Odds & Ends: More Deadline Reactions

A few more links in the aftermath of the trade deadline…

• MLB.com's Bill Ladson says that Nationals interm GM Mike Rizzo "didn't have a choice but to trade Nick Johnson because the latter did not want to negotiate an extension with the Nationals." Johnson is looking for a two year deal according to Ladson.
• ESPN's Keith Law ranks the prospects traded at this year's deadline. Brett Wallace, acquired by Oakland in the Matt Holliday deal, tops the list.
• John Sickels of Minor League Ball chimes in with his thoughts on all of this year's deadline trades.
• The Padres signed sixth rounder James Needy to a $298K bonus according to Baseball America's Jim Callis. Needy is just the second player this year to sign a deal worth more than $100K over MLB's slot recommendation.
• As exciting as yesterday was, Ryo at NPB Tracker tells us that the trade deadline in Japan went by rather quietly. There has been exactly one trade made all year in Nippon Professional Baseball, and it involved just two players filling supporting roles. Where's the fun in that?