According to Kevin Kelly’s Reds notebook
The Reds are now free to trade Ken Griffey Jr. if the team wishes, according to a radio report Saturday.
The report said the center fielder, who continues to be the focus of a trade rumor involving the White Sox, is believed to have cleared waivers.
Brian Goldberg, the Cincinnati-based agent for Griffey, said Saturday he still has not heard from the Reds regarding any potential trades.
Every mention of this deal that I’ve seen has the Reds getting a couple of prospects and having to pay a sizable portion of Junior’s salary for the rest of his contract. In essence, they’re paying to get rid of him. That makes no sense to me.
Also:
Relief pitcher Ben Weber, on the 15-day disabled list with a bulging disc in his neck since May 9, was returned from his rehabilitation assignment with Double-A Chattanooga on Saturday. The Reds then reinstated him from the DL and optioned him to Triple-A Louisville.
He’ll be a September callup.
O’Brien needs to tell Ken Williams point blank that if he wants Griffey it is going to cost him prime pitching talent and fully taking the contract.
Good luck there, nothing wrong with freeing up space on the payroll, nor is there nothing wrong with getting a true CF in return… a position that the Reds are going to need just as much as pitching sooner than later.
True, but IF the Reds are changing hands what is more attractive?
A team with an aging CF with declining fielding numbers and HOF cache.
Or a team that has payroll space to ink younger players?
Of course this avoids the Dan O as GM conundrum that makes the trade a scary jaunt into the woods to find grandmothers house.
D) You have to believe that the orgainzation believes that they can find someone who will do a better job than Jr of putting butts in the seats.
I believe that the Reds need to find another mode of bringing butts in the seast than the “Franchise” player approach.
It’s not a good approach IMO, winning trumps it by far.
As for the rest I’m in teh wait and see mode.
But 35 year old CF’s are not on my radar for a successful team.
Griffey sells tickets better than any other player on the roster.
And yet the Reds never draw very good unless they are winning, never have never will.
Franchise players are an anchor… they help keep a good team centered and they limit a bad teams mobility.
Time to sail.
My butt would be in a seat evry night if they were winning.