Reds File Grievance Over Nats Trade of Majewski

[Senators2005]

Wow...these guys are still crying about D'Artanigan.  Somebody mail those guys a crate of pacifiers.    

Reds File Grievance Over Majewski Deal
By Barry Svrluga
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, May 19, 2007; E05
LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/18/AR2007051802078.html

The Cincinnati Reds have formally filed a grievance with Major League Baseball regarding last year's trade with the Washington Nationals in which the Reds believe they received damaged goods in reliever Gary Majewski.

"We're looking into the matter," league spokesman Mike Teevan said yesterday. "There's no firm deadline by which we have to reach a decision."

Sources said MLB officials have begun the process of speaking with officials from both teams regarding the July 13 deal that sent Majewski and four other players -- shortstop Royce Clayton, reliever Bill Bray, infielder Brendan Harris and minor league pitcher Daryl Thompson -- to Cincinnati for outfielder Austin Kearns, infielder Felipe Lopez and reliever Ryan Wagner.

Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden, who has maintained that the Nationals turned over all the medical records regarding Majewski that the Reds asked for, declined to comment yesterday. Through a spokesman, Cincinnati General Manager Wayne Krivsky also declined to comment.

Majewski had tendinitis in his right shoulder while with the Nationals early last season, and although he never went on the disabled list, the condition was reported in the media. He made 11 appearances with the Reds before being placed on the disabled list Aug. 8. A day later, Krivsky first brought up the possibility of seeking a league investigation.

Majewski is 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA for Class AAA Louisville this year. The Nationals play a four-game series at Cincinnati next week.

[sportsfan882]

Man, we got them good in that deal.  Majewski is struggling this year in AAA.  That is a big shock; He was a stud for us in '05. 

[Senators2005]

Man, we got them good in that deal.  Majewski is struggling this year in AAA.  That is a big shock; He was a stud for us in '05. 

I think it's sour grapes because of exactly that.  My understanding from what I've read is that we didn't hide anything from them when the trade was made.  I think the Cincinnati front office is hearing alot of whining from their fans and now want to put out that they got duped - which plays right into the minds of Reds fans, since they all together hate Jim Bowden to begin with.

[shoeshineboy]

I searched the mlb board for the post that I made on this topic last August. I feel my sentiments for Krivsky still hold:

I hope the Nats and Stan Kasten in particular go to the matresses on this one. I think a proper response to this would be:

"Dear Mr. Krivsky,
Since the media in the rest of the country may not have done a good enough job reporting it, this may be a good opportunity to bring you up to speed. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Stan Kasten, and I am the new president of the Washington Nationals. In mid-July of this year, MLB officially sold the Montreal Expos franchise to the Lerner Group. Consequently, Major League Baseball, the Cincinatti Reds, and the rest of the parasitic teams in the league no longer have an ownership stake in our club, and are therefore no longer able to use it as their personal farm system and doormat. F*ck you, and the horse you rode in on.
Sincerely yours,
Stan."

 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

crap, Marge Schott will always haunt that team.   

I think it's sour grapes because of exactly that.  My understanding from what I've read is that we didn't hide anything from them when the trade was made.  I think the Cincinnati front office is hearing alot of whining from their fans and now want to put out that they got duped - which plays right into the minds of Reds fans, since they all together hate Jim Bowden to begin with.

[Nat of the Living Dead]

Maj was always going to bounce between the Majors and AAA.  To me, he never really was that outstanding or consistent.  The Reds got fleeced on the deal and this is nothing more than them trying to not look like total idiots.

[UMDNats]

Majewski was always overrated. He has a decent fastball and that's about it.

The Reds need to let it go.

[JMW IV]

Oh this should be fun. Wonder how stan deals with this

[PC]

Wow...these guys are still crying about D'Artanigan.  Somebody mail those guys a crate of pacifiers.    

I thought this thread was bumped up from last year.

[Dave B]

in the words of that song by the Eagles I think:

"get over it, get over it (air guitar sound on) nyeeeer (air guitar off)"

"We're looking into the matter," league spokesman Mike Teevan said yesterday. "There's no firm deadline by which we have to reach a decision."

so that means by the all star break er labor day er spring training.....

hold your breath reds fans

[2k6nats]

The thing is, as trivial as this may seem for us, the Nats FO still has to deal with this.  It will probably end up being a major inconvenience to them.

[Air Zimmerman]

This is your classic case of getting owned. The Reds were the ones that got owned and they are trying to make excuses and say it wasn't fair while the Nationals are the ones who owned and are just laughing hysterically in amazement of how much they owned the Reds lives.

Now the Reds are just making matters worse by filing grievance. They wont win, so they'll get double owned. If i were the Reds i would just bury the trade deep in the dirt, and forget about it.

Two decent relievers for two everyday starters (one a former all-star and the other potential to be an all star).

A Big  to the Reds for giving us A.K. and Felipe for free
 

[Air Zimmerman]

O ya, this comes just in time for the Nationals series vs the Reds in Cincinnati.

