Transactions Report - 2/12/09

Colorado Rockies: Signed pitcher Randy Flores to a minor league contract. The lefty was 1-0 with a 5.26 ERA in 43 games for the Cards in '08.

Houston Astros: Agreed to terms with pitcher Chris Sampson, infielder Drew Sutton and catcher J.R. Towles on one-year contracts. Sampson pitched in 54 games for the Astros in '08 with a 4.22 ERA.

Los Angeles Angels: Agreed to terms with outfielder Bobby Abreu on a one-year contract.

Milwaukee Brewers: Claimed pitcher Nick Green off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels; designated pitcher Luis Pena and catcher Vinny Rottino for assignment; signed pitcher Braden Looper to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2010. Green is the player the Angels waived to make room for Abreu.

Minnesota Twins: Agreed to terms with outfielder Delmon Young on a one-year contract.

St. Louis Cardinals: Agreed to terms with outfielder Rick Ankiel on a one-year contract. Split the difference of their arbitration figures at $2.8 million.

Tampa Bay Rays: Signed pitcher Brian Shouse to a one-year contract with a club option for 2010; designated pitcher Juan Salas for assignment.

Washington Nationals: Signed first baseman-outfielder Adam Dunn to a two-year contract. $8 million in 2009 and $12 million in 2010, who said he's willing to play first. Manager Manny Acta says he'd like Dunn and Nick Johnson in the lineup together, but with a glut of outfielders Dunn may take most of Johnson's ABs and sent Johnson onto the trading block.

(MLB Rumors publishes the Transactions Report every evening, a rundown of the day's official, finalized, formally announced deals. Readers are invited to share their insights on the impact - or lack of impact - of the transactions in comments.)

SI: Dunn's Deal Worth $10 Million Per

As noted earlier in the post about Adam Dunn signing with the Nationals, word has been that an offer by the Nats to Dunn has been on the table for at least a couple months. That standing offer appears to be the one Dunn agreed to today, based on the size of the contract that SI.com is reporting.

According to SI.com's Tom Verducci, Dunn's two-year contract is worth $20 million. It's easy to see why Dunn jumped on that after a couple months of holding off. One day ago, Bobby Abreu was cornered into taking a 1-year, $5 million-plus-incentives offer from the Los Angeles Angels.

Dunn's positive relationship with his form GM in Cincinnati, Jim Bowden, surely played a part in his being able to nab that $20 million offer even after the market cratered - and in Bowden not re-sizing the offer downward.

Adam Dunn, Nationals Agree On Deal

That was quick. Not long after our previous post titled "Abreu Deal May Force Adam Dunn's Hand," Adam Dunn agreed to sign with the Washington Nationals according to the Washington Post.

The Post cites two independent sources and says the deal is for two years and may be announced on Thursday.

It has been believed that Dunn had an offer on the table from the Nationals for a couple months now, but that he was waiting to see if his first choice, the Dodgers, would come calling.

Perhaps the 1-year, $5 million deal that Bobby Abreu agreed with with the Angels scared Dunn into acting now on the Nationals' offer, rather than waiting any longer. It will be interesting to hear the details of the deal.

Update: MLB.com cites a "baseball source" confirming the deal, says a press conference will be held on Thursday.

Update II: SI.com says the deal is worth $20 million.

Abreu Deal May Force Adam Dunn's Hand

(Update: That was quick. Dunn has agreed to play for the Nationals, according to the Washington Post.)

Bobby Abreu has agreed to a 1-year, $5 million (plus incentives) deal with the Los Angeles Angels. The Angels are thinking they got a steal. The Rays are thinking they overpaid Pat Burrell at $8 million. The Phillies are thinking they really overpaid giving Raul Ibanez $10 million.

And somewhere, Adam Dunn is stretched out on a couch, thinking, "Maybe it's time to consider a few things I haven't been willing to consider before."

Things such as a one-year deal. Earlier in the free-agent season Dunn's agent was Adamant that a multi-year contract was what his client wanted. (No surprise there.) But even after the market clearly shifted, Dunn's agent has not indicated whether his client will consider 1-year deals. Abreu didn't want (or deserve) a 1-year deal, either, but his agent isn't whining about it: He says Bobby will win the MVP for the Angels and go back on the market in 2010.

