Former Cardinals outfielder joins rival Cincinnati

Former Cardinals GM Walt Jocketty continues to recycle one time Redbirds in Cincinnati.  Outfielder Ryan Ludwick his latest acquisition.

(AP) Ryan Ludwick and the Cincinnati Reds agreed to a $2.5 million, one-year contract Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. 

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday night because the deal was pending a physical and no announcement had been made by the team.

An All-Star in 2008 with St. Louis, the 33-year-old Ryan Ludwick was traded from San Diego to Pittsburgh at the July 31 deadline last season. He batted a combined .237 with 13 homers and 75 RBIs.

Ludwick could give the Reds the right-handed bat they've been seeking to complement lefty sluggers Joey Votto  and Jay Bruce. He figures to see playing time in left field, a spot filled mostly by Chris Heisey down the stretch last season after Cincinnati traded Jonny Gomes to Washington in late July.

It's the latest move in a busy offseason for the aggressive Reds, who had previously been focused on pitching. Cincinnati acquired starter Mat Latos and left-handed reliever Sean Marshall in separate trades before reaching an oral agreement on an $8.5 million, one-year contract with free-agent closer Ryan Madson.

Ludwick had a $6,775,000 salary last year.

This would fire-up the Hot Stove League!

Talk of Cincinnati Reds GM Walt Jocketty heading to Chicago to take over the Cubs is expected.  Jocketty is regarded as one of the better general managers in the game.  He has a knack of taking teams with lower payrolls and fielding contenders (St. Louis, Cincinnati).

Just for a second image him in charge of rebuilding the big-market-deep-pocket Chicago Cubs. In a word...scary (if you are a fan of a team other than the Cubs).  It might not happen overnight but I don't think the wait for a perennial contender at Wrigley Field would be a long.

According to a Chicago Sun Times article a Cubs team run by Jocketty might entice the likes of manager Tony LaRussa and the games best hitter Albert Pujols.

I think the Cubs / Cardinals rivalry has flamed out a little the past couple of years, replaced by bitterness with Cincinnati & Milwaukee, but a Jocketty-LaRussa-Pujols move to the Windy City would blow the rivalry into an inferno.

www.suntimes.com