Reds Get Buddy Bell, Give Rangers Walker

The Cincinnati Reds announced Friday that they have acquired Texas Ranger third baseman Buddy Bell in exchange for outfielder Duane Walker and a player to be named.

Bell, who agreed to terms with the Reds through the 1988 season, will be in Cincinnati’s starting lineup tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The deal had been rumored the past week but did not become official until the Reds issued a brief announcement today.

Walker had been told by Reds’ Manager Pete Rose immediately after Thursday night’s game that he and an unnamed player were going to the Rangers in exchange for Bell. The unnamed player has been speculated to be pitcher Jeff Russell, a member of the Reds’ triple-A Denver affiliate of the American Assn.

Walker said he was looking forward to the opportunity to play in Texas and that he enjoyed playing in Cincinnati. Several teammates came by to offer goodbys late Thursday night, but moments later, Reds’ General Manager Bill Bergesch entered the locker room and said no trade had been made and that he “hadn’t done anything officially.”

Bergesch said any announcement at that time was “premature,” and that the Reds and Rangers would continue negotiations today. Following the conclusion of those talks came Friday’s announcement that the deal had been completed.

Walker, who is in his 10th year with the Reds’ organization, has a .167 batting average, with two home runs and six RBI. As a pinch-hitter, he is 3-for-26.

In Detroit, where Bell broke an 0-for-25 slump in the Rangers’ game against the Tigers Thursday night, the third baseman confirmed that he had been in Cincinnati earlier Thursday and agreed in principle to a contract.

He had requested a trade from Texas after the Rangers reportedly failed to renegotiate his contract.

“My contract situation was taken care of within a matter of 15 minutes this morning,” Bell said Thursday night. “I signed (he later amended it to “agreed to”) basically the same contract I had (with Texas).”

Bell, 34, a native of Cincinnati, had said for the past several days he wanted to play for the Reds.