Something is going down right now...

[redsrbetter]

Also, it sounds like Weathers is drawing interest from the Marlins along with Ross...

[redsrbetter]

ohio sports news:

While both local and national outlets have reported this deal is bogus, it is entirely possible that it is merely on hold.

Obviously nothing would happen today on the Arroyo front (pitching, singing today) but don't rule it out completely.

Keep your eye on Weathers though. The calm before the storm?

[redsrbetter]

Chris Welsh talking trades right now on FSN:

Talks of scouts in attendance and mentions Bronson Arroyo as a player of interest. Thinks trades will take place earlier than later.

Chris Welsh calls it a "sellers market"

George Grande: They smell smoke in regards to trades

Affeldt, Weathers are being watched closely.

[HollywoodLeo]

I hope it's a "seller's market" because that's what the Padres will be this year.

I'm crossing my fingers that someone overpays for Brian Giles and/or Greg Maddux

(Not holding my breath, though.)

[redsrbetter]

Yep I would hope so too for your sake and mine bro.

Ok, now that I am all caught up we have these things to think about. Many and I mean many people have reported a deal is/was being discussed. They talked about timing issues and things like that. This could lead to two scenarios.

1. John Fay's Red's offical is correct and this could be nothing. Also a Phillies official said that Victorino is not on the market. So this could just be a rumor that spread like wildfire.

2. The team officials are simply keeping things in house for now until Arroyo is done pitching tonight and the "timing" issue is no longer a factor. Also they may still be ironing out the minor parts and of course nothing will be mentioned until the deal is done.

[redsrbetter]

OK, now we are getting too crazy...

Pat Burrell's name surfaces

OSN is being told by an unnamed Reds Front Office official that closed circuit communications shows the Reds vetting members of the Phillie's current 25 man roster, including, but not limited to, much maligned OF Pat Burrell.

This is most likely ridiculous to assert that the Reds would trade for a player of Burrell's skill set.

The official indicates it's part of the Reds Player Personnel department vetting members of the Phillies as possible trade candidates.

Burrell has a no-trade clause I believe. He is a free agent after this year as well. Now he has been credited as a right handed Adam Dunn but this wouldn't make since from a contract standpoint.

[redsrbetter]

Arroyo is done for the day. 6 shutout innings. I'll take it! He may have helped his trade value tonight. Weathers is in to pitch for him now. Extra Innings better have some trade rumblings chatter tonight.

[redsrbetter]

Weathers goes 1-2-3 with a K. Nice! Marlins were paying attention and it was a good day for him.

[redsrbetter]

So they aren't denying it...

Official Response from the Reds

The Reds have given OSN an official response regarding the trade rumors surrounding Bronson Arroyo. When asked if the team had a comment on the situation, Reds PR man Rob Butcher responded "we do not"

More reaction from the Reds is expected after any roster transaction

I would figure we would hear something along the lines of; "there is absolutely nothing going on." But they just don't have anything to report because nothing has actually happened yet. Things could still be in the works though.

[redsrbetter]

John Fay:

Speaking of trade talk, there was mention on a previous thread of an "Ohio Sports News" report, saying the Reds were about to trade Bronson Arroyo to Philadelphia for Shane Victorino. A Reds source told me there's nothing to it. I checked with a writer in Philly. A Phillies scout told him that he's heard no mention of Arroyo. "Ohio Sports News" is a blog. There's no mention of who is behind the blog.

So a Phillies scout, the Cincinnati media, and likely the Philadelphia media have not heard anything concrete on this. Does it mean nothing is going on? Or is it just that nothing has been finalized and therefore there is nothing to report?

[redsrbetter]

Game Over:

Separating trade rumors from talks
Reds insider

By John Fay • jfay@enquirer.com • July 6, 2008

Major League Baseball needs to air a public service announcement this time of year, along these lines:
Advertisement

"Trade-rumor season is upon us. Beware of what you hear or read. It may or may not have any validity."

The non-waiver trading deadline is July 31, as it has been for years. The difference now - in the internet and talk-radio age - is rumors spread much faster and come from many more sources.

Take Friday for example.

