CINCINNATI -- Skip Schumaker doesn't like waiting around so when he
didn't feel a priority from the Los Angeles Dodgers to bring him back,
the 33-year-old went looking for a new home.
That
home will be with the Reds after he officially signed a two-year, $5
million deal with Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Reds also hold a club
option for 2016, but for this upcoming season they believe they have
upgraded their bench with the veteran Schumaker. He batted. .263 in 125
games for Los Angeles last season, playing second base as well as all
three outfield positions. Schumaker began his career with St. Louis.
Current Reds general manager Walt Jocketty was
the Cardinals' GM in 2001 when Schumaker was selected in the fifth round
of the amateur draft.
"The first thing I wanted
to do was sign with a team that had a really good chance to win. The
Reds have been that way and been one of the best teams in the last three
or four years," said Schumaker. "I like to win. That's just what I'm
kind of used to. I'm used to being on a playoff team, a team that I've
had a really good chance to get to the World Series. I take pride in
that."
Schumaker is scheduled to make $2 million
in 2014, $2.5 million in 2015 and a team option in 2016 worth $2.5
million with a $500,000 buyout.
The deal with
Schumaker was first reported last week by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
It became official after Schumaker underwent a physical. The team also
announced Tuesday that outfielder Derrick Robinson has been designated
for assignment to make room for Schumaker on the 40-man
roster.
Robinson played in 102 games for the Reds
last season, hitting .255. He was used often as a late-inning defensive
replacement. Schumaker has played in 30 postseason games in his career,
including helping St. Louis to a World Series title in 2009. He was
first called up by the Cardinals in 2005.
Schumaker
said during a conference call that his decision came down to the Reds
and one other team. He did have some discussions with the Dodgers but
they were only preliminary talks, according to Schumaker. Los Angeles
won the NL West title last season but lost in the NL championship series
to St. Louis in six games.
"I had a great time
in L.A. and I thought things, especially with the run that we made to
get to the playoffs, that whole deal with how we started and how we
finished was a pretty meaningful run and I thought we had some
unfinished business," said Schumaker. "But I think they had so many
things going on there internally that when we were doing some
negotiations I kind of felt that maybe I was on the
backburner.
"I just really didn't want to wait."
Schumaker
is the second free agent signed by the Reds this offseason. They also
signed former Detroit catcher Brayan Pena to a two-year, $2.3 million
deal this month. Five players who were with the Reds last season --
pitchers Bronson Arroyo, Manny Parra and Nick Masset, outfield Shin-Soo
Choo and infielder Cesar Izturis -- are currently on the free agent
market.
