CCIINNCCIINNNNAATTII RREEDDSS PPRREESSSS CCLLIIPPPPIINNGGSS DECEMBER 3, 2014

CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Reds trade Heisey for Dodgers' Matt Magill John Fay

The Reds averted one tough decision as far as whether to tender an arbitration-eligible player a contract Tuesday by trading outfielder to the for right-hander Matt Magill.

Heisey, 29, spent his entire career with the Reds. He was a fan favorite.

"He's had a good career with the Reds," said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty. "Everyone thinks the world of him and his wife, Lisa. It's hard to give up a guy you drafted and developed in your organization. We wanted to do some other things. It was a chance to add a quality arm. We got very good reports on Magill."

Magill, 25, was 7-6 with a 5.21 ERA in 36 appearances (12 starts) for -A Albuquerque in 2014. In 2013, he was 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA for the Dodgers. He struck out 168 in 146 1/3 in 2012 at -A Chattanooga.

Magill has mostly started in the minors.

"I think right now he's a two-pitch ," Jocketty said. "He's got a great fastball -- 92, 93 (mph), sometimes 94, 95. He also has a good . He needs to develop his change-up. Right now, we see him as middle relief, but he could develop into a starter."

Heisey's absence leaves the Reds short in the outfield.

"We think (Skip) Schumaker's going to be healthy and help us," Jocketty said. "We'll give him an opportunity. We may push some of our younger guys. But we'd still think we're going to add someone."

Top hitting prospect , 21, led the in hitting this year.

Interestingly, Jocketty said the Reds had not talked to about outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.

The club did not tender an offer to righ-hander or right-hander .

Ondrusek went 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 40 relief appearances. Partch spent most of the year with Triple-A Louisville.

The Reds had nine arbitration-eligible players: Mat Latos, , Alfredo Simon, Heisey, Ondrusek, , Zack Cozart, and .

All but Heisey and Ondrusek are locks to be tendered contracts.

Arbitration is going push the payroll up significantly. Players win in arbitration – even if they lose. Consider what these players made this year and what mlbtraderumors.com estimates they'd make in 2015:

Latos -- $7.25 million $8.4 million Leake -- $5.925 million $9.5 million Simon -- $1.5 million $5.1 million Chapman -- $5.0 million $8.3 million Cozart -- $600,000 $2.3 million Frazier -- $600,000 $4.6 million Mesoraco -- $525,000 $2.8 million So those nine made a combined $24.51 million in 2014. They would make $45.5 million or so in 2015. That's $21 million bump. Even with letting both Heisey and Ondrusek walk, it's still a $16.5 million hike.

The Reds already have $75.5 million committed to 10 players for 2015. That puts the payroll at $120 million for 19 players. It was a record $114 million in 2014. Attendance was slightly down from 2013 to '14.

That's why the Reds are not shopping for top-shelf free agents.

Again, arbitration is a great driver of salaries. Leake is projected to make $9.5 million to 's $10 million. That shows the value of signing players before the reach arbitration and free agency, which, of course, is risky.

All-Star Game prompts $1M more in stadium fixes Dan Horn

Great American Ball Park is getting gussied up for its big date next summer.

The Reds' stadium will get about $1 million more than usual in repair work in the coming months so the place looks good for the 2015 All-Star Game in July.

Taxpayers will pick up the tab, but Hamilton County officials say they really aren't paying extra for the game because all of the work would have been done eventually even if the All-Star Game weren't coming next year. They say they just sped up the process and added about $1 million of repair work to this year's budget. Next year, they say, taxpayers will get a break because that work already will be done.

"We want the place to shine," said Joe Feldkamp, who oversees the stadium for the county. "We're not doing anything special for the All-Star Game. We're just pushing it forward."

In a normal baseball season, repairs might be done throughout the year, depending on the Reds' schedule. Next season, though, isn't a normal season. The July 14 game is expected to bring tens of thousands of visitors to , and the stadium will be front and center for an international TV audience.

Events at the stadium will run throughout the week and weekend and will include the Futures Game featuring young stars, a celebrity softball game, the derby and other activities.

County officials and the Reds want all maintenance projects done long before the visitors arrive, which is why they pushed up the maintenance schedule and pumped up this year's repair budget.

Feldkamp said the stadium is a decade old now, and it's important to stay on top of maintenance. "It's starting to show some signs of wear, so we're staying ahead of it," he said.

The lease agreement with the Reds requires the county to cover routine maintenance of the ballpark, and Feldkamp said the county budgets about $1 million a year for that purpose. This year, he said, 2015 maintenance will be performed at the same time as 2014 maintenance.

