Odds and Ends

[ArmyBengal]

According to the official Reds site, Leake has been bumped from the starting rotation to the bullpen, Owings has been designated and the Reds have 10 days to trade him or become a free agent, and the Reds signed their #1 draft pick Grandal the catcher from Miami. Here are the stories:

Leake bumped to bullpen indefinitely

The Reds sent rookie sensation Mike Leake to the bullpen on Tuesday, temporarily dropping the right-hander from the starting rotation.

Leake, Cincinnati's No. 1 pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, never played a day in the Minors. He's 8-4 with a 3.78 ERA spanning 22 starts and 135 2/3 innings. But in his past three starts he allowed 17 runs on 21 hits, losing the past two.

"This way we can see where we are," Reds manager Dusty Baker said before his club played the D-backs at Chase Field. "It doesn't take him long to get loose. We can monitor his innings. It shouldn't be a horrible transition."

Baker said there was no particular timetable for bringing Leake back into the rotation.

"It depends," Baker said. "It depends on how far we go into September and hopefully into October."

Right now the starting rotation will be Bronson Arroyo, Edinson Volquez, Travis Wood, Homer Bailey and Johnny Cueto

Jocketty: Owings wanted to get new start

Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said on Tuesday that it was a tough decision to designate right-hander Micah Ownings for assignment to make room for first-round Draft pick Yasmani Grandal on the 40-man roster.

The catcher, from the University of Miami, was signed to a Major League contract on Monday.

The Reds have 10 days to trade Owings, who was obtained two years ago in a deal that sent Adam Dunn to the D-backs for the stretch run. If they don't trade him, he can become a free agent.

"When we sent Micah down a couple of weeks he requested that we try to trade him to another club that would have a better future for him," Jocketty said before the Reds played the D-backs at Chase Field. "That's what we're going to try to do now. We're going to try to get him an opportunity somewhere else and get him a new start."

Owings, 27, appeared in 22 games for the Reds this season out of the bullpen, going 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA. He has 35 strikeouts in 33 1/3 innings. He also has been a pretty fair hitter in his four seasons, having compiled a lifetime .293 batting average with nine homers, 14 doubles, and 34 RBIs.

"He's a versatile guy -- he can go both ways [as a starter or reliever]," Jocketty said. "Micah did a nice job for us, but some guys jumped past him in the rotation. He's a great guy, a great teammate and a good guy to have on a club. Maybe there will be a better opportunity for him somewhere else."

/>http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100817&content_id=13557496&notebook_id=13566632&vkey=notebook_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

Grandal gets contract, spot on Reds' roster

Not only have the Reds signed their first-round Draft pick, catcher Yasmani Grandal, he is getting a coveted 40-man roster spot.

Grandal, the 12th overall selection in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, inked a four-year Major League contract Monday with a bonus worth $2.99 million.

"We're very happy. I like this kid a lot," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said by phone from Arizona.

Grandal will report to the Reds' player development complex in Goodyear, Ariz., for at least two weeks. At some point this season, he will join the organization's rookie-level team in Billings and finish the season there.

The Reds have a full 40-man roster, which that means a player will have to be moved to make room for Grandal. Jocketty said that player hasn't been told yet, so a roster move will be announced some time on Tuesday.

At home in Miami, Grandal had to keep his Monday night signing party low-key. His professional career is starting right away.

"Nothing big, just a little get-together with my family so we can celebrate," Grandal said. "It can't be too much because I'm headed to Arizona [on Tuesday]."

In 62 games with University of Miami this season, the 21-year-old Grandal batted .401 with 15 home runs, 60 RBIs and a .527 on-base percentage. He was a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award, given annually by USA Baseball to the top amateur player in the country. He's been out of game action since Miami was eliminated from the Super Regionals.

"I've just been working out and hitting and trying to stay in baseball shape as much as possible," Grandal said.

Grandal was in Cincinnati over the weekend and watched the Reds play the Marlins from Jocketty's suite on Friday and Saturday. His physical was taken on Saturday. He had the good fortune to get to sit next to manager Dusty Baker during the games, since Baker was serving a two-game suspension.

"It was amazing," Grandal said. "I got to talk with Joe Morgan after seeing him on TV all of the time and some of his games from way back. It was a great experience being there and talking to Dusty and seeing two games sitting right next to him. I got a vibe of what it might be like if I get the chance to play for him."

As for Grandal's impression of Great American Ball Park?

"It's a great hitters' ballpark, especially for lefties," said Grandal, who is a switch-hitter.

Jocketty established his precedent of giving out big league contracts to Draft picks two years ago, when another Miami product, first baseman Yonder Alonso, was added to the 40-man roster while getting a five-year, $4.55 million contract. Alonso and Grandal have the same agent in Greg Genske.

"There were a lot of similarities, but the money was less," Jocketty said. "It's getting tougher and tougher for us to do that [give big league contracts to Draft picks]. I don't think we can do it again. It's the way it goes."

Also on Monday night, the Reds agreed to terms with sixth-round pick Drew Cisco. A right-handed pitcher, sources say that Cisco will receive a $975,000 bonus.

The grandson of former Major League pitcher and pitching coach Galen Cisco, Drew Cisco attended Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, S.C., and had signed to play for the University of Georgia.

"He would've been picked higher and got more money, but he told a lot of clubs he was going to college. We were able to sign him and we're excited," Jocketty said.

Other Draft picks signed prior to Monday's 11:59 p.m. ET deadline were left-handed pitcher Joel Bender, a 27th-rounder out of Cincinnati's Oak Hills High School, and 28th-round selection, right-handed pitcher Chad Rogers.

That officially closed the book on the 2010 Draft, with the Reds signing 32 of their 50 selections and everybody picked in the top 15.

"[scouting director] Chris Buckley and his staff did a good job with both our amateur Draft and international signings. We've got quality kids," Jocketty said.

/>http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100816&content_id=13532176&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin

[ArmyBengal]

Several thoughts here:

I'm kind of surprised Leake got sent to the bullpen, but we are so stacked with pitchers it's ridiculous.

If Leake can bolster that bullpen, it would be HUGE heading down the stretch...

I'm left wondering if they can get anything for Owings in trade ?? I'm thinking he will just walk in 10 days though.

Still no news on old Harangatang. Know what ?? The only news I want to hear on him at this point is that he's no longer on the team.

Thanks for a (couple?) good seasons Aaron, but you are no longer needed. Buh bye...

I love they go Grandal signed, as there was some speculation that they might not be able to get it done.

I think the Reds have a good problem developing at the catcher position with some good young talent.

[BengalszoneBilly]

I've never heard of this Grandal kid.