Reds sign Corey Patterson

According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds have signed Corey Patterson to a minor-league deal. This is important for fantasy baseball purposes because Dusty Baker is an idiot and will probably fall in love with Patterson's low on-base percentage and hand him the center field job. That directly affects the value of both Patterson and our good friend Jay Bruce. Here's the breakdown:

Patterson - When healthy, the little guy has the ability to hit 20 homers and steal 40 bases (albeit with a .260 batting average). The problem is, he's rarely healthy. That said, I wouldn't be afraid to write him down for 15 homers and 30 steals. That has some value. Just keep your expectations tempered due to the low batting average and the distinct possibility that he'll miss 30 games. Right now, I wouldn't draft Patterson until the very last round or two, simply because we don't know whether he'll actually make the Opening Day lineup. But keep an eye on him.

Bruce - This is why I cautioned about drafting rookies in February - because we just don't have enough information to determine whether they'll be in the big leagues to start the year. Obviously, if you're in a deep keeper league, feel free to grab Bruce as I think he'll be a stud in the coming years. But, in more shallow mixed leagues, I would pass on him unless you're a very patient person.