Rumors Run Rampant, Sox trade Dye to Reds?

That's the way the situation looked earlier this evening. First Jayson Stark noted Jermaine Dye was the #2 trading chip at the MLB Winter Meetings in Las Vegas, right behind Jake Peavy. The way Stark writes, it's as if JD may as well have packed his bags and kept his phone next to him. Stark also mentions that Jim Thome, Paul Konerko, and Bobby Jenks are being shopped by the White Sox.

MLB Trade Rumors runs down the evening's events in pretty good, chronological order. The supposed Dye for Homer Bailey trade was first broken by the Dayton Daily News, but since then that rumor has been rejected by the White Sox, Reds, and Jermaine Dye's agent.

So, for now it looks like that Jermaine Dye jersey you own is still up to date, but Homer Bailey seems like the kind of guy Kenny Williams targets and reels in. He is a former first round draft pick, who has struggled at the Major League level, but has been very, very highly regarded. He has been the Reds' top prospect since they drafted him and peaked in 2007 when he was ranked the 5th-best prospect in all of baseball. Bailey's struggles at the Major League level may warrant getting another player in a deal with the Reds, but that's OK, since they have one of the best farm systems in baseball.

Orlando Cabrera rejected salary arbritation from the White Sox (or at least, he will). Since Cabrera is a Type A free agent, the Sox will recieve either a team's 1st round draft pick (if it is pick 16-30) and a Sandwich round pick or the sandwich round pick and their 2nd round pick (if it is #1-15).

I'm not terribly sad to see Orlando move on. While it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world for him to come back for one more season and hold down the fort at shortstop while the Sox's bevy of middle infield prospects continue to develop, Cabrera never seemed like a great fit with this team, and if he's leaving while his value is at its peak, he'll bring back more goods in the June Draft. In the end, Jon Garland for 1 year of Cabrera and 2 high draft picks will likely turn out to be another one of Kenny Williams' more inspired moves.