In a bizarre move that I can only attribute to sheer shame from Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, manager Dusty Baker today announced the signing of Willie Harris.

I understand that Jocketty’s previous announcements have been pretty big and awesome–the surprise signing of closer Ryan Madson and the going-for-it-all trade for Mat Latos–but sending Baker out to do your work? It sounds strange.

Who is this Willie Harris? He may just be this year’s Willy Taveras. At 33, he’s played for 6 teams over 11 years. He’s a speedy guy with lots of veterany goodness, but he’s also quite versatile. He has experience in both the outfield and the infield. And he’s also had some success getting on base, with a .330 career on-base percentage.

The Reds have little depth in the infield, so this signing of Harris to a minor-league contract with an invite to Spring Training does make sense. Should Zach Cozart and Scott Rolen both go down at any point in the season, then the bench would be quite thin. Should he make the club, let’s hope he bears no resemblance to Corey Patterson.

I was going to post about the fact that the Reds avoided arbitration by coming to agreements with Homer Bailey, Bill Bray, and Paul Janish tonight. That is, I was until I went to Reds.com and came upon this press release calling for applications to be a Reds Rally Pack rallier.

CINCINNATI (Jan. 17, 2012) – The John Morrell Reds Rally Pack entertainment squad is looking for a few new members for the 2012 Reds season.

The John Morrell Reds Rally Pack is a fan interactive team that serves as ambassadors for Great American Ball Park. Through participating in pregame and in-game activities, greeting fans at the gates, tossing out victory balls and delivering birthday packages, this team knows how to get fans to feel welcome and on their feet at Reds game.

The Rally Pack performs at all home games and at many events throughout the community.

Tryout Expectations:

1. Must be 21 years or older
2. Must have a flexible schedule
3. Customer service and people skills are a must
4. Outgoing and able to talk to new people
5. Crazy/zany personality and willing to be silly in front of 40,000-plus fans
6. Willing to participate in creative promotions

Tryout Information:

1. Please complete application online at www.reds.com/rallypack
2. Only selected applicants will be invited the auditions on Feb. 4.
3. If you are selected, we will contact you by Feb. 1.

For more information, please contact Corey Hawthorne at (513) 765-7343 or chawthorne@reds.com.

The Rally Pack is a paid, seasonal position. The Cincinnati Reds are an Equal Opportunity Employer.

I’m not sure which part I like better: the fact that they try to get you to sign up for SMS alerts when you fill out the application, or the fact that, if chosen, you’ll apparently be rolled into a giant Reds Rally Katamari.

From Reds.com:

One by one, the Reds have been checking off their list of needs. Their latest move appears to have come on Monday night.

I’m not sure that signing a guy who was kinda good several years ago with the Cardinals but has been consistently declining ever since really qualifies as “checking off their list of needs.” Unless, of course, I’m misunderstanding entirely what “need” they’re talking about. But I digress.

MLB.com has learned through a source that outfielder Ryan Ludwick has agreed to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2013. The dollar figure remains unclear, but the Reds weren’t expected to spend a lot to fill their opening for a fourth outfielder.

Well, I would hope not. Myself, I think they should have signed Austin Kearns. He’d be cheaper, similarly capable of blocking young guys, and would allow us to bust out the old “Fear the Ears” shirts.

I guess not all the moves can be winners; sometimes you’ve just got to fill a roster.

John Erardi of the Cincinnati Enquirer has a nice piece up today where he talks to Hall of Famer Tony Perez about what is about to change for recently elected Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.

It isn’t how you think of yourself that changes, Perez said.

It is how others think of you.

That is the biggest thing that will change for Larkin, Doggie predicted.

“Wherever Barry goes, that’s how he will be introduced now: ‘Hall of Famer Barry Larkin,’” said Perez. “On that one weekend a year, it changes the company you keep. That’s why you keep going back. Not only because they (the Hall of Fame officials) want you to, but because you want to. I love seeing those guys again.”

You should read the whole thing, as it includes a nice recounting of Tony Perez’s experience on being inducted and his first tour through Cooperstown.

Plus, if you have any memorabilia signed by Larkin, you’ll get to see how much its value has increased.

This weekend, the Cincinnati Reds signed a couple pitchers to minor league contracts with invites to Spring Training camp. Ron Mahay and Clay Zavada, both left-handed pitchers, will compete in Goodyear this Spring for major league spots.

Mahay is a journey-man pitcher who, at 40 years old, is clearly at the tail end of his career. Last year, he had a successful year with the Minnesota Twins, posting a 3.44 ERA (119 ERA+) over 34 innings.

Zavada was in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ minor league system before being released. Last year, he was with the AA team and made no appearances in the big leagues. His only major league experience was with the Diamondbacks in 2009, when he posted a 3.35 ERA (134 ERA+) over 51 innings.

Of course, the most important thing Zavada brings are his handlebars. He sports one of the finer mustaches in the league and will certainly be bringing some competition to Sam LeCure, Corky Miller, and Mr. Redlegs.

Early this morning, news broke that the Cincinnati Reds had signed the best free agent closer on the market.

No, not you, Francisco Cordero. Instead, the Reds surprised everyone by adding to their growing collection of awesome arms, signing former Philadelphia Phillie closer Ryan Madson. The final contract amount hasn’t yet been confirmed–it’s being reported as anywhere from $8 million to north of $10 million–but the length has. Madson will be with the Reds for one year, just like Sean Marshall.

How does that help? Here’s how the Reds’ pitching was last year.

