There's a thread on RedsZone right now that says a Dodgers-Reds trade might be imminent, with Jason LaRue heading out and Brad Penny coming our way.
There's also this from Ken Rosenthal:
Keep your eye on the Reds, who might attempt to trade catcher Jason LaRue after acquiring David Ross from the Padres earlier this week.LaRue and Javier Valentin formed the most productive catching tandem in the majors last season, combining for 28 homers and 110 RBIs.
New Reds general manager Wayne Krivsky, however, might want to escape the two-year, $9.1 million contract that LaRue signed in December under the team's previous regime.
At the very least, Krivsky is likely to trade a fourth catcher, Dane Sardinha. Both Sardinha and Ross are out of options and must clear waivers to be sent to the minors.
There is no obvious suitor for LaRue; several clubs would like to improve upon their backup catcher, but few need a starter at the position.
I'm all for getting more pitching. Is anyone else starting to think that this year might not be a throwaway after all? Another decent starter and things would become pretty interesting ...