Loading ...Per Marc Lancaster, the Reds have signed Terrence Long.
I actually like this signing. Long had a bad year last year, but is essentially a league-average hitter, and is even better if you keep him away from lefties. Defensively, I think he’s very good, if you keep him away from CF. He’s a marginal upgrade on Jacob Cruz. Cruz is known as a good guy in the clubhouse – all I know about Long is that he was described as “very polite” when my female friend met him in a bar a few years back.
This seems like a low-risk, medium-reward type of move. We get a perhaps a better LH pinch-hitter, and a passable defensive replacement (though we still need a caddy for Jr).
Is this a minor-league deal with no ST invite like Sanchez, or is he in the ML camp?
Minor-league contract.
I don’t think there’s much to lose with this one.
The Reds released 27 yr old outfielder Steve Smitherman.
For whatever reason, Smitherman’s power just disappeared after 2003. He was always a tad bit old for his level.
I hate to see Smitherman go off into the night. I was always hopeful that he could become a decent fourth or fifth outfielder, with some pop. He never did put it together, unfortunately.
I’ll join the chorus that doesn’t mind the Long signing. He’s no great shakes, and at this point, he’s not a starting outfielder any longer, but he’s not a bad option as a backup and a PH.