Cincinnati Reds sign Ryan Ludwick – MLB News
The Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, February 8, came up with the formal announcement of signing Ryan Ludwick for a year. The one-year contract worth $2.5 million will have the outfielder inducted in the 40-man roster of the club.
Ludwick will also have the one year mutual option for 2013, providing him with an opportunity to make the decision that suits him best. The deal was agreed upon last month, only that it was not announced officially until now.
Having served the San Diego Padres and the Pittsburgh Pirates in the past, coupled with that of St. Louis Cardinals, Ludwick’s induction in the Cincinnati Reds is a good omen for the club given the experience and effectiveness he combines.
It was not long ago when Ludwick had frankly talked about the deal which was in the air back then. He had regarded it as a mentally tough challenge and said it will be great to have another season with the Reds as the World Series Champions.
The last time Ludwick himself made it into any playoff was in 2009. Signing him for the club will have a good result for the club. On the other hand, the Reds have also decided to get Jeff Francis to a Minor League deal as the player is trying to stage a
comeback after the shoulder injury he suffered in 2009.
Much, however, depends how strong he is feeling right now given the surgery he has had. With a 4.82 ERA that he had in the past season, losing 16 games in 31 starts.
With two additions in the club, the Cincinnati Reds seem braced to confronting the mounting challenges they are bound to face in the upcoming 2012 regular season. Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how the players perform on the given day.
If anything, Ludwick has remained a consistent hitter with his .261 career batting average in 790 games, with 117 home-runs to his credit and 450 RBIs that he had so far with a total of 366 runs. He is an extremely talented player as he was also awarded
as a Silver Slugger in 2008. It will be interesting to see what type of impact Ludwick will have on the Cincinnati Reds this season.
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