From the Enquirer:
The Reds signed left-hander Michael Gosling Friday and declared him a competitor for the No. 5 spot in the rotation.
snip…
To get Gosling on the 40-man roster, the Reds designated right-hander Luke Hudson for assignment.
Gosling, 25, split last year between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Triple-A Tucson. He was 0-3 with a 4.45 ERA for the D’backs.
“He’ll be in competition for the No. 5 spot in the rotation,” Krivsky said.
Gosling’s best year was 2002 when he went 14-5 with a 3.13 ERA at Double-A El Paso. He had shoulder surgery in 2003.
Hudson, 28, might have had the best stuff in the Reds’ organization, but he’s had trouble harnessing it. He slipped to 6-9 with a 6.38 ERA last year after going 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA in ’04.
The Reds have 10 days to trade, release or outright Hudson to the minors. Krivsky said they’d be open to re-signing him to a minor-league deal if he clears waivers.
I like this signing. It’s tons better than the Perez signing of the day before. Though I’d rather see Belisle get a shot at the #5 spot, I’m hoping they’ve signed someone here that can help this team improve.
All the scouts say that Hudson has terrific stuff but he must leave most of it on the bullpen mound. He’s had more than ample chances to make his mark but always seems to come up short. Maybe a full season w/Vern will straighten him out.
BTW has anyone heard of Don Gullett since he was fired last year? For years, the Reds seemed to be terrified that some other team would scarf him up at a moments notice.