Eight-player deal!
What is this all about?
The Washington Nationals today acquired outfielder Austin Kearns, shortstop
Felipe Lopez and right-handed pitcher Ryan Wagner from the Cincinnati Reds in
exchange for right-handed pitcher Gary Majewski, left-handed pitcher Bill Bray,
infielder Brendan Harris, shortstop Royce Clayton and right-handed pitcher Daryl
Thompson.
Now, maybe it's just me, but this seems like a playoff contending team selling off parts to a non-contending team for future pieces and stopgaps. I don't get this at all. Unless another move follows this one, like, really soon, then I'm pretty upset today if I'm a Reds fan.
When I first saw the headline, I thought Kearns + Lopez + Wagner = Reds getting Soriano, not this pu pu platter. I don't see how a bullpen upgrade and a downgrade at shortstop and in the outfield helps the Reds make the playoffs this year. Call me crazy.
2 comments:
I was going to try to play devil's advocate, but it's not easy. The Reds have had serious bullpen issues, and Lopez is not great shakes defensively. Still, even if the bullpen and SS were great concerns to the Reds, it's hard to imagine they couldn't get more in return than a decent reliever (Majewski) and Royce Freakin' Clayton.
Me and a guy in my office have a saying about Royce Clayton. You know how announcers will sometimes refer to players as "solid," which basically means "average?" The fact that they mean it as a compliment kills me. But sometimes they'll even add a modifier on it, like "real solid" or "very solid," which is even funnier. That's like saying your shirt size is "extra medium."
Anyway, we were mocking this trend during hockey season when I noticed that the Nats signed Royce Clayton, to which he replied "Clayton, he's pretty solid." So now it's stuck. Royce Freakin' Clayton is the epitome of "real solid." I wonder if the Reds will use that term in the press conference. That would make my day.
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