Reds Finally Find Taker for Adam Dunn, Manny > Dunn

In a move reeking of desperation, the Diamondbacks today pulled a Ned Colletti by acquiring a sub-.240 hitter.  Having missed out on Mark Teixeira, Manny Ramirez, and every other big bat available in July, the D'Backs had to settle for Adam Dunn and his .233 batting average.  Yes, Dunn has 32 home runs but there's a reason the Reds have been desperately trying to dump this guy for three years - he already has 120 strikeouts and is a perrenial 200 strikeout threat.  He strikes out almost a third of the time.  That's a feat normally not achieved by anyone other than pitchers. 

More amusing is that the Reds convinced the Diamondbacks to pay $2 million of the $4 million remaining on Dunn's salary.  The response to that argument is that if the Diamondbacks don't resign Dunn, they'll be rewarded with 2 draft picks.  But to receive the draft picks, they must offer him arbitration, which he could accept, potentially costing the club close to $15 million in 2009.

This is a great move for the Reds, who save themselves $2 million and get a pitcher with a lot of potential in Dallas Buck (although he had Tommy John surgery after college). Buck was drafted in the third round of the 2006 draft, after leading Oregon State to a national championship, and is currently pitching in high-A ball.  Arizona also gets two players to be named later, one of which is supposedly an "MLB ready starter."

UPDATE:  the "MLB ready starter" is Micah Owings, according to several industry sources, however he won't be "named" until after the season because he was claimed by several other teams.