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THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1934-The National League grants the Reds permission to play seven night games at Crosley Field in 1935. Four light towers are placed on the grandstand roof and another four around the outfield for nearly $50,000 MLB.COM Reds extend spring invite to 19 non-roster players No. 5 prospect Gutierrez to report to Arizona; Cincy acquires VanMeter from SD By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | @m_sheldon | December 9th, 2016 + 133 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- The Reds completed Thursday's trade of Rule 5 selection Luis Torrens to the Padres on Friday by announcing that they acquired infielder Josh VanMeter.

VanMeter, 21, split the 2016 season at San Diego's Advanced and -A affiliates, batting a combined .251/.331/.403 with 14 home runs and 56 RBIs. He primarily plays second base and third base but also has shortstop experience.

Torrens, a catcher, was picked second overall in the and flipped to the Padres later in the day. The Reds also received cash in the deal.

Cincinnati also announced the invitation of 19 non-roster players to big league camp at Spring Training: catchers Rob Brantly, Chad Wallach and Shawn Zarraga, right-handers Alejandro Chacin, Vladimir Gutierrez, Jimmy Herget, Tyler Mahle, Evan Mitchell and Kevin Shackelford, left-handers Ismael Guillon, Lucas Luetge and Nick Routt, infielder Brandon Dixon, shortstop Zach Vincej, outfielders Sebastian Elizalde and Gabriel Guerrero, infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan and Tony Renda and utility player Hernan Iribarren.

Of the invites, Renda, Iribarren and Kivlehan spent some time in the Major Leagues last season with Cincinnati.

Gutierrez, who ranks as the organization's fifth-best prospect by MLBPipeline.com, was a Cuban defector that the Reds signed in September for $4.75 million.

Vincej was recently named to the 's top prospects team. Wallach, Mitchell and Routt also took part in the AFL last month.

WCPO - Channel 9 Fay: Reds Lorenzen revels in community service as his Christian duty Baseball provides 'a platform to glorify God' John Fay | WCPO contributor 7:00 AM, Dec 10, 2016

CINCINNATI -- Some pro athletes view community appearances as a chore.

Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen views them as a duty.

That's why Lorenzen made 11 stops in six days this week to connect with fans at events around town.

Why would Lorenzen spend a week of his offseason in the Cincinnati cold when he could have been back in California?

"I'm doing as much as I can because I'm not here full time right now," he said. "I've always known that this game was going to be used as a platform to glorify God. I want to take advantage of my time here. I was here for Redsfest. I did this last year, too.

"It's just all about forgetting all the stuff that comes along with baseball selfishly, the self-glorification. Taking my eyes off myself, focusing on the community and becoming a servant."

Reds pitcher Michael Lorenzen views community service as a duty, not a chore.

Like all born-again Christians, Lorenzen considers himself saved. But, in Lorenzen's case, he was saved from something that could have easily kept him from being what he is: A major-league player with star potential.

His life path changed at age 16.

"I was drunk and high on a pier in Huntington Beach," he said. "Some guy was sharing about how Jesus died for my sins. I had known the story, because I live in America. But I was never taught the story.

"My parents were alcoholics. They met through drugs. My brothers were big partiers. That was the lifestyle I was going to follow. Those were influences on my life. My dad left when I was 10. I was free to do whatever I wanted. I had my brothers and that was it. They were in trouble all the time.

"I was going down a path that didn't lead to here. The message that guy shared when I was high and drunk, it me. I was actually in sin at the time. It changed my life. It showed me that I was being selfish with my talent."

Lorenzen's talent was prodigious even then. He was always the fastest kid with the best arm on his team.

"I was the best out of the family," he said. "My older brother was drafted by the Dodgers in 2000. I was 8 years old when he was drafted. I always knew I was going to get here.

"I saw it was possible. That's what I worked toward, but there were other things that were distractions as well. I had no guidance. My role models weren't very good. I was going down the same path."

His older brother Jonathan's path to the big leagues ended abruptly.

