to be effective as a starter; last year, hitters batted .364 off Chapman's changeup.

Chapman isn't Dwight "Doc" Gooden, who came up to the Mets in 1984 as a 19-year-old with a 98 mile-per-hour fastball, a sweeping ("Lord Charles") and a career act that included only starting.

Come April (actually, it's already begun), the talk shows and the banana phone and the radio and TV booths and twitter-verse and every other form of social media and water-cooler and barroom and yes, even the nursing homes where reside the best and most tuned-in Reds fans are going to be full of the I-told-you-so'ers whenever Chapman (or the Reds closer du jour) struggle.

Get ready, because the Reds brass and pitching coach Bryan Price and and every other Reds fan who has staked out a position in favor of returning Chapman to the starting ranks is going to come under fire.

And we mean come under fire "big-time," to use the favorite phrase of Reds manager , who along with and and DatDude and seemingly every other Red, past and present, has voiced support for keeping Chapman in the closer's role.

He's "comfortable" there. He's shown he can "do it," that is, dominate. If it ain't broke, why fix it?

Yes, get ready, because we're going to hear it all again, especially when the bumps in the road begin.

By bumps, we mean losses, of which there are going to be some.

In his first four big league seasons (1988-91) with San Francisco, Jeff Brantley made only two starts among his 190 appearances.

He was a reliever through and through.

Then, in 1992 he made four starts and in 1993, 12 starts.

He learned how difficult that job can be in the big leagues.

The Reds acquired Brantley before the 1994 season, put him back in the bullpen, and he rattled off a three-season stretch of 15, 28 and 44 saves, pitching exclusively in relief.

And, yet, he still favors returning Chapman to the starting ranks.

"Being a good starter in the big leagues is to me the toughest thing (in pitching) you can do," Brantley said. "I'm not talking about being a four-inning starter. I'm saying, 'When you get to the fifth and sixth innings, it's difficult.'

"It's the third time through the order. But I think that's the point at which Aroldis will shine. Because he has two gears. Most of the guys who work out of the bullpen have one. But Aroldis has 96 and 97 (miles per hour), and he also has 100 and 102 ... It took (the ) a long time to learn that. Aroldis already knows it."

The Enquirer caught up with Brantley last Saturday (Jan. 26) when one leg of the three-bus Reds caravan came through Cincinnati do a question-and-answer session for fans who were at Great American Ball Park for a Select-a-Seat event.

"I saw it last year in spring training," continued Brantley, noting that Chapman was showing and commanding three pitches last March as a starter.

Chapman had come up through the ranks in as a starter, albeit one with control problems, including his role with the Cuban national team.

"When Aroldis was put in the bullpen," Brantley said, "it affected his secondary pitches – his and split- finger/changeup, whatever you want to call it – and he came out throwing as hard as he could. That happened because of his makeup and big-league experience. But I'm telling you, he's got the stuff of a starter.

"In spring training, he was able to repeat his windup and repeat his pitches. Show me that, and I'll show you a starter. He's on cruise control at 95 (miles per hour). How many guys can you say that about?"

In other words, Chapman is a two-gear pitcher in a world full of one-gearers.

Brantley believes it gives Chapman a big leg-up in the Grand Experiment.

Prediction: The panic is going to begin with Chapman's first bad (or even mediocre) start. The only way The Great Experiment doesn't dominate the narrative of early 2013 is if the Reds go 11-0 to start the season. Then a couple bad starts might be tolerated. Might be.

I even thought about writing this entire article with that as my premise: Here is what the "Chapman Starts" tweets will look like. I figure it would be a good way to time.

Here's two for sure I can guarantee:

• "OMG, who's gonna close - they can't possibly be as good as Chapman!"

• "He's going to get hurt!"

But neither one of observations represent an additional risk.

There's no guarantee that Chapman in 2013 was going to be as good as Chapman in 2012, had he remained in the pen. And pitchers can get hurt no matter where they're pitching - bullpen or starting.

I believe the Reds will do all they can to protect their investment, which was always intended to be Chapman as a starter.

