Wow. That was an eventful non-waiver trading deadline yesterday, wasn’t it?

Two of the biggest names in baseball changed teams, and both trades involved the NL Central. Of course, big-name, established talent was leaving the NLC, but that’s come to be expected.

As reported here yesterday, Ken Griffey Jr. was traded to the White Sox. Basically this saves the Reds some money and it gives them a couple players who might be useful. That’s more than I expected they could get out of Griffey.

The trade is bittersweet, though. Everyone had high hopes for the Reds when Griffey arrived in 2000, but he never seemed to be the player that people expected. Injuries and getting older were a part of that, as was the incalculable incompetency of the Reds organization. (This trade notwithstanding, the incompetency continues even now. See Dusty Baker.)

The blogger reaction is mixed. Some like it, some don’t. All seem to realize how special of a player he was, though.

• John Fay was stunned but seems to have come around.
• Justin at On Baseball and the Reds thinks the Reds won the trade and offers his usual level-headed analysis.
• And Shawn wishes Griffey well with his new team and offers the frightening Reds future: one with more playing time for Corey Patterson.

Ah, what could have been.