Saturday, January 16, 1999
Reds sign Bere for one year
BY JOHN FAY
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Reds avoided arbitration with right-handed pitcher Jason Bere by signing him to a one-year contract Friday.
Bere was one of three remaining Reds eligible for arbitration. Outfielder Michael Tucker and relief pitcher John Hudek are the others.
“It's the same deal we offered at the winter meetings,” Reds General Manager Jim Bowden said. “They wanted a bigger number. We didn't go any higher. They accepted our offer.”
Bowden would not say what the Reds are paying Bere, who was claimed off waivers on July 21. He was 3-2 with a 4.12 ERA in nine games with Cincinnati.
Bowden is still working on deals with Hudek and Tucker.
“There's back and forth,” Bowden said. “We've been talking with Hudek since we traded for him in August. I talked to Tucker's agent five times in the last week. We haven't been able to get anything worked out.”
The Reds have avoided going to arbitration with any player for the past two years.
Willie Greene will not join Hal Morris as a former Red returning to compete for a bench role. Bowden said Greene has signed with Toronto.
Bowden was not optimistic about signing free agent infielder Carlos Baerga either.
“We're in completely different financial leagues right now,” Bowden said.
Bere, 27, will compete for a spot in the starting rotation.
He started last season with the Chicago White Sox. He was 3-7 with a 6.45 earned run average in 18 games before being put on waivers.
Bere went 12-5 for the Sox in 1994 and 12-2 in 1995 but has been plagued by arm trouble since.
He slipped to 8-15 in 1995 and spent most of 1996 on the disabled list with a sore elbow.
He had major surgery on his elbow on Sept.13, 1996. He was 4-2 with a 4.71 ERA in six starts in 1997.
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