Cincinnati Reds acquire Wilson Valdez – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds succeeded on Wednesday, January 25, in finding a good infielder to induct in the club. Looking for a backup infielder, Wilson Valdez of the Philadelphia Phillies was traded for left-handed Jeremy Horst, to almost complete the 40-man roster.
The decision clearly shows the good judgment manifested by the Reds. They had been finding an opportunity to get a contender who can be readily available as a backup infielder and resourceful enough to execute the given task.
In Valdez, so it seems, the Reds have found that player now. His fielding percentage, beyond any shadow of a doubt, is brilliant, standing at .980 as shortstop. While he has appeared in more than 300 games, as a shortstop he has a history of 190 games.
"He is versatile as far as defense," Reds’ general manager Walt Jocketty said. "I think his numbers indicate that he doesn't hit for a high average. But he has come up with some big hits for the Phillies when they needed them."
Cincinnati Reds could not make their way into the playoffs last season. While they initially did well in the season, in the later half, their performance could not bring the desired result, culminating with their termination from the regular season.
Interestingly, Valdez was one of the players last year that helped the Phillies beat the Reds. Much to the Reds’ pleasant surprise, the player has come to represent Cincinnati now. He will be an advantage for the Reds to count and capitalise upon.
"He's a winning-type of guy," said Jocketty. "When I talked to him today, he said he wanted to be part of a winning club and would do whatever it takes to be on a winning club. I like that attitude."
The winning attitude is one of the attributes of the Cincinnati Reds this time round; thanks to the induction of the players who will be instrumental in attaining their goal. The Reds might not have been able to achieve a lot in the last season and this
year can be a chance for them to accomplish that. The team will be looking to Valdez to make a positive impact in the team and help them in the upcoming 2012 regular season.
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