Just waiting to see what Redleg Nation has to say about this one:
- The Reds acquired Willie Bloomquist from the Royals, according to a team press release. Kansas City will obtain a player to be named later or cash in return for the 32-year-old utility man. Bloomquist has played all three outfield positions and all four infield positions this year, so the Reds are getting one of the more versatile players in the game. He hasn't hit much, however, and his season line now sits at .265/.296/.388.
Congratulations to Willie Bloomquist, who gets to spend a few weeks playing for a good team.
Congratulations to Ned Yost, who will no longer be tempted to write Willie Bloomquist's name into the lineup (granted, Yost has given into that self-destructive temptation substantially less often than Trey Hillman did).
And finally, congratulations to the Cincinnati Reds, who ... Hmmm. I might have to think about this one for a few days. Bloomquist wasn't on the 40-man roster on August 31, which means he wouldn't be eligible for the postseason roster even if the Reds suddenly developed the need for a super-utility player in October.
Maybe they're just desperate to lay claim to Bloomquist now, to get a head start on putting together their 2011 roster? Except Bloomquist can become a free agent after this season. Were the Reds really so desperate to get a jump on locking up Willie Bloomquist that they could justify sending the Royals a few thousand dollars or a warm body?
There's a story here, friends. And it almost has to be a strange one.