Reds, Gomes reach deal
Published 2:43 am Tuesday, January 20, 2009
The Cincinnati Reds and outfielder Jonny Gomes agreed to a minor league contract Monday with an invitation to spring training.
Gomes played the first four months of last season with AL champion Tampa Bay before being optioned to Triple-A Durham. He was recalled on Sept. 13 and finished the year batting .182 with eight homers and 21 RBIs.
The 28-year-old Gomes, who started 45 games for the Rays last season, is a .235 career hitter with 66 homers and 184 RBIs. He ranks fifth on Tampa Bay’s career home run list, first among right-handed hitters.
Gomes was selected by Tampa Bay in the 18th round of the June 2001 draft. He hit 21 homers as a rookie in 2005, then 20 the following season and 17 in 2007.