Everybody knows this Reds season is going to be a failure if the team doesn't make it at least to the second round of the playoffs.

By transitioning Chapman back to the starting ranks, Reds general manager Walt Jocketty is making a move that will help improve the odds of that. If the Reds miss the playoffs, I'm sure they will have suffered with bigger issues than whether Chapman was effective as a starter.

Here's something that may ease your mind into accepting that the Reds may actually be OK if Chapman doesn't close:

In most save situations, nearly everyone is automatic. Sounds strange, but it's true. It's what the numbers show.

Over the course of a season, closers are overrated, basically every one of them, including . In the postseason, yes, you want a dominating back end of the bullpen. pitchers are a good determiner of postseason success.

So, if by the end of the regular season, if Chapman hasn't shown himself sharp enough to be given a spot in the postseason starting rotation, put him back in the bullpen.

Remember hard-throwing lefthander of the 1990 Nasty Boys?

He'd been a starter for four seasons in the minors, made 10 starts for the Reds in 1988 and was then moved to the bullpen in 1989, making 69 appearances (2.93 ERA in 95 1/3 innings). He stayed in the bullpen through April, May and June. On June 27, with the Reds rotation a starter short, manager asked Charlton if he could help out.

"Sure," said the tough Texan.

In 16 starts in 1990, Charlton went 6-5 with a 2.60 ERA - and was 6-4, 3.02 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen - for a total of 154 1/3 innings.

And guess where Charlton pitched in the postseason? Correct. The bullpen.

In the '90 postseason, Charlton, and closer - the Nasty Boys - combined for 23 1/3 innings, giving up only 10 hits, one earned run and striking out 27, as the Reds won the World Championship.

Think the Reds would take that in 2013?

You're darned straight.

On Thursday, Jan. 31, in a fine piece by ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick, an "talent evaluator" said this:

"It's going to be fascinating to watch, but I think they're absolutely crazy doing what they're doing. They just won 97 games, and I don't think you mess with that. How many innings are you going to get out of (Chapman) this year - 130 or 140? They need to close out the games they're supposed to win, and it was damn near automatic when he came in the game. I would never even think about it, let alone try it."

To which I say:

It depends on what you are trying to win, Mr. AL talent evaluator.

If you're trying to get to the playoffs, maybe you have Aroldis close, although I would argue using Chapman as a starter is also the best way to reach the postseason. I like my best arms getting the most innings.

If you're trying to win the whole enchildada, you definitely want him starting, especially if you think there's a good chance he'll have it together enough to vie for a spot in the postseason rotation. You manage his innings in April and May (yes, maybe even use him as a middleman in April and May) so that he's standing on the mound for the national anthem in the National League Divisional Series, and hopefully - for Reds fans' sake - the NL Championship Series and .

Last year in the NLDS, he was a mostly a non-factor, a missile on the launching pad that never got launched.

If the Reds are going to have Chapman begin the season in the bullpen in a middle-man role - in order to "save" his innings while also keeping him "stretched out" - here is how I submit they should consider doing it.

Make a point to pitch him in the sixth or seventh innings in close games with the game on the line, when key outs are needed and hopefully he'll get to to pitch more than an inning at a time.

Here's why: The percentage of games won today by teams leading after the eighth inning is 85 percent - same as it was before closers came into vogue. A two-run lead is 94 percent; three-run lead 96 percent.

Let close. He can do it.

Hard as it is for conventional wisdom to get its head around this, here's the fact. There are much better ways to make use of Chapman's arm than closing.

The biggest myth in baseball is the need for a closer.

We're not saying a less than dominating closer isn't hard to watch.

What we are saying is this: There is little, if any, rational support for using a pitcher as a closer if he may be able to start.

A dominating closer may "slam the door," while a less than dominating closer (David Weathers, Danny Graves at the end of his career etc.) may give fans and the manager heart palpitations.

But they all convert save opportunities at about the same rate: 85 percent with a one-run lead after eight innings.

