HAMILTON HEADS TO TEXAS
The Texas Rangers acquired outfielder Josh Hamilton from the Cincinnati Reds for pitchers Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera.
What does it give the Texas Rangers
Even though Texas signed outfielder Milton Bradley last week, they were still in the market for a natural center fielder. With the acquisition of Josh Hamilton, the Rangers now have a dependable glove to man the middle for the foreseeable future. Hamilton was one of the feel good stories of 2007. Out of baseball for the previous three years due to substance abuse issues, the 26-year-old hit .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBI for the Reds in his rookie season.
What does it give the Cincinnati Reds
The presence of outfielders Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Ryan Freel and Norris Hopper in Cincinnati made Hamilton expendable. The addition of two young arms in Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera adds pitching depth to the Reds. While Herrera is still a year or two away from contributing at the major league level, Volquez could step in and claim a back of the rotation starting gig in 2008.
Fantasy impact
