I hate trades with that many players because there are so many stats to look up. I'll never know who got shafted. I'll just assume it was Bowden.

I wonder if the acquisition of Kearns seals Soriano's fate.

Of course they're probably going to dump Guillen too. Oakland should add Jose to the list of dysfunctionals on that roster already.

Nope Bowden made off like a bandit.

What was Wayne Krivsky thinking?! Doesn't he know that arms for the bullpen are a dime a dozen?

On the flip side, I bet Denofria sticks and does well playing everyday. Still, I would have expected a lot more return on Kearns and Felipe Lopez.

Well they got Royce Clayton.

My quick impression of the deal...

NATS Get:
-Currently serviceable MLB OF with a stellar minor league track record who is still young enough that it can fairly be said of him he just hasn't put it all together yet.
-Young MLB SS with an up and down minor league track record, but a breakout season in the bigs last year. Defense might be untenable at SS, but he's still young enough that it can fairly be said of him he still has time to improve that aspect of his game.
-Former 1st round pitching prospect who put up filthy numbers in college. In the pros, he's walked too many guys, but the Ks are always there, and he's still young enough that it can fairly be said of him he still has time to figure out how to lower those walk totals. Until he does, he's a viable setup type guy, and if he does reduce the walks, he'll be a closing candidate.

REDS get:
-A middle reliever who hasn't shown that he can strike guys out consistently. In a good year, he's a setup guy, and in the long run all you can expect him to be is decent back of the bullpen filler.
-The left handed version of the first-round prospect above, only with a year less experience, and fewer walks. He looks to be a good relief prospect, especially if those Hits/9 would ever drop.
-Infielder blocked on the big club. Was never a GREAT prospect anyway. The last time he put up even close to impressive numbers was 2004 in the PCL, an extreme hitter's league. Also blocked on his new team.
-Tony Womack, only with less speed and no positional flexibility.
-Very young, raw, undersized, right handed pitcher who hasn't shown a great K/BB ratio in 2 pro seasons. Too early to tell.

Snap judgment says Bowden just pulled a fast one on the Reds.

--David

Wow, looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue, er, I mean to be away from the computer.

This trade is heroic if only because I no longer have to watch Royce Clayton play when I got to baseball games.

I don't know what his numbers look like, but Bill Bray has impressed me as a tough kid with a good head on his shoulders. He has a decent amount of upside (but of course is, in the end, just another ticket in the relief pitcher lottery). Majewski throws hard but hasn't been striking out many; my son has a signed Majewski ball, not looking forward to telling him about this.

The Natmosphere is consumed with joy. Some quotes from the main Nats chat site:

"I'm smiling. The team hasn't made me do that since.... last june?"

"Well, we found one GM that Bowden can outperform."

"I need to go shake Stan Kasten's hand for being smart enough to retain Jim Bowden." (kind of joking)

link: http://tinyurl.com/oo9n9 -- discussion of the trade starts at 140.

In other moves, apparently the Yankees have signed Sidney Ponson.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2518391

I figured that the Bronx Banterers will handle that one.

There is much gnashing of teeth and rendering of garments over at the Banter. Except for those brave optomists who believe the Aruban Knight is an upgrade on failing Jedi Knight Obi-Shawn Chaconi.

Looks like Krivsky got hosed to me. None of the players he recieved are likely ever to be as valuable as Kearns, and there's the distinct possibility that none of it ever turns into anything worthwhile. The only real right-now help is a middling reliever who doesn't miss many bats, and walks his share. A 26-year-old 2B who wasn't much good last year and is as yet to crack the majors? A classic TINSTAPP? One guy who'll probably be an okay reliever one day? Not much swag for two starters, if not stars, who are just entering their primes. Especially given that the Reds might be able to compete this year.

I'm with the group. THis trade looks to me like Austin Kearns and a whole lot of noise. If anything, the only other real player in the deal is Lopez, and he went the same direction as Kearns.

Maybe its just a mutual salary dump? Sound and fury, signifying almost nothing...

Having Kearns on my fantasy team, I'm not thrilled.