Cincinnati Reds: 5 Reasons the Reds Should Re-Sign Ramon Hernandez

On Tuesday the Commissioner's Office and the Major League Players Association agreed to alter the Draft pick compensation rules on five Type A free agents.

Reds free-agents Francisco Cordero and Ramon Hernandez were included and will now be treated as Type B free agents.

What does that mean? It means these five players ball clubs will no longer have to offer arbitration to receive Draft pick compensation. However, the signing club will no longer be required to relinquish a first-round pick as compensation.

This is good news for Cordero and Hernandez, as they are now more attractive to the market and the Reds will also benefit by not having to offer arbitration to receive some type of compensation. However, I believe this is just one more reason the Reds should re-sign Hernandez.

Below I have listed five reasons I believe re-signing Hernandez would be a wise move for the Reds:

1. Reds manager Dusty Baker, as well as most Major League managers, like the idea of having veterans on the roster. Hernandez has shown. that while he is injury prone, he can still play.
2. Hernandez could fill the mentor role for the two youngsters (Mesoraco & Grandal).
3. Hernandez should come fairly inexpensively, ($3.0 million in 2011).
4. Hernandez would add a clutch bat off the bench when not in the starting line-up. And,
5. Ryan Hanigan would be dispensable and should be attractive trade bait with only $3.25 million owed through 2013.

At 35, many of you may believe Hernandezs' age has caught-up with him and it is time for him to go. It is hard to argue with that point. However, I think he can still contribute on the field in a part-time role and that his real value would be as a mentor to Devin Mesoraco and Yasmani Grandal.