Reds sign two

by shortstopv2 on Feb 1, 2008 9:03 PM EST

From reds.com
Nine years after beginning his Major League career in Pittsburgh, left-hander Scott Sauerbeck is trying to make his way back home.

The addition of Bako increases the Reds' depth behind the plate by adding a veteran catcher with 10 years of Major League experience. In those 10 years, Bako has been traded four times and has already played for nine different big league clubs. All combined, the 35-year-old catcher has a career .233 average.

Bako begins the 2008 season off the heels of a one-year stint as the Orioles' backup catcher. In 60 games for Baltimore last year, Bako hit .205 with one home run and eight RBIs.

The addition of Sauerbeck and Bako brings the list of Reds Spring Training non-roster invitees to 19.

Tweet Comment 26 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

interesting

why bring this guy in (Bako)? Please don't tell me it is a 3 catcher thing again. Or is someone about to get traded?

Hope Springs Eternal! Go Reds

by Caleb on Feb 1, 2008 9:35 PM EST reply actions

ha!

i dont think we'd get anything out of ross or valentin.

Marty may have a shirt on, but Billy Beane just ripped his off and is squeezing his nipples. - Brendan's ukkah

by boobs on Feb 1, 2008 10:07 PM EST up reply actions

PYHC!!!!111!11

"Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us" -1 John 4:10

by shortstopv2 on Feb 1, 2008 10:44 PM EST up reply actions

not workin this go around

by jacob brumfield on Feb 2, 2008 2:03 AM EST up reply actions

Hmm..

I suppose Bako is a bit of an offensive replacement for Chad Moeller, not quite as good of a fielder (as far as I can tell). I'm not sure about the intagibles of Bako. I don't think giving him a look in spring is a bad idea..

by RiverfrontDave on Feb 1, 2008 9:37 PM EST reply actions

His numbers are pretty offensive for sure.

"Men are ruled,this minute by the clock, by liars who refuse them news, and by fools who cannot govern. G.K. Chesterton 1917

by Madville on Feb 2, 2008 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

3 catchers..

We really need an upgrade over Ross. I'm not sure what our options are, but we can't suffer with another year of sub-Mendoza Ross. Wayne?

by RiverfrontDave on Feb 1, 2008 9:39 PM EST reply actions

as long as ross is

as solid defensively as he was last year. One of the top in catching base stealing runners, im fine with him being a red. Not everyone can hit .280 every year.

"Herein is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us" -1 John 4:10

by shortstopv2 on Feb 1, 2008 10:43 PM EST up reply actions

Didn't Bako...

come up as a Red?

by sledridge on Feb 1, 2008 10:40 PM EST reply actions

Didn't come up

but was in the Reds system until he was traded to Detroit for Donne Wall and Melvin Nieves on November 11, 1997. I think his big-league debut came with the Tigers in 1998.

by ctnyc on Feb 3, 2008 1:30 AM EST up reply actions

They got Bako....

so they can get a good inside scouting report on Bedard!

Isn't that obvious???!!!

It all fits!

Yogi Berra said: "predictions are tough, especially when they are about the future".

by Lonesome George on Feb 2, 2008 12:25 AM EST reply actions

he could be just spring training foder

teams always need extra catchers in spring training. The three catcher thing seemed to be more because of Jerry Narron rather then Wayne, at least that is my opinion because it stopped after Narron was fired. The only interesting thing about Bako is he used to be Maddux's personal catcher.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 2, 2008 12:35 AM EST reply actions

Bako, not to be confused with Blanco

Even still, a player I always assumed would play for every team BUT Cincinnati.

by Brian B on Feb 2, 2008 1:06 AM EST reply actions

didn't sauerbeck

go to miami?

2008 NL Central Champs!

by Daedalus on Feb 2, 2008 2:04 PM EST reply actions

Yup.

And then he went to New York and then he went to Pittsburgh and then he went to Boston and then he went to Cleveland and then he went to Oakland and then he went to Toronto and then he (presumably) went home and waited for the team down the street to call him and see if he wanted to compete with Mike Stanton for the postition of shittiest Loogy in the National League.

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 2:24 PM EST up reply actions

Blech.

Look at Stanton's numbers for the second half of last season.

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

I think he could bounce back

Someone crunched the numbers over at Trent's blog and said his BABIP was really bad last season. Perhaps he was just unlucky.

All Things Bubba: Because how can you not love a baseball player named Bubba?

by BubbaFan on Feb 2, 2008 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

He was quite a bit better as the season ended.

His 2007 game log.

It's odd. When the Reds were winning (July and August) Stanton was at his worst. When the Reds started losing in Spetember, Stanton rebounded.

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 4:12 PM EST up reply actions

What do ya'll think of Sean Burnett?

He's pretty banged up but he would seem to have a greater upside than Sauerbeck. (Though I suppose much less veteran presence.)

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 2:46 PM EST reply actions

And one more thing...

..Who is Alexander Smit and why is he on the Reds' 40-man roster?

Take a look around this dump. You're just a tourist with a typewriter. I live here.

by Fat Vegas Alan on Feb 2, 2008 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

a waiver claim

he used to pitch in the Twin's organization. He is from the Netherlands, and left handed. I have read he throws hard. He has his own blog.

http://www.alexandersmit.com/

I have never used this website before, http://www.battleyourtailoff.com/minorblog/index.php?/site/pitching_prospects_4_6/

It is a little dated but they claim he throws around 92, and can run up to 95.

Last year in Sarrasota after Cincinnat picked up him, he had a K rate of 10.56, in only 17 innings. In Dayton his K rate was 7.54. His walk rate is rather high. He fits into the Jon Coutlangus side of Wayne Krivsky. The Twins tried to sneak him through waivers, but Krivksy who probably knew quite a lot about Smit, picked him up.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 2, 2008 4:08 PM EST up reply actions

after some further research

I have discovered that 2006 was a break out year, and he regressed last year and lost some velocity. He projects to be a middle reliever, if he makes it. He is only 21, but he has been in rookie/A ball since he was 17.

The Dusty path to the World Series!

by justin0070000 on Feb 2, 2008 4:43 PM EST up reply actions