Austin Kearns Rumors

Odds and Ends: Kemp, Kearns, Carrasco, Garcia

Friday linkage... Yesterday I linked to Dave Cameron's piece, in which he wondered whether Matt Kemp is overrated. Here's the other side of the debate, a response from Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness. Joe Sports Fans names the seven worst trades of the decade. I have some arguments here; what do you think? I wrote this post on the Pierzynski/Nathan/Liriano/Bonser deal two years ago, but I still think it holds that Brian Sabean's trade looked reasonable at the time. Joel Sherman wonders if the Mets and Yankees should consider trading for Washington outfielder Austin Kearns. Matt Gelb takes a look at...   Continue Reading

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Odds And Ends: Reyes, Colon, Indians, Nationals

A few notes from the MLBiverse... Anthony Reyes, who has been the object of much trade speculation, made his first start at AAA on Friday night. Reyes pitched 3+ scoreless innings with a strict pitch-count. The Cardinals appear to be reconverting Reyes into a starter in the hopes of increasing his value for potential trade partners. Jim Bowden hinted that he may implement a full-fledged youth movement in the near future, noting that a number of top prospects are close to being ready. Specifically, he mentioned two outfielders which would likely mean that Bowden will seek to move Austin Kearns...   Continue Reading

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Kearns Unlikely To Be Dealt

It's hard not to like the Nationals. They have a savvy manager and something of a patchwork team. They're trying to build a club from the ground up without spending big on free agents. They're also not scared off by supposed attitude issues, acquiring players like Dmitri Young, Lastings Milledge, and Elijah Dukes. Given the Nats' desire to give Wily Mo Pena a full-time job, the team is left with four outfielders for three spots. You might think this would make Austin Kearns available. The 27 year-old hit .266/.355/.411 this year and hasn't shown much power at RFK. He makes..   Continue Reading

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Nationals Shopping Lopez, Kearns

According to Bill Ladson of MLB.com, the Nationals are shopping shortstop Felipe Lopez and outfielder Austin Kearns. Two targets: Mike Pelfrey of the Mets and Kevin Slowey of the Twins. It wouldn't be surprising to see Omar Minaya flip Pelfrey for someone with more immediate value. While the Mets could use Kearns in right field, he's not the type of return one envisions for Pelfrey. Maybe for a Phil Humber though. Kearns will earn $5MM in '08, and $8MM in '09 plus a $10MM club option for '10 with a $1MM buyout. The 27 year-old hit .266/.355/.411 this year. The..   Continue Reading

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Reds Send Kearns, Lopez To Nats In Blockbuster

I was fairly baffled by this trade. How in the world does swapping out Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez for Gary Majewski, Bill Bray, Royce Clayton, and Brendan Harris make the Reds a better team this year? (Ryan Wagner and Daryl Thompson were also swapped in the deal). Let's analyze. Lopez is a below average defensive shortstop. He's probably amongst the five worst defensive shortstops in the game, as indicated by The Fielding Bible. The Reds are ranked just 12th in the league in defensive efficiency this year. Still, Royce Clayton is no defensive whiz at this point - he's..   Continue Reading

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Reds Send Kearns, Lopez To Nats In Blockbuster

I was fairly baffled by this trade. How in the world does swapping out Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez for Gary Majewski, Bill Bray, Royce Clayton, and Brendan Harris make the Reds a better team this year? (Ryan Wagner and Daryl Thompson were also swapped in the deal). Let's analyze. Lopez is a below average defensive shortstop. He's probably amongst the five worst defensive shortstops in the game, as indicated by The Fielding Bible. The Reds are ranked just 12th in the league in defensive efficiency this year. Still, Royce Clayton is no defensive whiz at this point - he's.. --   Continue Reading

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Signs of Reds OF Trade Mounting

More and more, it's looking like the Reds will deal one of their outfielders before the season begins. First off, Jon Heyman's column from yesterday: "Now that Scott Hatteberg has been signed for first base, the Reds might shop that extra outfielder they've been carrying for a while. They have Adam Dunn, Wily Mo Peña, Austin Kearns and Ken Griffey Jr., with Peña most likely to go for young pitching. Previous owner Carl Lindner rejected deals for Griffey (including one with the Cubs last year), but maybe new owner Rob Castellini will do the right thing." I must say, I..   Continue Reading

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Possible Kearns/Westbrook Swap

Reds interim GM Brad Kullman certainly seems more open-minded than his predecessor, Dan O'Brien. But one of O'Brien's final non-moves may have been one of his few wise ones. Sheldon Ocker's Beacon Journal article today reports that O'Brien turned down an Austin Kearns for Jake Westbrook all-Ohio trade prior to his firing. Such a one for one trade would lean heavily towards the Indians, in my opinion. Here's my reasoning. The 25 year-old Kearns has yet to reach his potential, while Westbrook has topped out at age 28. Let's look at 2005. In just 387 at-bats, Kearns was worth 3.6..   Continue Reading

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Update: Kearns For Jerome Williams

According to Bruce Levine of ESPN Radio 1000, the Austin Kearns trade talk has gotten serious and Jerome Williams, not Sergio Mitre, would be included in the deal. This new incarnation of the deal seems more equitable. Unlike Mitre, Williams has had success in the Major Leagues in his career. He pitched 106 innings after being dealt to the Cubs for LaTroy Hawkins, posting a 3.91 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Williams posted a spectacular 2.10 ERA in five September starts. Thanks to Ale   Continue Reading

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Austin Kearns For Sergio Mitre?

George Ofman of WSCR The Score is reporting from the winter meetings that the Reds have offered Austin Kearns to the Cubs in return for Sergio Mitre and and a minor leaguer. I was able to get in touch with Ofman, and he mentioned that the minor leaguer was possibly righthander Ricky Nolasco. Kearns is still living off an excellent 2000 at A ball and 372 fluky at-bats with the Reds in 2002. He's got 25 HR pop, but the rest of his appeal is pure perceived potential. Ah, alliteration. Sergio Mitre has had an uninspiring Major League career with..   Continue Reading

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