Dave Williams traded to the Mets:

[bipster]

along with undisclosed cash for P Robert Manuel anyone know anything about this prospect?

[missionhockey21]

A total nothing, but what did we expect for Williams? The Reds are likely just glad to save a bit on not taking the entire contract.

[redsrbetter]

Did the Mets take Williams' entire contract? Or was there money involved in this deal? Either way, I am happy to get away from it. I am hearing that this spect isnt anything special but he does not walk many batters at all. I guess he has a very good K/BB ratio. So it could turn into something. I am happy with this for sure.

EDIT: nevermind, we did give cash. I didnt read bipster's post close enough. Thanks for the report bipster!

[missionhockey21]

He was undrafted, pitching in the rookie GCL at 22 and dominated, really don't expect anything. He would be a longshot (which is being kind to him) and is just minor league filler. I am just happy to be rid of Williams (not that I was expecting anything remotely decent to start with.)

[Kingdom]

Wow, how desperate the mets.

[BoSox34]

Wow, how desperate the mets.

Definately appears that way, although no more than they gave for him I am thinking they just wanted him in case they had injuries in the bullpen or rotation. I am sure they won't rely on him to heavily.

[Dry1313]

The Mets are so stupid. THey are picking up pitching trash. Jose Lima and Dave Williams? Who's next, Carl Pavano?

[CincyRedsFan30]

Getting anything (even if it's basically nothing at all) for Dave Williams at this juncture and getting rid of some of his salary is a plus.

Kudos to Krivsky and Castellini for not keeping someone they obviously have no confidence in.

[redsfan28]

I'll say this about the new Reds management... they ain't screwing around.

[Wally Mo Pena]

who is more likely to help the reds this year or at any time in the future:

dave williams (league average at 26), sent to AAA, given an MRI, worked into a bullpen role, etc...

undrafted 22 year old who isn't one of the mets top 60 pitchers, and is still playing in short season ball?

dave williams was a league average pitcher last year in the majors, and for some reason lost a lot of velocity this year. To me, a guy who's done that for a full year, and is only 27 is a lot more likely to contribute to the reds at some point, than this kid, who will most likely never see AA.

i think they made a mistake getting rid of him so quickly. That said, it's their mistake to make, it's their team now and if they want to clean house, they're allowed to. But as far as trying to be smart, saving .5 mil to get this kid is a step in the wrong direction unless he has an unprecedented career.

remember, the year this guy came out the twins took 55 guys, and the reds took 50. None of them was this kid, and no one else took him either. blowing away 16 yr olds from the DR at 22 does not a prospect make.

as for people ripping on the mets, this is a classic low risk/high reward move. They gave up an undrafted free agent nobody and half a mil (hardly a large sum in NY dollars) for a guy who was major league average last year and who doesn't have that much service time. By the end of this year they couldhave a lefty in the pen, and next year they could have an average 5th starter, for millions less than what that goes for on the market.

makes sense to me, the reds just got fed and pulled the trigger too fast.

[redsfan28]

We don't know if Williams would have accepted an assignment to AAA. It would have been another week before we would have gotten a decision. More than likely, he would have asked for his release, which means we would have gotten squat for Sean Casey.

Of course, the right decision would have been for the Reds NOT to trade Casey for Williams in the first place. They should have held out for better.

[Wally Mo Pena]

they didn't have to DFA him, he had an option left. They could have optioned him to AAA and he wouldn't have had any say in it. They decided to DFA him because they were done with him. Again, i don't mind it if it's just house cleaning of the old administration, but it's not a smart baseball move overall. Dave williams will contribute in the majors a lot more than this kid ever will, and for that we save .5 mil.

Certainly i agree with you now that the Casey trade was a bad one, they could have gotten a better minor league pitcher than this chump, by a lot. But two bad moves don't make a good one. Hell, maybe they could have gotten Williams into shape at AAA and traded him at the deadline and done better, who knows. THis was just a rash decision, the only point of which was to clear out DanO's bad vibes, not to make the reds a better team/organization.

[redsfan28]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn't think you could DFA someone unless he was out of options? That's the whole purpose of the DFA process.

[Witlon]

DFAing removes them from the the 40 man roster, and you get 10 days to trade, cut or let them clear waivers, so they can be sent to the minors without being on the 40 man.

Errr...that's what I've got from it. anyway.

[redsfan28]

In fact, I was correct. He could refuse assignment to the minors, due to this rule in the CBA:

Under Article 19 of the current CBA, concerning the assignment of player contracts

(2) (a) The contract of a Player with five or more years of
Major League service, not including service while on the Military
List (or seven or more years of Major League service, including
service while on the Military List), shall not be assigned otherwise
than to another Major League Club, without the Player’s
written consent.

Bottom Line: A player with 5 or more years of MLB service time cannot be sent to the minors without his consent.

Dave Williams has 5 (in my estimation) years of service time. Therefore, he could not be outrighted to AAA without his consent.