Things such as moving to first base. Dunn is set on remaining an outfielder, even though his poor outfield defense is a major part of the problem he's having finding work. If he indicates a willingness to move to first, he'll find more teams to negotiate with.

Things such as teams he has previously discounted. Dunn wants to play for the Dodgers, but so far the Dodgers haven't shown much interest (they're busy trying to wait out Manny Ramirez). The Nationals have shown plenty of interest, but Dunn isn't reciprocating. The Mariners have indicated a willingness to talk to Dunn, but Dunn hasn't returned the favor.

If Dunn is willing to go to first base, and sign a 1-year, $5 million deal, you know which team might take a run at him? The Los Angeles Angels. Two sluggers for the price of one.

The best possible place for Dunn at this point may be his old team, the Reds, even though the Reds have maintained all along they don't want him back (because who wants 40 homers and 100 walks when you can sign Willy Taveras?). But a 1-year deal with Cincinnati would mean another season in Great American Ballpark, and Adam Dunn at GABP means another guaranteed season of 40 home runs. If I'm Adam Dunn's agent, I make that call to Walt Jocketty, make an offer he can't refuse, and try this again next offseason. Not gonna happen, but I'd still try.

One and Dunn

As of the end of the 2008 regular season, there are exactly two hitters in the history of Major League Baseball who hit 40 home runs and drew 100 walks in five consecutive seasons.

Barry Bonds is one.

Adam Dunn is the other.

That the Reds decided it was Dunn who was the problem with the team tells you all you need to know about the intelligence of the people running that team.

Of course, this is the same team that gives 300 at-bats to Corey Patterson and thinks Brandon Phillips is a cleanup hitter.

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.

Reds Trade Adam Dunn for ... Who?

The Cincinnati Reds on Monday traded Adam Dunn to the Arizona Diamondbacks for, the AP report says, "a minor-league pitcher" and two players to be named later.

The minor-league pitcher, named now, is Dallas Buck. Dallas Buck? Who is this guy, a holdover from 1970s porn? Dallas Buck? Does he have a bushy mustache and a chestfull of thick black hair?

Who is Dallas Buck? He's a Single-A pitcher who underwent Tommy John surgery last year. Oh, now I get it. Maybe the Reds just wanted to acquire the guy who's in the lead to star in the movie version of Magnum, P.I..

Dallas Buck. Kinda makes you wonder what the names are of the "two players to be named." If it was up to me they'd be named Dirk Stone and Ridge Thacker.

Reds fans just better hope they aren't name Moe and Larry.

Adam Dunn Trade Rumors Heat Up Again

With his team down six runs to the Pirates, Reds manager Dusty Baker abruptly pulled right fielder Adam Dunn from the game in fifth inning Thursday, reviving MLB rumors that the front office may have reached a tentative accord with an unnamed team to trade the 6-foot-6, 275-pound slugger.

With no information immediately forthcoming, it could not be ruled out that Dunn had been injured, but he appeared to be perfectly healthy when Baker lifted him in a double switch. One thing for certain, with a six-run deficit, Baker could hardly be taking him out for a defensive replacement as Dunn is commonly thought to be a liability in the outfield.

Though Dunn has never been recognized for his glove, he has recently heated up at the plate, approaching a .260 batting average with 14 homers on the year, 10 in May alone.

Dunn, 28 -- whose two-year $36 million contract expires at the end of this season -- has been widely thought to have been on the trading block for well over a year. Yet it appears there have been no takers, perhaps until now.

If the Reds were negotiating a deal, Baker likely would have been instructed to take Dunn out of the game for fear that an injury would derail the talks. Official word was being awaited, but even if Baker explained his odd move as being merely utilitarian in nature, it would not be entirely discountable that something more complicated may be occurring behind the scenes, consumation or no consumation.

Now with the Reds playoffs hopes in shambles, Dunn, future Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and other players more than ever are regarded as potential bargaining chips for a posssible rebuilding effort.

Dunn -- who generally has been counted on to belt 40 homers a year while scoring 100 runs -- just came off a 14-game hitting streak in which he hit more than .400 with six homers. Dunn's .395 on-base percentage leads the team, but Baker is on the record as saying he prefers batters not take walks as they will "clog up the basepaths."