Reds sign OF Choo to one-year deal
The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbtration with outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on Monday when they reached agreement on a one-year, $7.375 million contract.
According to MLB Trade Rumors, Choo requested $8 million and the Reds offered $6.75 million in January. Choo will become a free agent after the 2013 season.
The deal with Choo leaves pitchers Homer Bailey and Mat Latos the only arbitration-eligible players yet to reach an agreement with the team, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
Choo, who came to the Reds in an offseason deal with Jason Donald from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Drew Stubbs and Didi Gregorius, is attempting to move to center field.
"I'm not comfortable there yet," he told The Enquirer. "At the major-league level, I played 99 percent of my games in right field. I'll try. I'll work on it this spring training. We'll see how they're thinking. If they're not (happy), somebody else will be playing in center field."