"He was arrested a couple years into pro ball and released by the Dodgers," Lorenzen said. "That was the path I was going down."

That path changed with that chance meeting on the pier.

Lorenzen reconnected with his father, Clif, after getting to the big leagues; Clif died unexpectedly in August. Lorenzen's signature moment as a big-leaguer came when he hit a home in his first at-bat after returning from Clif's funeral.

Lorenzen is confident enough in his abilities to say he would have made it to the big leagues even if his life hadn't changed.

"Baseball-wise, sure," he said. "But that really doesn't matter. You can be the best talent in the world. But if you're a terrible human being, you're still going to be miserable."

Lorenzen is far from miserable.

Thursday night, he was at the downtown library, reading to kids, answering questions and signing autographs. Lorenzen got the kind of questions you'd expect from 6-year-olds.

"You ever been hit in the head by a baseball?"

"Lots of times."

"How many home runs have you hit?"

"Just one."

Lorenzen was patient and took time with each kid in the autograph line. He did the same at stops at City Gospel Mission and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center earlier in the week. He also spent time at Urban Youth Academy on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.

"I enjoy it because I know that is what God has called me to do," Lorenzen said. "Right now, it's great because people love it. But there's some things that God calls me to that people won't enjoy, and I still love it because I know that's what God has in store for me."

Lorenzen isn't overbearing with his message, but he's glad to share it. Maybe he could turn someone else's life around -- the way that guy on the pier did for him all those years ago. DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds invite 19 to spring training, make trade with San Diego BJ Bethel Staff Writer 4:21 p.m Friday, Dec. 9, 2016 Sports

The Cincinnati Reds are inviting 19 minor league players to spring training.

The list: catcher Rob Brantly, pitcher Alejandro Chacin, infielder Brandon Dixon, outfielder Sebastian Elizade, outfielder Gabriel Guerrrero, pitcher Ismael Guillon, pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez, pitcher Jimmy Herget, infielder/outfielder Hernan Iribarren, infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan, pitcher Lucas Luetge, pitcher Tyler Mahle, pitcher Evan Mitchell, infielder Tony Renda, pitcher Nick Routt, pitcher Kevin Shackelford, infielder Zach Vincej, catcher Chad Wallach and catcher Shawn Zarraga.

The Reds also traded catcher Luis Torrens to San Diego for minor league infielder Josh VanMeter.

Torrens was selected by the Reds in the Rule 5 draft two days ago. VanMeter spent 2016 between high-A and AA for San Diego. He hit .198 in 29 games with two home runs and five RBIs for AA San Antonio and hit .267 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs for high-A Lake Elsinore.

TRANSACTIONS 12/10/16 traded 2B Danny Espinosa to for RHP Austin Adams and RHP Kyle McGowin. 12/09/16 St. Louis Cardinals signed free agent CF Dexter Fowler. sent Charlie Culberson outright to Oklahoma City Dodgers. Ronald Torreyes changed number to --. signed free agent RHP Fernando Rodney. signed free agent 2B to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. Detroit Tigers invited non-roster C Miguel Gonzalez to spring training. Detroit Tigers invited non-roster RHP Ruben Alaniz to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster C Chad Wallach to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster LHP Nick Routt to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster 2B Tony Renda to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Evan Mitchell to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Tyler Mahle to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster 3B Patrick Kivlehan to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Jimmy Herget to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Vladimir Gutierrez to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster LHP Ismael Guillon to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster OF Sebastian Elizalde to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster 2B Brandon Dixon to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster RHP Alejandro Chacin to spring training. Cincinnati Reds invited non-roster SS Zach Vincej to spring training. Houston Astros signed free agent LHP Cionel Perez to a minor league contract. traded Josh VanMeter to Cincinnati Reds. sent Dean Kiekhefer outright to . Seattle Mariners traded LHP Tyler Pike to . Jung Ho Kang changed number to 16. RHP Kyle McGowin assigned to Los Angeles Angels.