Stock up on canned goods

Yes folks, go out right now. Buy a generator as well while you're out.

What's the occasion? Well, not only did Jim Bowden get the better end of a deal, he absolutely fleeced the Reds today.

Washington gets:
OF Austin Kearns
SS Felipe Lopez
RHP Ryan Wagner

Cincinnati gets:
RHP Gary Majewski
LHP Bill Bray
SS Royce Clayton
IF Brendan Harris
RHP Daryl Thompson

Ok, so I realize that the Cincy bullpen legitimately sucks. But Gary Majewski and Bill Bray is the best you can do?

For Cincinnati, they give up a talented (but health risk) 26 year-old OF in Kearns, who has shown the ability to hit for power and get on base. He may never reach 2002 levels again, but a .351 OBP and .492 SLG is still not bad. In Felipe Lopez, they gave up a 26-year old SS who was an All-Star last year. And once again, while he may not ever hit as well as he did last year, he was still good at the plate this year and is about a million times better than Royce Clayton, not to mention 10 years younger.

The two best MLB playersthe Reds give up are Gary Majewski and Billy Bray, who are really average to above average MRs. Don't get me wrong, Majewski has been a good, durable pitcher (though the K/BB numbers aren't overly encouraging), but if he's the best player you're getting in exchange for two above average regulars enterting their prime, that's not good. Plus, Majewski is a flyball pitcher, which will make the move from RFK (an extreme pitcher's park) to The Great American Ballpark (an extreme hitter's park) even more rocky.

So as I say, get ready to fire up the generator. Jim Bowden made a great move.