Another great quote by Mr. O'Brien

[missionhockey21]

Casey traded for stunned Pirates pitcher By JOE KAY, AP Sports Writer
December 8, 2005
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Before the winter meetings, Pittsburgh left-hander Dave Williams had a request for his agent.

"I said, `Hey, let me know when the Pirates pick up a bat,"' Williams said. "Then he came back with, 'You got traded for that bat."'
And not just any bat.

The Pirates sent Williams to the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday for first baseman Sean Casey, who grew up in the Pittsburgh area and is known as "The Mayor" because of his outgoing manner.

Getting traded was one thing. Replacing Casey is something else.
"Hopefully the fans will warm up to me and give me a chance," said Williams, who led the Pirates with 10 wins last season. "To get traded for somebody like that or even be in the same sentence, it's a huge compliment."

Needing pitching to go with one of baseball's most formidable lineups, the Reds gave up one of their most popular players, one who ranked behind only Ken Griffey Jr. in fans' sentiment. The NL Central rivals reached a preliminary agreement on Tuesday, and completed the deal two days later after the players passed physicals.

Casey is owed $8.5 million on the final year on his contract. The Reds agreed to give the Pirates $1 million as part of the deal.

"Sean Casey has been an asset to this organization the last eight years, but if we're going to improve and have a chance in our division, it's going to be about pitching," Reds general manager Dan O'Brien said.

The Reds could afford to get rid of a three-time All-Star who hit for average -- .305 career -- but not much power. The 31-year-old first baseman hit .312 last season, but had only nine homers and 58 RBIs in 137 games.

The trade eliminates a logjam in the outfield, allowing the Reds to move Adam Dunn (40 homers, 101 RBIs) to first base so Wily Mo Pena and Austin Kearns have spots in the outfield. It also gives the Reds some help in their weakest area.


They led the league in runs, doubles and homers last season, but their pitching staff finished last in ERA for the first time since 1968. The rotation's ERA was 5.38, also last in the league.

Williams, 26, went was 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA in 25 starts during his first full season in the Pirates' rotation. He didn't win the spot until the final week of spring training.

The left-hander missed more than half of the 2002 season because of shoulder surgery and spent all of 2003 in the minors. He went 10-11 last season with a 4.41 ERA in 25 starts.

"In our minds, he has the necessary profile to pitch in our ballpark," O'Brien said. "He's delighted to come to a team like ours that can score a lot of runs."

Williams knew about the Reds' pitching problems, and went on the Internet to get more information about their staff after he was traded.

"We always said whenever we played Cincinnati that if they could get some quality arms there, they could do some things," Williams said, in a phone interview from his home in Georgia. "All of those guys are going to hit their home runs. It's nice to be part of something like that."

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[CincyRedsFan30]

Yup, that's pretty funny. Although I think he could be average, for him to say that he has the necessary profile to pitch at GABP is pretty funny considering his rate of giving up flies in the skies.

[missionhockey21]

Williams could be ok, but the fact that O'Brien see's him as a great match for our park is laughable.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Apparently O'Brien has indicated that he's not done dealing and has talked to several FA, etc.

That would seem to give credence to the reports I had heard earlier on.

I don't think he's fnished.

I just hope that's not a bad thing!