Bullpen arms are still out there for Reds

There are still plenty of interesting names out there if the Reds decide to try to bargain shop for free-agent relievers.

The list includes three closers from last year: Francisco Rodriguez (44 saves for Milwaukee), Rafael Soriano (32 saves for Washington) and Casey Janssen (25 saves for Toronto). They are extremely unlikely to fall into the Reds' price range.

Everything the Reds have said this offseason indicates they do not have a lot of money to spend. But with spring training three weeks away, players are often willing to drop their asking price for opportunity. The Reds can offer that. The bullpen had the second-worst ERA in the National League last year, so spots will be open.

Here's three intriguing names still out there that might fall into the Reds' range:

-- RHP Burke Badenhop. He put up a 2.29 ERA in 70 games for the Red Sox last year.

-- RHP Joe Thatcher. He's held lefties to a .230 average in his career. Had a 3.86 ERA last year, but he struggled after being traded from Arizona to the Angels. From Kokomo, Ind.

-- RHP Alexi Ogando: Has started and relieved. Wasn't very good last year (6.86 ERA), but he was good in his previous years with Texas.

I don't know if the Reds are a) interested in any of the above or b) could afford any of the above.

So far, the Reds have tried to address their bullpen problems by adding a couple of minor-league free agents with big-league experience.

Left-hander Jose Mijares and right-hander Nate Adcock have a decent shot at making the club. Mijares has a 3.23 ERA over 324 big-league games. He did not pitch in 2014 after getting cut by Boston in the spring. He put up a 1.71 ERA in Winter Ball in Venezuela.

Adcock, 27, has spent time in the big leagues three of the last four seasons. He was 0-0 with a 4.50 ERA for Texas last year.

The Reds could also use Jason Marquis in a bullpen role.

The other thing the club needs to do is look at all of the young arms in the organization. That can work out. Scott Williamson, who was part of the Reds Caravan this year, is a living example of that. He came into camp in 1999 as a non-roster invitee who had spent most of the previous year at Double-A as a starter. He went 12-7 with a 2.41 ERA and 19 saves in '99 to win the Rookie of the Year award.