According to the Kansas City Star, the Reds expressed interest in dealing with the Royals for Joe Mays before he was released on Monday:

The Royals wrote off right-hander Joe Mays as a $1 million loss by releasing him Monday after failing in efforts to trade him. The Reds had expressed some interest.

Mays, 30, was 0-4 with a 10.27 ERA in six starts. He was designated for assignment May 8 when the club activated Denny Bautista from the disabled list.

The release allows Mays to become a free agent. The Royals can still recoup of portion of his $1 million salary if he signs elsewhere. His new team would be obligated to pay a prorated share of the major-league minimum salary of $327,000.

General Manager Wayne “Kriv-dawg” Krivsky would remember Mays' 2001 season with the Twins where he was the owner of a 17-13 record in 34 starts (233 innings) with a 3.16 ERA. You might not be surprised to learn that Mays was injured shortly thereafter.

His 2006 start has hardly been scintillating, but he has been playing for the Royals, after all. But I guess Kriv-dawg has already passed, so we'll be deprived his double-digit ERA.