Majik, Bray, and Opening Day

[RedEye]

So, we find ourselves nearly at Opening Day 2007, and here is the state of affairs:

Majik starts the season on rehab in Louisville and Bray begins on the DL. Clayton is playing shortstop for the Blue Jays, Brendan Harris is a utility man for the Devil Rays, and Daryl Thompson is still a minor leaguer with the "potential" to return someday as a true prospect.

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Discuss...

[IamWallaman]

So, we find ourselves nearly at Opening Day 2007, and here is the state of affairs:

Majik starts the season on rehab in Louisville and Bray begins on the DL. Clayton is playing shortstop for the Blue Jays and Daryl Thompson is still a minor leaguer with the "potential" to return someday as a true prospect.

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Discuss...

You forgot Harris (now with TB)

[Redsland]

You forgot Brendan Harris, Devil Ray.

[Heath]

So, we find ourselves nearly at Opening Day 2007, and here is the state of affairs:

Majik starts the season on rehab in Louisville and Bray begins on the DL. Clayton is playing shortstop for the Blue Jays and Daryl Thompson is still a minor leaguer with the "potential" to return someday as a true prospect.

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Discuss...

If Ryan Wagner can't make the Nats, he's on the AAA bus rides.

Nothing to see here, move along.

[Ltlabner]

We're not getting the Robinson trade back as a "do over" either.

[Redsman80]

Quit crying. All people do is whine. The season hasn't even started. Lets look at the positives, we have Bronson, Phillips, Ross, Hatte. You have to take the good with the bad. I really don't think the trade was bad, it might not got us in the playoffs, but you didn't see Dunn coming to spring training with the same attitute.

Quit Whining, Enjoy Opeaning Day.

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

So, we find ourselves nearly at Opening Day 2007, and here is the state of affairs:

Majik starts the season on rehab in Louisville and Bray begins on the DL. Clayton is playing shortstop for the Blue Jays and Daryl Thompson is still a minor leaguer with the "potential" to return someday as a true prospect.

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Discuss...

Here's the discussion. If we had kept Kearns and Lopez what would be different right now.
1. I don't think we could have resigned them this year, and if we had what could we not have done by doing so. I would venture to guess that if we had resigned them this year we would not have been able to make the deals with Harrang and Arroyo which I feel are way more valuable than these 2 "quality starters".
2. What would we really have with these two. Would Kearns have stayed healthy and finally lived up to his potential, would Lopez decide to play some d and learn how to make the throw to first base. Who really knows.

3. Would we have Josh Hamilton right now had we kept Kearns.

4. Even though they are banged up, we did get Bray and Maj who will both when healthy help this bullpen. If we had not made the trade IMO Kearns and Lopez would have been let go and we may have got nothing out of them.

I see the love affair for Kearns playing in Dayton and coming up through the system with Dunner and all, but seriously all he did was break our hearts with underachievement, injuries, and total lack of desire to become what many thought he would. He and his father have since come out and talked bad about Reds fans when we had nothing to do with him getting traded in the first place. As far as Lopez is concerned, IMO if you can't play defense you can't play shortstop. Gonzo can play Short with the best of em and lets be glad for that.

[pedro]

So, we find ourselves nearly at Opening Day 2007, and here is the state of affairs:

Majik starts the season on rehab in Louisville and Bray begins on the DL. Clayton is playing shortstop for the Blue Jays and Daryl Thompson is still a minor leaguer with the "potential" to return someday as a true prospect.

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Discuss...

We'll see how "quality" they are by how they do this season. Neither one did all that great after the trade or this spring. Both players have their merits but like any lost love, the reflective glow of our memories may be stronger than they were in reality.

[westofyou]

Meanwhile, Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez are both quality starters in Washington. Oh, and Ryan Wagner starts the season in the Nationals bullpen.

Lopez had a stellar spring .200/.254/.267 just magic it was.

[Heath]

We'll see how "quality" they are by how they do this season. Neither one did all that great after the trade or this spring. Both players have their merits but like any lost love, the reflective glow of our memories may be stronger than they were in reality.

The girl you asked to prom is only prettier until the next girl comes along.

[Joseph]

I wish we wouldn't have traded Paul O'Neil for Roberto Kelly.

Just saying.

[Puffy]

Lopez had a stellar spring .200/.254/.267 just magic it was.

I forgot how important spring training stats were.

[NJReds]

"The Trade" was bad. Now it's time to move on.

[BRM]

Just out of curiosity, is Harris expected to make the 25 man in Tampa?

[pedro]

Return of the trade aside I think you have to ask yourself where exactly do those guys fit in the Reds lineup this year if we still have them. Griffey's in RF, where would Austin play? I prefer Phillips to Lopez, where would Lopez play?

If they'd have just moved Dunn to 1B it would have been a lot easier. Griffey could have moved to LF keeping a place for Kearns.