Casey traded to Pirates for Dave Williams

[CincyRedsFan30]

DALLAS (Ticker) - The Cincinnati Reds made a move to improve their pitching, but it cost them one of their most popular players to do it.

ESPN 1000 Radio in Chicago is reporting that the Reds have dealt first baseman Sean Casey, who led the team with a .312 batting average this past season, to the Pittsburgh Pirates for lefthander Dave Williams.

The trade will not be announced until both players pass a physical.

The 31-year-old Casey, who owns a career .305 average, has played all but six games of his major league career with Cincinnati, joining the team before the 1998 season. He began his career with the Cleveland Indians.

In Williams, the Reds get a 26-year-old who won 10 games last season and would have finished with a winning record for the first time in his career if not for losing his final three starts. He finished the season with a 10-11 record and a 4.41 ERA, striking out 88 in 138 2/3 innings.

[Slyder]

I have received some fairly strong indications that one or both of them could be on the move. I don't typically post rumors unless things are more concrete, but it sounds like their names have been discussed at the Winter Meetings(and before) a lot already. Something could happen in terms of one or both players pretty soon.

It is certainly a situation that is worth keeping an eye on.

You hearing any returns on possible deals involving Kearns and/or Casey?

[CincyRedsFan30]

Well, there is apparently a report from a Chicago radio station that says the Reds could trade Kearns to the Cubs for Sergio Mitre and Ricky Nolasco. That really caught my attention because of some earlier talk I had about trades involving him and Casey.

I don't really have any specifics on anything for Casey, but it still sounds like the Red Sox are highly interested, along with a couple of other teams.

[redsrbetter]

Thanks CRF! Keep us posted.

[redsrbetter]

I really don't like the sound of these talks though. Mitre is not the kind of arm we need to go after. I guess he can be considered to be Kearns-like in that he is a potential player. Not one that has shown much in his career, but has the potential to be a pretty good pitcher. I still don't like it because it sounds like DanO has sunk to seeking to this level of talent versus making something bigger happen. I have to admit that I do not know much about Nalasco, but he is not what Castellini is looking for if they want to change things "now." Nalasco would be a guy for the future and I am not too sure how good he is. But it would not change my thinking unless he is close to a Homer Bailey type. The thought of Mitre just ruins this for me.

I just hope that the casey talks are something bigger.

[Fishercat]

I'd like to see Casey in Boston under two conditions

A) Lowell, as much as I think he'd benefit from Fenway, is moved.
B) The Sox don't give up that much.

If the Sox have to give a really nice prospect or even a decent pro player, I'd pass on Casey and pray that Lowell can play.

[redsrbetter]

Lowell supposed to play 1B for you guys right now?

[CincyRedsFan30]

I doubt we trade him to the Sox for anything other than nice prospects/decent pro players, so I guess you don't want any deal to unfold, lol.

[redsrbetter]

Hey CRF, do you think the Arroyo talks are out the window with Casey then?

[Maximillian]

Ricky Nolasco, R/R, 6' 2", 220lbs, 12/13/1982

West Tenn Diamond Jaxx - AA

W14, L3, ERA .289, G27, GS27, CG 1, IP 161.2, H 157, R 57, ER 52, HR 13, BB 46. SO 173.

Have the Reds got anyone with a line like this in AA? Looks like he could be ready in '07.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I'm not sure about that. I wouldn't mind a Casey for Arroyo trade at all, but I'm not sure the Sox would go for that. They might see Casey's stats going up with the Green Monster, but the question is how much would they go up?

[Fishercat]

Redsr: The logical set-up at this point is to put the gold-glove 3B Lowell at third, pray that Youkilis can play first base, then sign someone for a year (Graffanino hopefully) until Dustin Pedroia is ready (fantastic pick by Theo). Do something like (if they don't trade Manny and sign Damon), then they can do something like

Damon
Renteria
Ortiz
Ramirez
Nixon
Varitek
Lowell
Youkilis
Graffanino

Casey for Arroyo, on a talent level it's certainly fair. But with them trying to dump Manny's contract, do they want to add another 8.5 million dollars for Arroyo, who will make what? 3 mil or so in arbitration? Arroyo's still young, capable (if not any better than the average pitcher), and he has the right composure for Boston. I don't like trading a 29 year old pitcher who has proven he can pitch in Boston for a slightly older 1B who ranges from average to above-average hitter.

The Sox would improve, but I have to believe for 5.5 million on the market, they could use that.

[redsrbetter]

Ricky Nolasco, R/R, 6' 2", 220lbs, 12/13/1982

West Tenn Diamond Jaxx - AA

W14, L3, ERA .289, G27, GS27, CG 1, IP 161.2, H 157, R 57, ER 52, HR 13, BB 46. SO 173.

Have the Reds got anyone with a line like this in AA? Looks like he could be ready in '07.

Thanks Max. there are no AA pitchers that are that good in our system. He does sound intriguing. I still am not too sure about the whole Mitre thing though. I would hate to get Mitre in other words. I guess it is time for me to ask our Cubs fans what they think about this.

[Fishercat]

As for Mitre, his prospects don't seem that high. Simply using his comparative players at his age, you could get someone like Bruce Hurst (145 wins, 4 ERA, 15 years) or Carlton Loewer (4 years, 10 wins, 6.12 ERA).

Still, annually, he's improved, he's only 25 next year, he's cheap, and he wouldn't be a bad piece in a trade.

Still, Austin Kearns has similar players through 25 like Frank Thomas (Not Big Hurt), Larry Walker, Jermaine Dye, Gabe Kapler, Preston Wilson, Willie Stargell. Of course, maybe they missed time early for different reasons than Kearns.

[redsrbetter]

More on this:

George Ofman of WSCR The Score is reporting from the winter meetings that the Reds have offered Austin Kearns to the Cubs in return for Sergio Mitre and and a minor leaguer. I was able to get in touch with Ofman, and he mentioned that the minor leaguer was possibly righthander Ricky Nolasco.

Kearns is still living off an excellent 2000 at A ball and 372 fluky at-bats with the Reds in 2002. He's got 25 HR pop, but the rest of his appeal is pure perceived potential. Ah, alliteration.

Sergio Mitre has had an uninspiring Major League career with the Cubs, going 4-10 with a 6.12 ERA in 120 innings. If nothing else, Mitre can tell his grandkids about that miraculous 16 shutout inning stretch where he outdueled both Roy Halladay and Josh Beckett in 2005. Seriously, though, Mitre keeps the ball down and could be passable fifth starter one day.

Ricky Nolasco was almost traded to Texas in a Rafael Palmeiro deal back in 2003. Palmeiro vetoed the trade, and Nolasco remained in the Cubs' system. He has a solid curveball and decent sinker. Nolasco will be 23 soon, and he posted spectacular numbers at Double A in 2005. The starter had previously failed in a 40 inning attempt at Triple A Iowa in 2004.

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