The Reds are suddenly making all the right moves, which is more than you can say for Josh Fogg. The veteran right-hander settled for a one-year, $1 million deal with Cincinnati after turning down $5 million to stay in Colorado. He is likely to join Jeremy Affeldt and Matt Belisle in a rotation including Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. That means no need to rush Homer Bailey, Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto or Matt Maloney, all of whom could push to win a job in spring training. …
Nolan Ryan won’t be a figurehead as the Rangers’ new club president. He will have a major say in all areas, which can’t make general manager Jon Daniels too comfortable. … Speaking of comfort, scouts say Walt Jocketty has gone out of his way not to threaten GM Wayne Krivsky since the Reds hired him as a special assistant. The bet here is Jocketty will be a GM again somewhere in 2009, but probably not Cincinnati. … Barry Bonds will be on the cover of the Giants’ 2008 media guide. He’s included in a tribute to the franchise’s 50 years in San Francisco. … Bobby Cox, 67 in May, hasn’t committed to the Braves beyond this season, but most who know him expect him to stay as long as his health allows. …
The Brewers don’t seem to be showing scars from their disappointing finish a year ago. They had all eight position-player regulars in camp three days before the first scheduled full-squad workout. Young ace Yovani Gallardo is questionable for Opening Day after having his knee scoped, but their biggest challenge is rebuilding a bullpen that lost Francisco Cordero, Scott Line- brink and Matt Wise. … With the late addition of lefty Odalis Perez, the Nationals have 74 players in camp. Among them: blast-from-the-past brothers Aaron and Bret Boone.