County commissioners will be asked to approve some of that work Wednesday, when they vote on two of the larger maintenance projects.

A bid for painting gates, light standards, handrails, the steel structure and decking came in at $356,600, and a bid for concrete work and waterproofing came in at $107,303. Soon, the county also will solicit bids to replace speakers throughout the stadium, at an estimated cost of $275,000.

The stadium leases for both the Bengals and the Reds have been a source of frustration and controversy for county officials and taxpayers for years, mostly because they require taxpayers to cover many future costs, such as a big share of the Bengals' new scoreboard.

County officials say speeding up the maintenance schedule ahead of the All-Star Game makes sense because it's not expected to cost more in the long run. Plus, they say, it's not every year the stadium hosts an All-Star Game.

"I'm glad the request seems reasonable," said County Commissioner Greg Hartmann. "I certainly support forwarding some extra money from next year to put an extra shine on the stadium."

MLB.COM

Reds acquire Magill from Dodgers for Heisey Club declines tender offers to relievers Ondrusek, Partch By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- Shortly before Tuesday's deadline to tender contracts to players on their 40-man roster, the Reds traded reserve outfielder Chris Heisey to the Dodgers for Minor League pitcher Matt Magill.

Cincinnati also did not tender contract offers to right-handed relievers Logan Ondrusek and Curtis Partch, making them free agents. Heisey and Ondrusek were two of nine Reds eligible for arbitration this winter. Partch was still under club control, but he had not reached arbitration status.

Teams had 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.

Heisey, who turns 30 on Dec. 14, avoided an arbitration hearing last winter by signing a one-year, $1.76 million contract. Clearly the Reds wanted to get a return for him rather than non-tendering Heisey.

Following a first two promising seasons in the Majors, including 2011 when he hit 18 homers with 50 RBIs, Heisey struggled at the plate and missed multiple chances to claim a regular spot in the lineup as the left fielder.

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. Heisey's four pinch-hit homers led the Majors, however, and his 10 career pinch-hit homers are three shy of the club record.

A 25-year-old right-handed pitcher, Magill made six starts for the Dodgers in 2013 and was 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA. Last season at Triple-A Albuquerque, he was 7-6 with a 5.21 ERA in 36 games, including 12 starts. In 2012 for Double-A Chattanooga, he posted a 3.75 ERA and struck out 168 batters over 146 1/3 innings and 26 starts

"We are excited to be adding a player with a power arm who has a chance to help our club next season," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said.

Ondrusek, 29, worked 60 or more games in each of his first three seasons in the Majors from 2010-12 and earned a two-year, $2.3 million contract that avoided his first two years of arbitration before the 2013 season.

Hot Stove Tracker

It was often a struggle with inconsistency since for Ondrusek. He was 3-3 with a 5.49 ERA in 40 appearances in 2014. Over his 41 innings, he allowed 50 hits and 16 walks while striking out 42. Of his 40 first batters faced, 24 were retired by Ondrusek and he allowed nine of his 25 inherited runners to score.

Partch, 27, had six different stints in the Majors in 2014 and two in '13. He worked seven scoreless innings for Cincinnati last season and posted a 4.75 ERA in 41 games for Triple-A Louisville.

The Reds now have 38 players on their 40-man roster.

Final preparations for this weekend's Redsfest underway Annual fan event begins Friday at Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com

CINCINNATI -- There aren't many offseason weekends where the Reds watch closely for weather forecasts and care about snowfall. But this weekend is one of them.

That's because the annual Redsfest will be back at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati on Friday and Saturday. And the good news is that no snow is predicted by forecasters. Last year, a winter storm on the first day of the fan fest put a damper on its attendance before a larger crowd poured in on Day 2.

"The track record, with the exception of last year due to weather, tells us that we get about 45 percent of the attendance ... on Friday and about 55 percent on Saturday," said Karen Forgus, the Reds' senior vice president of business operations. "Given that Saturday's hours are longer, it's a pretty good split."

Redsfest hours are Friday from 3-10:30 p.m. ET and from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at reds.com/redsfest, by calling (513) 381- REDS, at 's box office and at select Kroger stores with a Ticketmaster retail outlet.

Two-day tickets are $25 for adults and $12 for kids 12 and younger. One-day tickets are $17 for adults and $7 for kids. Children 3 and under are admitted for free.

The finishing touches to turning the Duke Energy Center into a Reds fans' paradise are ongoing this week and will continue right up until the doors open.

"We actually started loading in the Monday before Thanksgiving," Forgus said. "We have been loading in for a long time. It really does take that long to get ours to the level we want. The people that do [All-Star] Fanfest will be in town to especially see our Redsfest, because they've heard of the incredible things that we do."