Baseball Prospectus projects that teams could gain as much as four extra wins a year by focusing on bringing their ace into the game earlier in more critical situations with runners on base instead of holding them out to accumulate easier ninth inning saves.

True, there may be a strut or a swagger or an inner confidence that comes with having a shutdown closer.

But that's all it is - psychological. It is not supported in fact.

Get over your hangup that Chapman needs to close.

Here are a few other things to consider:

• Chapman has faced 534 batters in his MLB career to date. Homer Bailey hit that mark in July 2009.

• passed "534 batters faced" in his 20th career start ... in 2008.

Get my drift? Chapman needs to be given a shot at starting. That's where the impact - and the growth - is.

The other thing I would say is that if you think the status quo is a such a great idea, I give you 1991 and 2011.

I'll never forget Lou Piniella telling me at the 20th anniversary reunion of the 1990 World Championship: "We never should have stood pat after the '90 season. We could have won again."

Know this: 2012 Reds really weren't a "true" 97-win team. They were a 91-win team, based on their runs allowed/runs scored differential. In other words, the 2013 Reds aren't as good as you think.

And even if the Reds were a legitimate 97-win team, you as a Reds fan should want them to continue to try to improve. Baseball history is littered with the wrecks of teams that stood pat because they thought they were good enough. Ask the Phillies how that "we can stand pat because we have such a great rotation" thing worked out last year.

Given that the Reds season is a failure unless they are playing in the NLCS, Jocketty is making a move with Chapman that will help improve the odds of that. If the Reds miss the playoffs, it will likely be because they will have suffered with bigger issues than whether Chapman was effective as a starter.

True, there are success stories and failures in past experiments with turning closers into starters. , thumbs-up with C.J. Wilson, thumbs-down with Neftali Feliz (Tommy John surgery). , thumbs-up with Phil Hughes, thumbs-down with Joba Chamberlain. St. Louis, thumbs-up with Adam Wainwright, and thumbs-up with .

"Starting, you're going to put a lot more innings on your arm," said a member of the Reds brass, "but they're going to be a lot more predictable. You know when you're pitching; you know when are your off-days."

Reds pitching coach Price said it well in Crasnick's ESPN.com story:

"I hear the argument, 'Why mess with something when it's gone so well?' I get that. We have a really good team and the window of opportunity is now, and we may be better suited to Aroldis closing rather than starting because we already have a strong five-man rotation without him. I totally understand that.

"But I also have a feeling in my heart that he's not going to be the best possible pitcher he can be until he throws enough innings to master his craft. I think this kid has untapped potential, but it won't come out until we give him an opportunity to mature as a pitcher. Does he have a chance to be one of the better starters of his generation? The longer we wait, the less chance we have of ever finding out."

-- Joel Luckhaupt and Greg Gajus contributed.

Reds sign Olivo to a minor league deal February 1, 2013, 1:49 PM ET

By John Fay

The Reds signed catcher Miguel Olivo to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league camp. Olivo, 34, hit .222/.239/.381 with 12 home runs and 29 RBI for Seattle last year.

Olivo, a right-handed hitter, is a career .241/.275/.418 hitter. He has some pop. He’s hit at least 12 home runs each of the last seven years. He had 23 in 416 at-bats in 2009 with Kansas City.

I see Olivo as this year’s Dioner Navarro.

Reds sign Parra February 1, 2013, 5:38 PM ET

By John Fay

The Reds signed left-hander Manny Parra to a one-year deal. The make room on the 40-man right-hander Todd Redmond was designated for assignment.

Parra was 2-3 with 5.06 ERA last year for Milwaukee. He held left-handers to a .229 average. With Aroldis Chapman slated to go into the rotation, Sean Marshall was only the left-handed reliever on roster with any big league experience. (Note: Walt Jocketty said the plan for Tony Cingrani is to have him work as a starter in the minors.

THE SACRAMENTO BEE

Hometown report: Dusty Baker has health, perspective February 2, 2013, 12:00 AM ET

By Joe Davidson

The sting of playoff defeat never goes away. It lives with you, eats at your soul, Dusty Baker was saying this week.

