WIETERS!

Is Baltimore kicking in any money? Because otherwise I think the Reds may have overpaid if the two minor leaguers are worth anything.

Boy! Whaddaya know.

The Orioles didn't have much of a bargaining position, one would think, being hoping for a chance to trade Ramon Hernandez and play their new star catcher. What kind of prospects are these?

Looks like the Reds are deciding they can take advantage of other teams' reluctance to spend right now...I didn't even realize their ownership had changed 3 years ago.

Brandon "Who are you" Waring?

I agree, Freel's a nifty player, I'd rather have him... especially if they're also trading Encarnacion as has been rumored... heck, they have holes all over the place, they surely would have used him somehow.

Cincy was pretty desperate at catcher, though, and Ramon's ok.

Rotoworld says that "it's believed" that Baltimore's kicking in $1M.

These prospects aren't particularly interesting. John Sickels just rated the Reds' top 20 a few days ago, and neither was in there. Waring seems to have decent power potential, but strikes out a ton and is apparently a marginal defensive 3B. Turner sounds like a utility type.

I am not sure the Bailey/Dye deal is confirmed yet, but this deal and that one do fit in with what I expected Jocketty/Baker to do: bring in veterans.

I expect Juan Pierre will be next, and they will also bring in a vet SS--maybe Cesar Izturis.

Freel is cooked. He got a concussion last year and has played sparingly since. Speed guys may age well, but reckless guys do not.

Rumor has it the O's want Izturis, badly. Don't think much of Freel, but the trade allowed Baltimore to dump some salary, and if either of the two prospects pan out, great.

At the risk of rewashing the laundry, I agree Freel is cooked, not nifty - the little man on his shoulder told him Baltimore is gonna be great for the "two" of them.

I am not sure the Bailey/Dye deal is confirmed yet,

Not only is it not confirmed but I just read something from Tim Brown on Yahoo mentioning that Dye to Atlanta isn't as close as is being reported by some. So that's either a typo, or Dye/Bailey is old news.

Yeah, I read that Jocketty shot down the Dye/Bailey rumor the same day it first came up.

An additional benefit for the Reds: Justin Turner is an undersized, scrappy 2nd baseman with limited pigmentation. That's the kind of guy who gets overhyped (see: Freel, Ryan) in Cincy to the overall detriment of the team.

Hernandez ought to add 50 points of OPS over the 2008 catcher spot from the Reds, and losing Freel is addition by subtraction. Definitely worth the extra payroll.

Rumor has it the O's want Izturis, badly.

Rumor is they're offering 2/$6.5 million. Yowza.

Also, re: the Freel trade. The Cincy Enquirer blog has the Orioles chipping in $3M. FWIW.

Rumor is they're offering 2/$6.5 million. Yowza.

Why is that a yowza?

The key to the deal was Farney.

I like this deal for both teams.

Good riddance, Ramon.

Rox/Nats swap Taveras and Redding.

It wouldn't surprise me if Ramon flashes some power at the plate and effort on defense, like he did in his first Orioles season. Especially since it's a contract year. But he really seemed to mail it in in 2008.

Rox/Nats swap Taveras and Redding.

Taveras was pretty awful last year, but he's still fairly young (turns 27 on Christmas) and would be a nice fit as a fourth outfielder. I'm not really sorry to see him go, but Redding is nothing special either. A righthanded Glendon Rusch. Looks like a pretty meh trade all around.

Ryan Spilborghs will apparently take over in center for the Rockies.

No Taveras/Redding trade

@21:

Thanks. I think this is another reminder (I myself was talking about the implications of the "Dye/Bailey deal" yesterday) to wait for real confirmation.

When I saw this, I didn't think it made much sense for these teams--particularly for Colorado.

The Sun is reporting that the O's have agreed in principle with Izturis for $6M.

Later Ramon, thanks for mailing it in the last two years. I look forward to seeing you rebound during your walk year.

Ultimately I don't like to lose Turner, as I think he can put in some solid organizational-filler years. I think Freel is finished (as I'm sure O's fans feel about Hernandez). Ryan Hanigan probably has a good chance of being more valuable than Hernandez next year all things considered. Hopefully Ramon will get a boost fromt the weaker league and a contract year.

My fear is that the Reds will use a Hernandez/Hanigan platoon when a Hanigan/Hernandez platoon will be more savvy, but I can't get too down on them for that. I just wish they didn't give up quite so much given that the Orioles needed to make room for Wieters.

Does this mean Wieters gets the job right away?

Does this mean Wieters gets the job right away

thats what i have been reading, yes

No, Wieters will spend enough time in AAA to delay free agency by a year. Only takes a couple weeks.

The O's have no catchers on the 40 man roster at the moment - if Wieters is to start the season in the minors (which I hope he does), the team will need to add a couple more.

The rumor is the O's are looking at Gregg Zaun as a stop gap/backup for Wieters.

Thanks. I think this is another reminder (I myself was talking about the implications of the "Dye/Bailey deal" yesterday) to wait for real confirmation.

When I saw this, I didn't think it made much sense for these teams--particularly for Colorado.

Supposedly one of the players (my guess is Redding) failed a physical.