Trade Winds

Today Jon Garland was traded to the Angels for shortstop Orlando Cabrera. It would have been nice for the Reds to get an arm like Garland however, this whole thing could turn out better for the home team. If it is true that the team's payroll will only be increased by about 6 six million there is no way the Reds will be able to sign a free agent starter worth signing. This means Wayne Krivsky should really look into trading for a second or third starter. Now that Garland is with the Angels there is no question that they are looking to unload a starter. Garland, John Lackey, and Kelvim Escobar are most likely not on the market. The Angels would more than likely love to see a team make an offer for Ervin Santana because any pitcher with a home era of 3.27 and a road era of 8.38 has something wrong above the neck. We'll know how much the Angels want a bat if they put Jared Weaver on the trade block. Weaver had a slight fall off last season, but finished with 13 wins and an era under four. If the Reds were to show interest in Weaver the Angels would more than likely ask for Dunn at which time the Reds would laugh and offer Joey Votto (and maybe throw in Chris Dickerson). I would make this trade if I were the Reds, I probably wouldn't if I were the Angels but it never hurts to ask. While we're on the topic of teams in California with a wealth of young pitching and a need for bats, let's bring in the San Francisco Giants. The Giants have no less than four pitchers that would be the second best if they were to be slipped into the Reds rotation. San Fran has also expressed interest in Dunn and, as important as Dunn is to the team, the Giants have a couple names that might interest me. Tim Lincecum would be a guy I would take for Dunn straight up. Noah Lowry and Matt Cain would be acceptable pieces for Dunn, but I'd need a little more. If I were Krivsky I would again use Joey Votto as a piece to try and pry Lowry or Cain from the Giants. If Votto alone didn't work I'd try to come up with a blockbuster type deal sending Votto packaged with either Ken Griffey Jr. or Edwin Encarnacion and inquire about a minor league reliever to add with Lowry or Cain. The truth is, the Reds have plenty of offensive pieces in Dunn, Josh Hamilton, Brandon Phillips, and Jay Bruce going into 2008, making guys like Eddie, Votto, and Griffey more valuable as trade bait.