The MLB FanFest will be a large part of the 2015 All-Star Game events in Cincinnati, and the setup will likely be quite similar to Redsfest.

For each two-day Redsfest admission purchased, fans will receive two free tickets to the Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals game on Sunday, April 12. Fans purchasing a one-day Redsfest admission will receive one free ticket to the April 12 game.

"It's a good game, and that's a really good value," Forgus said.

Another added bonus this year: The first 11,000 fans through the Redsfest doors each day will receive a free 2015 MLB All-Star Game ornament.

All proceeds from Redsfest benefit the Reds Community Fund.

More than 80 current and former players and coaches are scheduled to attend 2014 Redsfest, including , Johnny Cueto, Todd Frazier, Billy Hamilton, , Aroldis Chapman and .

All of the players will be assembled on the main stage around 5:30 p.m. on Friday for introductions to fans.

"Part of the reason we get such a good turnout on Friday is that main stage moment when we do all the player introductions. That's a big draw," Forgus said.

Another reason Redsfest is popular is the many opportunities for autographs and photos with the players.

"There are 100 player autograph sessions that are free of charge. That's a big deal in a day and a half," Forgus said.

Since the Reds reinvented and redesigned Redsfest in 2007, the event has grown in size and scope. There is now more than 300,000 square feet of convention center space being used along three floors.

For additional details on Redsfest, including players attending, event itineraries and more, go to reds.com/redsfest.

ESPN.COM

Dodgers trade for Chris Heisey By Jerry Crasnick | ESPN.com

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired outfielder Chris Heisey from the in exchange for right-hander Matt Magill on Tuesday.

Heisey, who will turn 30 this month, is a .247 career hitter with 50 home runs over parts of five seasons with Cincinnati. He is eligible for salary arbitration and is projected to earn slightly more than $2 million in 2015.

The Reds dealt him several hours in advance of Tuesday night's MLB non-tender deadline. The Dodgers already had a glut of outfielders with , Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig, and top prospect Joc Pederson, and the Heisey acquisition could be a precursor to more moves from Andrew Friedman, Los Angeles' new president of baseball operations.

Magill, 25, has an 0-2 record with a 6.51 ERA in six starts at the major league level, all in 2013. He posted a 7-6 mark with a 5.21 ERA in 12 starts (36 appearances) for Triple-A Albuquerque this past season.

"We are excited to be adding a player with a power arm who has a chance to help our club next season," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said in a statement.

Also Tuesday, the Reds declined to offer contracts to right-handers Logan Ondrusek and Curtis Partch, making them free agents.

FOXSPORTSOHIO.COM

Reds trade Heisey, begin makeover Kevin Goheen FOX Sports Ohio

CINCINNATI -- The Reds made their first trade of the offseason Tuesday night when they sent outfielder Chris Heisey to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for pitcher Matt Magill.

The club also declined to tender 2015 contracts to Logan Ondrusek and Curtis Partch, making them free agents and leaving the Reds two open spots on their 40-man roster.

Heisey, 29, played in 543 games for the Reds over the past five seasons primarily as a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter. He led all of Major League Baseball last season with four pinch-hit home runs, upping his career total to 10.

Magill (6-3, 210) is a 25-year-old right-hander who spent all of 2014 at Triple-A Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League. He was 7-6 with a 5.21 ERA in 36 appearances last season, including 12 starts. He made six starts for the Dodgers in 2013, going 0-2 with a 6.51 ERA in 27 2/3 innings. Magill was a Southern League All-Star for Double-A Chattanooga in 2012 when he had a 3.75 ERA and struck out 168 batters in 26 starts and 146 1/3 innings.

"We are excited to be adding a player with a power arm who has a chance to help our club next season," said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty.

The acquisition of Magill as well as not tendering Ondrusek and Partch is part of an expected overhaul of the Reds bullpen that struggled throughout the season to consistently get the ball from starters to closer Aroldis Chapman. The bullpen went 11-31 with a 4.41 ERA in 422 1/3 innings as well as allowing 46 of 203 inherited runners to score.

Ondrusek made 40 appearances last season with a 5.49 ERA. It was his fifth straight season with at least 40 appearances but but he gave up 50 hits and 25 earned runs as well as allowing nine of 25 inherited runners to score. Partch spent most of the season at Triple-A Louisville. He did pitch in six games for the Reds, including earning his first major-league victory in a 6-5 win against Pittsburgh on July 11.

