Those are big "ifs" ...

Kearns not improving much is a big "if"? If you say so...

Those are big "ifs" ...

Yeah, you're right, Kearns' improvement over the last 5 years has been meteoric.

Kearns not improving much is a big "if"? If you say so...

Bray developing into a consistent, dominant closer is a much bigger "if" ... bash Kearns if you wish (and obviously, you like to), but the guy is still just 26 and is finally healthy.

Yeah, you're right, Kearns' improvement over the last 5 years has been meteoric.

The guys appears to be healthy now. Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but his future appears to be just as bright or brighter than the guys the Reds got for him.

Bray developing into a consistent, dominant closer is a much bigger "if" ... bash Kearns if you wish (and obviously, you like to), but the guy is still just 26 and is finally healthy.

I'm not bashing, I'm simply saying that the last 5 years speak volumes over your pie-in-the-sky future for him. He's a nice player, no more, no less.

Bray developing into a consistent, dominant closer is a much bigger "if" ... bash Kearns if you wish (and obviously, you like to), but the guy is still just 26 and is finally healthy.

Where did I bash Kearns. If you think citing his numbers is bashing, what does that say???

I'm not bashing, I'm simply saying that the last 5 years speak volumes over your pie-in-the-sky future for him. He's a nice player, no more, no less.

I wasn't accusing you of bashing Kearns ... gametime does on a consistent basis.

 

Most position players hit their prime around ages 27 or 28 ... Kearns is just getting there. I realize he was a disappointment in Cincinnati, but a great deal of that was because of injuries. Finally healthy for a full season, he put up decent numbers, and there is a chance he can develop further.

 

Pie-in-the-sky? I'm not projecting the guy as a Hall of Famer, but I think he can be a quality player for the next four or five years. Of the guys the Reds got for him (and Lopez, of course), only Bray has a reasonable chance of doing that.

Did you think Joe Nathan was trash in his first two seasons???

No. I always thought Nathan had a chance to be a decent pitcher ... in fact, I owned him in a fantasy league or two. I wouldn't have expected this from him, but the Giants obviously didn't, either.

No. I always thought Nathan had a chance to be a decent pitcher ... in fact, I owned him in a fantasy league or two. I wouldn't have expected this from him, but the Giants obviously didn't, either.

Krivsky did. He was in charge of the NL for the Twins at that time...

Krivsky did. He was in charge of the NL for the Twins at that time...

I doubt they expected Nathan to be this good, but give them credit for getting him.

 

In any case, the Twins didn't give up two young everyday players to get him,

Of the guys the Reds got for him (and Lopez, of course), only Bray has a reasonable chance of doing that.

Agreed.

I doubt they expected Nathan to be this good, but give them credit for getting him.

 

In any case, the Twins didn't give up two young everyday players to get him,

Just a C in his prime that caught one of the best 5 man rotation seasons in decades along with hitting .288 for his career. Why would you trade him? Arbitration was about to kick in, and they went younger. Sounds familiar. They didn't want Lopez so they dumped him. Kearns is an average RF with a solid arm, and he is going to be a FA after this year. I have no problem with Kearns for Bray...

Pierzynski was one of the most unpopular players in baseball, even in his own clubhouse, by many accounts, and the Twins cashed him in for some young talent. Lopez and Kearns aren't exactly grizzled veterans, either, and Clayton and Harris aren't youngsters.

 

The Reds could have gotten more than a package of relievers for Kearns and Lopez. That was the rationale for the trade being bashed by many baseball observers.

Pierzynski was one of the most unpopular players in baseball, even in his own clubhouse, by many accounts, and the Twins cashed him in for some young talent. Lopez and Kearns aren't exactly grizzled veterans, either, and Clayton and Harris aren't youngsters.

 

The Reds could have gotten more than a package of relievers for Kearns and Lopez. That was the rationale for the trade being bashed by many baseball observers.

I'd compare Lopez directly to Pierzynski. Felipe was not liked at all here from all I've heard. I see the trade as Lopez for Majewski and Clayton and Kearns for Bray. He was trying to win last year, and the ship was sinking fast. I would say he did overpay a bit, but he also moved two guys that were going to get about 10 Million combined this year, and you can guarantee at least Lopez will choose FA after the season...