Posted at 12:43 p.m., Saturday, July 28, 2007
Baseball: Reds acquire INF Cantu from Devil Rays
Associated Press
CINCINNATI - The Cincinnati Reds acquired infielder Jorge Cantu, a minor leaguer and cash from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for reliever Brian Shackelford, a minor league pitcher and future considerations today.
The Reds optioned Cantu to Triple-A Louisville.
The 25-year-old Cantu had played out his welcome in Tampa Bay after setting the Devil Rays' single-season club record in 2005 with 117 RBIs with 28 home runs while hitting .286. He was named the team's Most Valuable Player that season.
Last season, he hit .249 with 14 homers and 62 RBIs, and he hit .207 in 25 games with the Devil Rays this year. He was sent to the minors on July 19 and said at the time he expected he'd played his last game for Tampa Bay.
Shackelford spent parts of the 2005 and 2006 seasons with the Reds. He was 0-5 in 41 relief appearances with Louisville this season. Tampa Bay also received minor league right-hander Calvin Medlock, who was a combined 4-3 in 42 relief appearances with Louisville and Double-A Chattanooga.
The Reds also received outfielder Shaun Cumberland, who was hitting .246 with six home runs and 34 RBI for Double-A Montgomery. Cumberland was assigned to Chattanooga.
The Devil Rays have been making wholesale changes to what has been the worst bullpen in baseball. Over its last 26 1-3 innings, the bullpen has given up 39 runs.
The team added reliever Grant Balfour in a trade with the Brewers on Friday, and sent down Shawn Camp on Saturday. On Monday, they placed Jay Witasick on the 15-day disabled list, sent J.P. Howell to Triple-A Durham and called up Jason Hammel and Juan Salas from Durham.