The Reds did tender contracts to seven other arbitration eligible players: pitchers Mat Latos, Mike Leake, Alfredo Simon and Chapman, catcher Devin Mesoraco, shortstop Zack Cozart and third baseman Todd Frazier.

FOX Sports Ohio is Ready for Redsfest FOX Sports Ohio

CINCINNATI, OHIO FOX Sports Ohio is proud to once again be the title sponsor of this year's Redsfest. It will be held at the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati this Friday, December 5th from 3:00pm to 10:30pm and Saturday, December 6th from 11:00am to 6:30pm.

As the TV home of the Cincinnati Reds and title sponsor of Redsfest, FOX Sports Ohio will have a space at the event, offering fans the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities.

- Test your Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii U skills in the FOX Sports Ohio Game Express, the network's video game truck.

- Reds broadcasters Jim Day, Chris Welsh, Brian Giesenschlag, Jeff Piecoro, Jeff Brantley and Jim Kelch will stop by throughout the event to sign autographs.

- Come and take pictures with Cleatus, the giant FOX robot!

- The FOX Sports Ohio Girl Kristine will be on site to meet fans. Kristine will also participate in the annual Wiffleball Home Run Derby and the Reds Community Fund Celebrity Poker Tournament.

Redsfest features 300,000 square feet of autograph and photo booths with current and former Reds players, interactive games for fans of all ages, hard-to-find memorabilia and much more. Over 80 current and former players and coaches are expected to attend including Brandon Phillips, Joey Votto, Johnny Cueto, Jay Bruce, Aroldis Chapman, Todd Frazier and Billy Hamilton along with Reds Hall of Famers and alumni Ron Oester, , and . The full list of scheduled attendees is available at reds.com/redsfest.

Tickets are available at reds.com, by phone at (513)381-REDS, at the Great American Ball Park box office and at select Kroger stores with Ticketmaster retail outlets. Tickets will also be available at Redsfest on Friday at 9:00am and Saturday at 7:00am. Discounted Redsfest parking is available for only $5 in the new dunnhumby Centre Garage on Race Street (between 5th and 6th Street) less than a block from the Convention Center.

The first 11,000 fans through the Redsfest doors each day will receive a free Reds drawstring bag and a commemorative 2015 MLB® ALL-STAR GAME® ornament.

All proceeds from Redsfest benefit the baseball-themed outreach programs of the Reds Community Fund.

For the most updated information and additional details about Redsfest, please visit reds.com/redsfest.

CINCINNATI BUSINESS COURIER

Reds trade Chris Heisey for pitcher Erin Caproni

The Cincinnati Reds have traded a lifetime member of theteam for a right-handed pitcher.

Outfielder Chris Heisey has been traded to the Los AngelesDodgers in exchange for pitcher Matt Magill.

Heisey, who will turn 30 in the coming weeks, has spent his entire professional career with the Reds after being chosen in the 17th round of the 2006 first-year player draft. He appeared in 543 games as an outfielder and pinch hitter.

Magill was 7-6 in the 2014 season with a 5.21 ERA in 36 appearances and 12 starts for Triple-A Albuquerque. He made his Major League Baseball debut with the Dodgers in 2013 when he made six starts for the team.

"We are excited to be adding a player with a power arm who has a chance to help our club next season," Reds president of Baseball Operations and general manager Walt Jocketty said of the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Magill.

The Reds also announced that they chose not to offer 2015 contracts to right-handed pitchers Logan Ondrusek or Curtis Partch.

TRANSACTIONS

12/02/14 RHP Curtis Partch elected free agency. 1B Justin Smoak elected free agency. LF John Mayberry Jr. elected free agency. LF Andy Dirks elected free agency. LHP Kraig Sitton elected free agency. 3B elected free agency. RHP Scott Carroll elected free agency. LHP Scott Snodgress elected free agency. St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent RHP . RHP Kris Medlen elected free agency. RHP Brandon Beachy elected free agency. RHP Gus Schlosser elected free agency. 1B Kyle Blanks elected free agency. RF Andrew Brown elected free agency. Los Angeles Dodgers traded RHP Matt Magill to Cincinnati Reds for Chris Heisey. RHP Logan Ondrusek elected free agency. 1B Gaby Sanchez elected free agency. SS Everth Cabrera elected free agency. LHP Francisley Bueno elected free agency. C John Baker elected free agency. LHP Wesley Wright elected free agency. 3B Carlos Rivero elected free agency. SS Daniel Descalso elected free agency. RHP Alexi Ogando elected free agency. LHP Michael Kirkman elected free agency. 1B Adam Rosales elected free agency. RHP elected free agency.