Oh, Happy Day, Reds Fans! Taveras traded to Oakland!

• RiverRat13

  Our long national nightmare is over.
  
  http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100201&content_id=8004482&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin
• Eric Taylor

  This makes no sense.
  
  The only thing this did was save money.
  
  This is only my opinion, but I believe they made this deal to set up something else.
• crab42

  This move makes all the sense in the world... It removes one of Dusty's weapons of self-destruction. It tells Drew Stubbs, Chris Dickerson, and even Chris Heisey that they will be on this ballclub if they perform and someone won't be kept around just because of contract status. This also improves the talent level while giving the Reds some of the money they used to sign Cabrera.
  
  Any time you can save money and remove crud like Cabrera it is a win win situation for your ballclub.
• Eric Taylor

  So it makes sense to just give away Taveras AND Rosales?
  
  Hell, I would be stunned if Aaron Miles even makes the team.
• crab42

  Miles was also a salary dump for Oakland... Taveras was just DFAd after being sent to Oakland.
  
  What good does Willy Taveras do on this ballclub? This could be a move that allows the Reds to bring back Jonny Gomes... Rosales is terrible also, even though he's a fan favorite. Whatever the purpose or the motivation for this move is, doesn't really matter that much to be because removing Willy means that Dusty can't put him in the lineup. Dusty is less likely to play Miles (assuming he makes the team) that he would have been to play Willy over the young pups in the outfield. You have to give Dusty a team that he can't screw up.
• crab42

  It also might mean that Oakland want Rosales, but the Reds insisted that Willy be taken in the deal.
• justincredible

  

  Goodbye, Willy!
• SportsAndLady

  

  There is a God
• mhs95_06

  crab42 wrote: It also might mean that Oakland want Rosales, but the Reds insisted that Willy be taken in the deal.

  So each team traded players for the other team to dump! $4MM for Taveras, and $2.7MM for Miles! That means it must have cost the A's $1.3MM and the player to be named later to get a player they wanted(Rosales). I hope the player to be named later doesn't come with any salary over the minimum!
• jordo212000

  

  Eric Taylor wrote: So it makes sense to just give away Taveras AND Rosales?
  
  Hell, I would be stunned if Aaron Miles even makes the team.

  You're not serious are you? What is there to not understand? The Reds got rid of an expensive piece of garbage.
• BCBulldog

  

  Miles was hurt last year. In '08 he hit .317, so I see a lot of upside here - Tavares gone, Rosales gone, $1.3 mm saved, a PTBNL and a veteran backup for Cabrera and Phillips. I don't see much of a downside here.
• crab42

  I'm just thrilled the Reds found a trading partner willing to take Taveras off their hands. Rosales is as replaceable a player as you can get... If Miles doesn't make the team then the Reds have other young guys that can step in and be the utility guy that gets 1 start every week or 2 weeks. I'm just glad that Willy isn't at Dusty's disposal.
• Soda Popinski

  Eric Taylor wrote: So it makes sense to just give away Taveras AND Rosales?
  
  Hell, I would be stunned if Aaron Miles even makes the team.

  Yes it does make sense. I would have been happy with a medium size bag of Sunflower seeds for Taveras.
• mhs95_06

  Can Gomes play 1B? Who other than Hernandez can play 1st base?
• mhs95_06

  I think they'll sign Gomes, and the 25 man roster will look like this:
  
  Hernandez
  Hanigan
  
  Votto
  Phillips
  Cabrera
  Rolen
  Janish
  Franciso
  Miles or Sutton
  
  Bruce
  Stubbs
  Gomes
  Dickerson
  Balentein or Heisey
  
  Harang
  Arroyo
  Cueto
  Bailey
  Chapman or Maloney
  Owings
  Cordero
  Rhodes
  Masset
  Herrera
  Lincoln
• SportsAndLady

  

  Votto
• mhs95_06

  SportsAndLady wrote: Votto

  I meant to back up the mainstay Votto!
• SportsAndLady

  

  Yeah right after I posted that, I immediately knew waht you meant haha
• crab42

  I don't think Francisco makes the team... I could be wrong, but he doesn't look in the plans for this season and he MUST work on pitch selection.
  
  Here's my guess
  
  C
  Hernandez
  Hanigan
  
  INF
  Votto
  Phillips
  Cabrera
  Rolen
  Sutton
  Janish
  
  OF
  Stubbs
  Bruce
  Dickerson
  Balentien
  Gomes
  
  SP
  Harang
  Arroyo
  Cueto
  Bailey
  Maloney
  
  RP
  Lincoln
  Fisher
  Masset
  Burton
  DRH
  Rhodes
  Cordero
  
  I'm hoping that Chapman pitches well enough to make the team or the team is able to move Lincoln, because I think the last pitching spot comes down to him and Owings. If the Reds don't sign Gomes, then I could see Heisey making the team. I'm also taking a gamble that Sutton outperforms Miles and shows to be the better option, but Miles more than likely opens as the swith-hitting utility guy that generally isn't of much use.
  
  Before it's over with, I think we'll see Heisey, Francisco, Frazier, and possibly Alonso get a cup of coffee or two at the major league level. Travis Wood could also be a dark horse for the #5 starter spot, while Viola and Bray will be looking to impress... I wouldn't be suprised to see Bray traded if he shows some spring training promise.
• BCBulldog

  

  mhs95_06 wrote: Can Gomes play 1B? Who other than Hernandez can play 1st base?

  Gomes has never played 1B, so it looks like Votto and Hernandez are the only two. If we see an injury to Votto or Hernandez, I am guessing Alonso would be called up.
  
  As far as an emergency backup goes, I could see Rolen or one of the OFs getting some practice there.
• crab42

  I bet Janish would get the call in a pinch... He's the modern day Juan Castro. lol
• mhs95_06

  I think a lot of it comes down to who has options left. Miles may get the nod, with Sutton coming up when the first middle infielder goes on the DL. Heisey may come up when the first outfielder goes on the DL. Corky Miller comes up when a catcher goes on the DL. Alonzo comes up if Votto goes on the DL. And if Francisco doesn't make the team he would come up if Rolen went on the DL. If the Reds get Gomes, I think they are well postioned. Great to see Taveras out of the picture!
• Azubuike24

  

  Tavaras being DFA'ed showed exactly why the Reds wanted to get rid of him.
• wildcats20

  

  I saw this while I was at work and let out a little "woo hoo!!" and my boss about fell out of her chair.
• Ironman92

  

  What's next....Brandon Phillips batting 2nd?
  
  
  Someone pinch me.