The Reds pitching staff was 12th out of 16 National League squads in 2012, combining for a 4.16 ERA.

This offseason they also added starter Mat Latos (9-14, 3.47 ERA) and reliever Sean Marshall (6-6, 2.26 ERA).

Yes, those three arms might help. Madson will combine with Marshall for one of the best one-two punches in any bullpen. The move shows again that the Reds think their window of opportunity has a great big “2012″ on its sash.

This also means that Francisco Cordero will not be returning to the Reds. He did well with the team overall, although there were certainly moments and pitching habits that were trying. Madson, at 31, is 5 years younger than Cordero and has been a more effective pitcher the last few years. I think it’s an upgrade.

It’s 2012 now and with the turning of the calendar page we Cincinnati fans also get to ring out the disappointment of last year and ring in the promise of a couple big splashes in the hot stove arena this year.

Mat “Matos” Latos certainly upgrades the starting rotation, and again we find ourselves in the enviable position of too many adequate starters for just five spots. We were in this enviable position last year, too, though, and this time around we’re wiser about the possible effects of injuries and age, and we won’t be so surprised when all of the candidates plus more find their way onto the mound before too long.

It’s the infield that worries me. Scott “Brings New Meaning to ‘Intangibles’” Rolen is slated to come back to the hot corner, which I’m super happy about, but it’s kinda hard to imagine he’s going to be durable for the whole season. Between him and Zach Cozart, Paul “My Bat’s Not that Bad, for Crying Out Loud” Janish is going to have a big backing-up job ahead of him. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too expensive for the team to fortify the left side if they are, indeed, making a run for it this year.

And, to my mind, this is a heckuva year to make a run for it. The Cards are still regrouping after losing Pujols and LaRussa, Epstein hasn’t had a chance to undo all the damage in Chicago, and the Brewers won’t have Ryan Braun till almost June. Next season the dynamic changes, and being the last champion of the six-team NLC wouldn’t be too shabby a new year’s resolution.

Today, the Cincinnati Reds confirmed what the rest of the baseball world knew days ago: they’d traded for reliever Sean Marshall from the Chicago Cubs.

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty today announced the acquisition of LHP Sean Marshall from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for LHP Travis Wood, OF Dave Sappelt and minor league IF Ronald Torreyes.

Marshall, 29, last season for the Cubs posted a 2.26 ERA and 5 saves in 78 relief appearances, tied for fifth-most in the Major Leagues. He established a single-season franchise record with 34 holds while holding opponents scoreless in 65 of his 78 games.

“Sean has been one of the best and most durable relievers in baseball the last couple of seasons,” Jocketty said. “He will be a solid addition to what we think already is a strong bullpen.”

Also in 2011, Marshall allowed just 1 home run in 75.2 innings, the fourth-best ratio among all Major League relievers. His 0.89 ERA in his final 33 appearances of the season was the second-best in the majors over that span to Jose Valverde’s 0.88 ERA. Marshall’s 4.65 strikeouts-per-walks ratio led all relievers who threw at least 75.0 innings.

Over the last 2 seasons, Marshall ranks second among all Major League pitchers with 158 appearances. Among among all big league relievers the last 2 years, he ranks second with a 2.45 ERA and fifth with 150.1 innings pitched and 169 strikeouts. Marshall has posted a sterling 2.67 ERA in 233 career relief appearances.

Last season Wood went 6-6 with a 4.84 ERA in 18 starts and 4 relief appearances for the Reds and 2-3 with a 5.33 ERA in 10 starts for Class AAA Louisville. Sappelt spent most of the season with the Bats but hit .243 in 38 appearances for the Reds. Torreyes hit .356 in 67 games for Class A Dayton.

So the Reds now have a seriously useful piece in their 2012 bullpen. The price was steep, but there can be no doubt that the team is serious about contending next year.

Yardbarker is reporting a rumor that the Reds are in discussions with the Cubs to trade LHP Travis Wood for LHP Sean Marshall.

Marshall, 29, has been one of the game’s top left-handed relievers the past two seasons. He will earn $3.1 million in 2012, then become eligible for free agency.

Wood, 24, endured two minor league demotions last season, finishing 6-6 with a 4.84 ERA in 22 games, including 18 starts, with the Reds. He is expendable in part because of the Reds’ recent acquisition of Mat Latos from the Padres.

It’s not exciting news on the level of the last trade, but it’s nice just hear Cincinnati mentioned in the conversations for a change.

The Reds are reporting that they have completed a five-player trade with the San Diego Padres to send RHP Edinson Volquez, RHP Brad Boxberger, infielder Yonder Alonso, and catcher Yasmani Grandal to the sunshine state in exchange for RHP Mat Latos.

It would have cost the Reds another top-10 prospect to get Mat’s other T, so they decided they could do without it.

Even though all the guys were sort of redundant and there’s scarcely a major leaguer among them, if you follow the Reds, you know that those four young men we’re sending away are a pretty big deal. The one guy we’re getting in return had better be pretty special. Here’s what the story on Reds.com has to say:

The 24-year-old Latos went 9-14 with a 3.47 ERA and .233 average against in 31 starts this past season in San Diego. In 2010, his first full season in the Majors, he set a modern Major League record by allowing two-runs-or-fewer in 15 straight starts of five-or-more innings pitched, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

I’ll also add that his ground ball to fly ball ratio was 0.76 last year.

Clearly we’ll see how it goes as more information emerges and as the season plays out, but for the moment, I’m saying it’s more exciting thing to happen in Reds fandom since June. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.