Looking around for trade news, it's amazing how much of it is recycled crap. Nonetheless, here are Reds trade rumors (and some notes on the Randa trade), six days out:
* Hal McCoy on trading Dunn:
Q -- What are the odds of Adam Dunn being traded, and do you think it would be a good move? -- Michael, DaytonA -- When I was in Las Vegas over the All-Star break, they had odds on everything, but that and my wallet says I shouldn't have wagered on most of them. The Reds are close-vested on what they'll do. General manager Dan O'Brien continues to say they aren't interested in trading young players. To an old geezer like me, that's everybody on the team, but Dunn is especially young. His upside is tremendous. He'll hit 35 to 40 homers every year and he gets on base. I'd love to see him swing more with runners on base instead of taking walks, but he'll learn. Personally, keep the big guy.
* From the same Q & A, Hal on Eric Milton:
Q -- Do you think GM Dan O'Brien would trade Eric Milton? Wouldn't it be admitting he made a big mistake, like keeping Anderson Machado on the roster? -- Parsin, DaytonA -- Machado is gone, finally. Took a while, though, didn't it? There is interest out there in Milton, who might be a much better pitcher in a bigger park, like Yellowstone. To me, it wouldn't be admitting a mistake. It's called cutting your losses. And in this case, it would mean adding about $17 million to the payroll over the next two seasons.
* This column says the Reds should think hard about dealing Junior:
That is precisely the reason the Reds should be attempting to unload the exorbitant salary of 35-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. on any team willing to take on his contract. The front office would also be doing Junior a favor by dealing him to a contender where he may appear in a World Series before he retires.If Atlanta, New York or Houston (or anyone else) will pay all or even a large portion of Junior's contract, ship him there ASAP. Yes, he is having a very good season and is healthy for a change but that should only serve to make him more attractive to a team still in the pennant race.
I just can't imagine Dan O'Brien making such a blockbuster trade, no matter how hard I try.
* Nice Kansas City article on Joe Randa:
All of this hullabaloo for Joe Randa.Joe Randa?
He just sat there and listened, wondering what was true and what was simply talk-show fodder. The 35-year-old Randa had spent most of his career in low-profile Kansas City. Though his name surfaced in trade talks, Randa never thought the Royals would deal him.
* From the NY Post:
ADAM DUNNWhy Reds should trade him: He makes $4.6 million this season, is about to become very expensive and is a free agent in two years. The Reds have outfield depth to replace him. They have a ballpark that will make it easy to attract hitters, not pitchers, so they should use him to score young pitching. He strikes out too much, slugs nearly 175 points better at home than on the road and has trouble against lefties, so before he potentially hurts his value with diminished performance compared to inflated salary, act now.
Who might want him: Mets, Astros, Dodgers, Indians.
Suggested trade: To the Dodgers for Chad Billingsley, Edwin Jackson and Yhency Brazoban. The Dodgers are one of the majors' deepest organizations, their GM Paul DePodesta has a track record that he will trade, Los Angeles badly needs a bat and Dunn is a classic Moneyball player, and DePodesta's DNA is filled with Moneyball, which also means he is not afraid to trade a closer and create another from within the system. Billingsley is one of the minors' top pitching prospects. Jackson was, but has faded badly. Brazoban becomes the Reds' closer or can easily be flipped to a bullpen-hungry contender for another starting prospect.
If the Dodgers would toss a prospect besides Edwin Jackson into the above deal, I'd have to seriously consider it.