[Note by Rick House, 08/18/08 3:58 PM EDT ]: This should make for an excellent off-day open thread. -Rick

From MLBTR.

First, Jockety has free reins to spend as much of Castellini's money as he wants.  However, this quote bothers me: 

"Dunn was going to be a free agent and Griffey had an option we weren't going to exercise, so we just felt it was time to turn the page and get some players back to help give us more depth," Jocketty said. "They were both guys who had great careers here. But it wasn't working, so we're trying something different."

Now, I don't know anyone that disagrees that Jr. needed to go.  I also don't know anyone who'd say "it was working" in Cinci.  However, Dunn was the best hitter in the lineup (by OPS) he was a regular (based on at least 502 PA, or "a regular player" by baseball stat rules (3.1 PA/team game)) every year except '05, when Jr's OPS was 18 points higher (3 points of OPS+).  If you're struggling, why get rid of your best hitter?  Why cite "free agency" if " majority owner Bob Castellini has made it clear that Jocketty will have free rein to shape the team as he sees fit"?  I can understand blowhard radio announcers blaming the best player for a team's failure, but the GM should know better.  At least I'd hope so.

Second link is human interest only.  Chris Gruler doesn't blame the magic stick.