I hope A.K. and Felipe add insult to injury and breakout of their slumps with a huge series.

[NatMan]

Bowden made a great trade.  Love to see another one of those.  BTW, how is Bray doing?

[sportsfan882]

Bowden made a great trade.  Love to see another one of those.  BTW, how is Bray doing?

The Reds sent left-hander Bill Bray to Sarasota of the Class A Florida State League on an injury rehabilitation assignment. Bray has been on the DL since April 1 with a hairline fracture at the tip of his left index finger.
(Updated 05/20/2007). [/img]

[kimnat]

The Reds sent left-hander Bill Bray to Sarasota of the Class A Florida State League on an injury rehabilitation assignment. Bray has been on the DL since April 1 with a hairline fracture at the tip of his left index finger.
(Updated 05/20/2007). [/img]

Yeeouch!  I was actually afraid of that being Church's problem today!  Glad that is only a super bad bruise!  A hairline would have been far worse.

[OldChelsea]

Bowden made a great trade.  Love to see another one of those.  BTW, how is Bray doing?

He has yet to see major-league action this season; his MILB.com entry (http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?n=Bill%2520Bray&pos=P&sid=milb&t=p_pbp&pid=435538) shows him at Sarasota of the Florida State League ('advanced' Class A) - made his first appearance of the season against Daytona yesterday, 1 IP, 1 BB, no ER.

But back on topic: unless they're just hopelessly misinformed or dense, there's no way the Reds organisation could have been unaware of Majewski's medical issues...no secrets in this business anymore.

[nats2playoffs]

I would dearly love to see the Nationals sweep the Reds with lopsided wins this week, cementing them deeper in the NL-Central cellar.  And shut them out with our assortment of starting pitchers from either AAA or the bullpen.  It could set up a deal later.

I think the flap is over Majewski getting a cortisone shot in his arm that the Reds didn't know about.  I'd like to see this settled as part of a trade to obtain Adam Dunn before the deadline.  He's hit over 40 homers each of the last 3 years.  Dunn made $7.5 million in 2006 and is getting $10.5 million in 2007. His club option to be paid $13 million for 2008 can be bought out for $500,000. The guaranteed years eliminated a third year of arbitration eligibility, and deferred his free agency. 

They are in a Soriano situation, where they're getting 40 homers but lose anyway.  A slugger could win more games for us, now that our pitching and fielding have improved.  We can stand our ground on Majewski, but quietly set up a trade to get them the starting pitching they need for Dunn.  Maybe make a multi-year agreement with Dunn as a condition somehow?  So our starters need to continue their good work, to impress the Reds and create starting jobs for all of them somewhere.

Reunite Kearns and Dunn!

[shoeshineboy]

I'd like to see this settled as part of a trade to obtain Adam Dunn before the deadline. 

As long as you can live with the team dominating the league in strikeouts, he'd be a good guy to have. But I am afraid it would be very frustrating for many folks. He's already on pace this year to shatter his previous highs of 194 and 195 Ks in a season.

[Senators2005]

As long as you can live with the team dominating the league in strikeouts, he'd be a good guy to have. But I am afraid it would be very frustrating for many folks. He's already on pace this year to shatter his previous highs of 194 and 195 Ks in a season.

exactly...he's a carbon copy of Brad Wilkerson...no strike that: he's worse. 

[shoeshineboy]

exactly...he's a carbon copy of Brad Wilkerson...no strike that: he's worse. 

I'm usually pretty critical of the ESPN analysts, but I had to agree with John Kruk the other night when he compared guys like Dunn to guys like Jeter and Pujols. He pointed out that guys like Dunn swing the exact same way at every pitch regardless of the situation or what type of pitch it is instead of reacting to the pitch and trying go opposite field or swinging differently to get the bat on the ball and doing something with it. The "robotic" style swing produces a fair share of homers over 600 at bats, but it's an all or nothing style.

[Senators2005]

I'm usually pretty critical of the ESPN analysts, but I had to agree with John Kruk the other night when he compared guys like Dunn to guys like Jeter and Pujols. He pointed out that guys like Dunn swing the exact same way at every pitch regardless of the situation or what type of pitch it is instead of reacting to the pitch and trying go opposite field or swinging differently to get the bat on the ball and doing something with it. The "robotic" style swing produces a fair share of homers over 600 at bats, but it's an all or nothing style.

maybe so...but Jeter and Pujols don't strike out at the same clip as Adam Dunn...

[shoeshineboy]

maybe so...but Jeter and Pujols don't strike out at the same clip as Adam Dunn...

Yeah, that was his point. There are hitters that use their athletic ability react to pitches and adjust their swings accordingly. So while they hit a fair share of homers, they aren't just trying to jack everything over the left field fence. Dunn's K totals really are at the ridiculous level.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Dunn gets on base and slugs well enough to justify high K totals.  I'd like to have him.

[JMW IV]

exactly...he's a carbon copy of Brad Wilkerson...no strike that: he's worse. 

Dunn was Brad Wilkerson, before Brad Wilkerson was cool.

only with more power.