Reds sign Jimmy Journell and Travis Phelps

[missionhockey21]

Reds sign two to Minor League deals
Righty Journell, lefty Phelps invited to Spring Training
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

The Reds have dipped into the wells of a couple of National League Central foes to find players for their Minor League ranks.

Right-hander Jimmy Journell, a former Cardinals prospect, and left-hander Tommy Phelps, a former Brewers farmhand, were signed by the Reds to Minor League contracts with invitations to Major League camp in Sarasota, Fla.

Journell, 28, went 1-4 with a 4.68 ERA and one save in 34 relief appearances at Triple-A Memphis last season. He also made five relief appearances for the NL Central champion Cards, going 0-1 with a 10.39 ERA.

Journell was a fourth-round draft pick by the Cardinals in 1999.

The 31-year-old Phelps spent the first half of last season with the Brewers and went 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA and one save in 29 relief appearances. Those numbers weren't enough to keep him in the bigs, as the Brewers outrighted him to Triple-A Nashville on July 15. He finished the season there.

Phelps began his pro career in the Expos' organization in 1993 and has also pitched in the farm systems of the Tigers and Marlins. He made his big league debut in 2003, going 3-2 with a 4.00 ERA in 27 games, including seven starts, for the world champion Marlins.

The additions of Journell and Phelps bring the list of those invited to Major League Spring Training camp up to seven. The Reds had already invited infielders Aaron Herr and Anderson Machado, outfielder Dewayne Wise, left-hander Ben Kozlowski and right-hander Jake Robbins.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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[missionhockey21]

I dig the signing of Journell. No risk with a potential reward, that's my kind of signing. If he can find his control that is but there is hope with time and the fact that he is only 27.