Tommy Pham Signs On As The Reds Left Fielder

 

 

 

 

 Reds signed outfielder Tommy Pham to a one year contract this morning.

David Bell will put him in left field with Jake Fraley this season. 

"He will be a big part of our team, a big part of our lineup.  He's going to play a lot.  He is going to play left field. He's another guy because of the DH will be part of that mix. Tommy Pham is an all around player.  We dol have the DH this year so, again it just opens up that rotation."

Bell knows Pham well from his days with the St. Louis CardinalThes.

I got to know Tommy really well in the St. Louis organization. I actually got to know him before he was in our major league camp.  The first time I saw Tommy. He was int he minor league camp and I was an assistant hitting coach. So, I was in the cage all the time.  He was always the last guy in the cage. It seemed like for hours he was in their working by himself.  We spent a couple of years together on the major league team. He is just a guy who earned everything.  Even to get to the big leagues in the first place. It says a lot about him, the way he works hard.  He's really competitive. He's going to add a lot to our team. He's turned himself into a really good player.  His track record speaks for itself."

Pham's competitiveness was on display in his first comments after the deal became official.

 I looked at this team, the park, the manager. I have a great history with DB (Bell). I love him from my time in St. Louis. I get to get with one of my hitting  coaches, Joey Votto.  I text him. He's my hitting coach man. I'm telling you guys. He helped me get my swing right. We talked hitting through the years."

"The Reds were one of the teams that called early. I actually think they called before the lockout too.  It is just how it all got drawn together."

"I have a lot of catching up to do. I'm going to be on these back fields a lot. I have to get my game right, offense, defense.  Everyone in baseball pretty much got a two week head start from me.

"I am going to approach this season as a revenge tour.  I'm playing to get my numbers, man.  I'm being dead honest with you.  There is nothing selfish about it.  I'm playing to get some numbers.I don't care about anything else. I'm looking out for me. At the end of the day baseball is going to move on without me.  I have to get mine right now."

In eight season Pham is a .265 hitter with 97 home runs and an even 300 RBI.  His best year was with the Cardinals in 2017 when he hit .306 with 23 home runs and 73 RBI.