This is one of those deals where you tend to let your emotions get the best of you.  Josh Hamilton won over the hearts of Reds fans last year with a solid campaign after they picked him up in the Rule 5 draft.  Now after just that one solid season, he’s been dealt to the Rangers.  There’s no doubt Hamilton is an exciting player, but you have to give the Reds front office some kudos on this one.  They basically turned a player they gave up nothing to get (the cost for a Rule 5 player it $50k) and turned it into some pitching help.  You also have to take into account the logjam of outfielders the Reds already have so it looks like Dusty Baker and the front office decided Hamilton was the odd man out.

Volquez was the Rangers minor league pitcher of the year and with 156 strikeouts in 144 2/3 innings at the higher levels of the minors, you have to be impressed with his stuff.  He’s untested at the major league level and control is an issue.  He has 55 strikeouts and 42 walks at the big league level over 80 major league innings and while this isn’t as pronounced at the minor league level (563 strikeouts versus 216 walks in 551 innings).  Volquez will fill in a spot at the back of the Reds rotation, not that anyone with big league starting experience couldn’t have done that.

The Reds also got minor league hurler Danny Herrera.  His Double A debut last year went well and while he’ll probably start the season in the minors, this is a guy who, best case scenario, gives the Reds a solid option out of the pen.

Of course with the three young players, this is one of those deals where we won’t know for a while who won out.  If Hamilton goes on to play in an All Star game or two, then who knows unless Volquez turns into a solid fourth starter behind Harang, Arroyo and Bailey.

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