The Nationals reached agreement Thursday with outfielder Austin Kearns on a three-year contract extension with a club option for the 2010 season.

 

The deal with Kearns avoids salary arbitration for this year and two years of free agency.

 

Kearns batted .264 and established career highs with 33 doubles, 24 home runs, 86 RBIs and 76 walks in 150 games with the Nationals and Reds in 2006. He hit .250 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 36 RBIs after being acquired from the Reds on July 13.

 

Kearns is a career .265 hitter with 104 doubles, 79 home runs and 299 RBIs in 515 games over his five-year career.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070201&content_id=1791780&vkey=hotstove2006&fext=.jsp

Hope Kearns has a great year and career.

Would it have bothered anyone if the Reds had kept him and signed him to this contract?

Would it have bothered anyone if the Reds had kept him and signed him to this contract?

Yes; speaking for myself.

Yes; speaking for myself.

 

:ylsuper:

Yes; speaking for myself.

 

I've asked myself the same question 10 times since hearing this news. I wouldn't have been dissapointed, but I wouldn't have been extreemly happy. The way the market is right now I think it's a fair price. I'm hoping that the arms the Reds received in the deal help them out tremendously in the pen this year, but I for one am sceptical.

Yes; speaking for myself.

 

 

But Adam Dunn making twice as much or more doesn't bother you?

IMO losing Kearns will prove to be a big mistake for the Reds. Potential gold glove outfielder. Last year was really his first full season I believe. 24 HR & 84 RBI's. The Reds can't replace that. Plus he was from Lexington and yes I'm a homer and like to see local boys do well.

With Soriano gone, the Nats will need all the help they can get to not be the worst team in baseball next season.

IMO losing Kearns will prove to be a big mistake for the Reds. Potential gold glove outfielder. Last year was really his first full season I believe. 24 HR & 84 RBI's. The Reds can't replace that. Plus he was from Lexington and yes I'm a homer and like to see local boys do well.

Keep word, when describing Kearns....Potential. I always thought, he could become an elite OF, with the Reds but injuries, slumps always seemed to occur.

IMO losing Kearns will prove to be a big mistake for the Reds. Potential gold glove outfielder. Last year was really his first full season I believe. 24 HR & 84 RBI's. The Reds can't replace that. Plus he was from Lexington and yes I'm a homer and like to see local boys do well.

How many years have I heard that about him. Next year he has the potential to be special and so on. It was the right thing to do bottom line. His numbers after going to the Nats weren't very good. There are a lot of 24-84 guys in the MLB.

How many years have I heard that about him. Next year he has the potential to be special and so on. It was the right thing to do bottom line. His numbers after going to the Nats weren't very good. There are a lot of 24-84 guys in the MLB.

 

 

We traded him and another potential all-star for a hurt pitcher and a lefty. Hurt pitchers are a dime a dozen too. Also, not many liked the trade. I understood it as a "money" thing even though they wouldn't admit it. Kearns got 16 million over the next 3 and I think the Reds could have paid it. Especially since we're paying Dunn 17 million over 2 years. I'd rather have Kearns and the money for another OF or pitcher than Adam Dunn. I hope this gets better because I'm not impressed with the Reds management.

We traded him and another potential all-star for a hurt pitcher and a lefty. Hurt pitchers are a dime a dozen too. Also, not many liked the trade. I understood it as a "money" thing even though they wouldn't admit it. Kearns got 16 million over the next 3 and I think the Reds could have paid it. Especially since we're paying Dunn 17 million over 2 years. I'd rather have Kearns and the money for another OF or pitcher than Adam Dunn. I hope this gets better because I'm not impressed with the Reds management.

Then why are you still questioning it????

Then why are you still questioning it????

 

 

Because they could have paid him. People were saying Kearns and Lopez were both going to get 20 million dollar contracts and they aren't. Why pick Dunn when Kearns is cheaper and is a more complete player? In small market that makes NO SENSE AT ALL. We have Griffey and Dunn in center and left. One is old and covers no ground, the other is young and covers no ground. The Reds have perhaps the worst defensive OF in the Majors.

Because they could have paid him. People were saying Kearns and Lopez were both going to get 20 million dollar contracts and they aren't. Why pick Dunn when Kearns is cheaper and is a more complete player? In small market that makes NO SENSE AT ALL. We have Griffey and Dunn in center and left. One is old and covers no ground, the other is young and covers no ground. The Reds have perhaps the worst defensive OF in the Majors.

Yet they replaced Kearns in RF with a player that has more range...