The manager of the won't soon forget how his club stormed to a 2-0 series lead over the Giants in the National League Division Series last fall only to be swept in three games at home – the only time that happened in 2012 – and unceremoniously ushered into winter.

But Baker, 63, stands as a new man. He is fueled by a sobering bit of perspective and a clean bill of health. Baker suffered a minor stroke Sept. 21 while already in the hospital to check why his feet were so tender and swollen. He was about to be discharged when a nurse asked him to say his name.

All sorts of garbled sounds came out.

Tonight, Baker promises to be at his chatty and charming best, surrounded by family, friends and fans as he is inducted into the Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame at Thunder Valley Casino. His fellow inductees are Bill Cartwright, Kevin Johnson, Tony Lopez and Summer Sanders.

"I'm feeling great, really good," Baker said this week, his weight down and spirits up. "It was a long winter. Got poked and prodded quite a bit by doctors, but I had the best care. Having a stroke in the hospital … I could've been in traffic or in the plane. I knew it wasn't my time."

Did Baker's family want him out of baseball, to keep him healthy?

"You know moms, they always worry, but no, they wanted me to keep managing," Baker said. "It wasn't the game that was causing me health problems. It was some things I was born with and inherited from my folks, and you live with it. … My boy, my son (13- year-old Darren) wants me to stay in it to win a championship or two."

A World Series championship is the one void in Baker's otherwise glossy résumé. A four-sport star at Del Campo High School, Baker's playing career spanned 19 major league seasons, and he is a three-time Manager of the Year.

Those stinging setbacks? He managed the 2002 Giants to a 3-2 World Series lead before losing to the Angels. In 2003, his Cubs were on the cusp of reaching the World Series before the world was introduced to Steve Bartman. Baker is the second-winningest manager – behind – without a World Series championship.

Even after the stroke and playoff disappointment, the Reds signed Baker to a two-year extension.

"Very happy about that," Baker said. "I went thick and thin with those guys. We're good for each other. I know I'm good for them and they're definitely good for me. It's a wonderful life. It really has been a great career. It wasn't always up in my career. There were times I was extremely down. The main thing is coming back. You have to come back, bounce back, and come back again. My son says, 'Dad, a lot of people are depending on you.' "

Baker frequently mentions his son, saying that "he's living a kid's dream, to go to so many major league parks."

Baker also reflected on his late father, John B. Baker Sr. The elder Baker was a towering, imposing figure, with a limp. He was the epitome of hard work, a civilian who worked in the military and often two jobs – cutting lawns, tacking roofs. He sold TVs at an area Sears store in "retirement."

When young Baker and his friends played in the Del Campo neighborhood on Marble Street, they'd scatter at the sound of Mr. Baker's boat-like car coming home. Sometimes they weren't fast enough. A handful of kids meant a handful of chores to Mr. Baker.

"He was intimidating to a kid, but he was a fair man, a stern man who believed in discipline," Baker recalled. "The kids who stuck around, he'd put them to work, but he'd feed you. I think of my dad a lot. My dad comes to me sometimes in the middle of a game, or in the morning. Dad and I were close. I miss my adviser. I could go to Dad for the truth, whether I wanted to hear it or not."

Baker now listens to young Darren, who at 13 offers mature advice: Stay in the game. Do what you want to do, what you are.

"I'm staying in baseball," Baker said. "What am I going to do with my time? You can only fish so much.

"I don't play golf. I love the life I have. Why give it up when you're healthy to do it and you enjoy it? I've been preparing to leave the game for 10 years now, but now … it's not the time."

FOX SPORTS

Weaver, Latos likely to regress in ’13 (excerpt) February 1, 2013, 12:46 PM ET

By Joel Beall

Terms readers will need to be acquainted with in this article:

Batting Average on Balls In Play (BABIP): a pitcher’s average on batted balls, excluding homers, that end a plate appearance. Highlights how much luck and defense factored into a pitcher’s outing. League mean is around .300. Low figures state blessing, high figures indicate misfortune.

Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP): measures three outcomes that pitchers are responsible for – walks, home runs, . Highlights a pitcher’s performance apart from his team’s defense, computes to a number similarly digested as ERA.

Expected Fielding Independent Pitching (xFIP): adjusts FIP to standardize the home-run factor, as homers are a function of fly balls allowed and home park. Helps understand a pitcher’s forecast.

A prevalent inquiry in our offseason mailbox concerns pitching candidates for emergence for the upcoming campaign. Discovering the next Matt Moore or Chris Sale in your draft is a noble and shrewd endeavor, and we certainly don’t want to deter you from this pursuit. However, an equally-important derivative of this question that often goes unanswered is, “Which players are likely to regress?” After all, while finding diamonds in the rough can provide dividends to one’s roster, these choices carry little risk, as the selections transpire in the later rounds of drafts. On the other end of this spectrum, an underwhelming early pick can submarine a team’s fulfillment, as these high-end entities are intended to be the groundwork for your fantasy squad.

Keeping this conviction in mind, take heed in selecting the following prominent arms:

Jered Weaver, Angels

Kyle Lohse, FA

Mat Latos, Reds Following an inauspicious debut with his new team, Latos was lights-out in his final 19 starts, posting a 2.43 ERA while holding opponents to a .201 batting average. Better yet, despite concerns that a move from the pitcher-friendly confines of San Diego to the launching pad known as Great American Ball Park would wreak havoc on Latos’ numbers, the 6’6” righty finished with a 3.18 ERA and 1.12 WHIP at home. This performance has vaulted Latos into the upper-echelon rankings of his position, no easy feat given the depth and dexterity of cannons this spring.

Unfortunately, this ranking is flawed. His advanced home splits of a .247 BABIP, robust 4.31 FIP and 3.99 xFIP illustrate that home may not be where the heart is for Latos in 2013. Additionally, Cincinnati’s defense, one of the best in baseball last year, will likely take a step back with the center-field switch from the speedy Drew Stubbs to Shin-Soo Choo, whose prowess on the grass would hardly be described as nimble. Expect the downgrade to manifest its ugly head in the pitching lines from the Reds’ staff, especially Latos, who has been prone to surrendering the fly ball in his career.

Latos is only 25, meaning there’s still room for development, but don’t imagine the Cincinnati starter matching his top-20 prospects.

Matt Harrison, Rangers

Jason Vargas, Angels

Ross Detwiler, Nationals

Wildcards: Jeremy Hellickson, Rays/R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays

LOCAL 12 WKRC

New Exhibit Opens at Reds Hall of Fame and Museum February 2, 2013, 6:38 AM ET

A new exhibit opens Saturday at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum.

Signature Reds: A Century of Reds Autographs showcases signatures from more than 1,500 Reds, including almost every player who has worn a Cincinnati uniform since 1920.

The exhibit also includes signatures of other noteworthy athletes and celebrities to form one of the largest collections of autographs ever in one location.

Signature Reds: A Century of Reds Autographs openst to the public at 10:00 a.m. Saturday.

TRANSACTIONS

MLB.com has reported the following player transactions for Friday, February. 1, 2013:

Boston Red Sox sent outright to Pawtucket Red Sox.

RHP Barret Loux roster status changed by .

C Michael Brenly assigned to Chicago Cubs.

RHP Nick Struck assigned to Chicago Cubs.

C Rafael Lopez assigned to Chicago Cubs.

SS Javier Baez assigned to Chicago Cubs.

Chicago White Sox claimed Lars Anderson off waivers from .

Cincinnati Reds designated RHP Todd Redmond for assignment.

Cincinnati Reds signed free agent LHP Manny Parra.

Cincinnati Reds signed free agent C Miguel Olivo.

Miami Marlins sent Kevin Mattison outright to New Orleans Zephyrs.

New York Mets signed free agent CF Marlon Byrd.

New York Yankees signed free agent DH Travis Hafner.

New York Yankees designated LF Russ Canzler for assignment.

Philadelphia Phillies sent J.C. Ramirez outright to Lehigh Valley IronPigs.