As soon as I fired up the old laptop at Great American Ball Park, two missives from the rumor mill lit up my screen:

The Marlins were interested in David Ross.

And the Reds were about to complete a four-player deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, the principles of which were Shane Victorino and Bronson Arroyo.

The Marlins report came from the Miami Herald. I knew one of its authors. It made sense that there was something to it. But the report also couched things, saying the Marlins were just looking at Ross as a trade possibility.

The Phillies report came from "Ohio Sports News." I had never heard of Ohio Sports News. I checked it out. It was a blog. The kind of blog that basically anyone can set up for free. No names were attached to it.

Most of the other posts cited other sources. The Arroyo thing was from OSN's own sources, it read: "OSN has learned that the Cincinnati Reds are in the process of completing a deal with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Reds will send Bronson Arroyo and a utility player to Philadelphia for CF Shane Victorino and a prospect."

Tim Dierkes of mlbtraderumors.com had passed the report along to me and asked if I heard of OSN. I hadn't.

Looking at the site, I figured it could have been put together by a guy working out of his mom's basement. But it could have just as easily been put together by Shane Victorino's brother.

So I did my journalistic duty - which in the case of a baseball writer means chasing down all manners of rumors - and walked down to the media dining room. (Some rumors are easier to check out than others) There I found Bob Miller, the Reds assistant GM and chief contract guy, with a tray full of food.

"So, did you take a lunch break before announcing the big trade?"

"What trade?"

I explained.

Remember, all this was going on 40 minutes before Arroyo was scheduled to take the mound.

So the trade didn't happen. I don't think there was anything to it. A writer I work with in Philly could find no interest on that end.

I got an e-mail Saturday from "Ohio Sports News," saying that its source "may have gotten it wrong this time around."

It was signed: "Fondly, The Ohio Sports News Team." Again, no name was attached.

But anonymity doesn't always mean a site isn't legitimate, and the point is not to trash OSN.

The point is to warn that more rumors, speculation and talk will be forthcoming.

Take it all with a large grain of salt. I'd say 90 percent of what you hear will never happen. Every fan, writer, blogger and broadcaster from a contending team looks at players from non-contenders as spare parts. That leads to a lot of speculation.

Much of this stuff gets started when a scout from Team A is at the game in which players from Team B are participating. That may or may not mean a thing.

There are scouts, lots of them, at every big league game. Most of them will be there for routine coverage. Every team scouts every other.

It usually doesn't mean much.

The exception is when a top-level guy shows up. Dan Jennings of the Marlins was at the Reds-Pirates game the other night.

I was told he was looking at David Weathers. He may have been looking at David Ross, too.

In the interest of full disclosure, I ran a little notebook item and blog post on the scouts looking at Weathers.

But the next day, word in the clubhouse was that Weathers had been traded. Rumors move fast.

And it's like the old game of telephone: Each time the rumor spreads it gets changed a bit.

So reader and listener beware: They don't call them trade rumors for no reason.

[NYgiantsfan5689]

somebody got PRONKED

[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jis_CrJ4zUI"]YouTube - The Onion: Congress Debates Merits Of New Catchphrase[/ame]

[redsrbetter]

I never said it was a sure thing now. I just was relaying what I was reading elsewhere. I do fault myself for getting too excited sometimes. But at least it gave me something to ponder the last few days.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Arroyo would certainly help the Yankess, especially since most of his issues deal with very correctable command issues, as well as some bad luck. Have to be encouraged by his strikeout rate. If his HR rate corrects itself, he could go on a pretty solid run soon.

[redsrbetter]

Latest on Phillies interest:

Mariners lefty Erik Bedard, appears to be headed toward the disabled list, though it isn't clear how that affects his trade value or the strength of the Phillies' interest in him. Other names that could be on the market are Blue Jays righthander A.J. Burnett and Astros righthander Roy Oswalt. Both have pitched and won against the Phillies this season, but Burnett's contract isn't very club-friendly. He can opt out after this season, meaning if he pitches well there is a good chance he ends up as a free agent. And if he pitches poorly and decides not to opt out, he has 2 years remaining at $12 million a year.

No mention of Arroyo anywhere.