Reds trade Stubbs

The Cincinnati Reds have announced that outfielder Drew Stubbs has been traded to the Cleveland Indians in a three-team swap, which also included sending shortstop prospect Didi Gregorious to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the exchange the Reds acquired outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, infielder Jason Donald, and $3.5 million from Cleveland.

The Reds hope Choo will be the lead-off hitter they needed in 2012. Choo brings to the plate eight years of experience with a .289 batting average and a .381 on base percentage.

Stubbs in comparison has a career average of .241 and an on base percentage of .312. Stubbs also holds fourth place in all of baseball on the “Single-Season Leaders and Records for Strikeouts” list for his 205 strikeouts during the 2011 season.

Unfortunately Choo isn't as speedy as Stubbs, stealing only 85 bases in his eight-year career as compared to Stubb’s 110 steals in four years. Nor does he have the experience playing centerfield, having played only 10 career games in this position.

The Reds also added utility player Jason Donald. Donald enters his fourth season in the majors, bringing a .257 batting average and a .362 slugging percentage.

By: Karen L. Willdermood
MLBCenter.com Staff Writer