Cincinnati Reds to Sign Ryan Ludwick

The Cincinnati Reds are set to sign Ryan Ludwick to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2013, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports via twitter. Jon Heyman is reporting the deal is worth $2.5 million and has incentives that could make the deal worth up to $3 million.

Ludwick, 33, will play left field for the Reds, and adds a decent right-handed bat to the lineup. A career .261 / .332 / .455 hitter, long gone is the sluggy outfielder that was hitting in the .280s-.290s and smacking home runs behind Albert Pujols (which wasn't really that long ago if you look--we're talking 2008-2009). Nonetheless, he hit .251 combined in St. Louis and San Diego, and in 2011 he hit .237 in San Diego and Pittsburgh.

He might still have a little pop in that bat, though, as he was able hit 11 home runs in 100 games in PetCo, which can't be explained adequately with an analogy involving little striking objects and long distances.

• Twitter / @Ken_Rosenthal - "Source: Ryan Ludwick to #Reds"
• Twitter / @Ken_Rosenthal - "Source: Ludwick deal with #Reds is one year with a mutual option for 2013."

• Twitter / @JonHeymanCBS - ludwick gets $2.5M, with chance to make $3M.

• Twitter / @JimBowdenESPNxm - "Walt Jocketty continues his impressive off-season in building the Reds major league club to WIN now as he signs Ryan Ludwick to play LF"

• Twitter / @JimBowdenESPNxm - "Ludwick balances out the Reds lineup and gives them the right-handed bat they needed for LF...he also would have been a good fit for BoSox"