The story on Reds.com gets right to the point:

CINCINNATI -- The Reds traded reserve infielder Brendan Harris to the Devil Rays for a player to be named later or cash on Tuesday.

Harris was designated for assignment by Cincinnati on Dec. 21, when Jeff Conine arrived in a trade with the Phillies.

Harris was acquired from the Nationals with relievers Gary Majewski and Bill Bray as part of a July 13 eight-player deal that sent Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez to Washington.

Over 25 games in the Majors last season, including eight with the Reds, Harris batted .238. He spent most of the 2006 season in Triple-A.

One thing you can say for Krivsky: he doesn't stand stubbornly by his bad moves. No, he's always ready to make his next bad move, especially if there's a 40-something player to be had.

The San Fransisco Chronicle is reporting that the Giants have signed Barry Zito to a seven-year contract worth $126 million:

Zito's $126 million contract is the largest ever for a pitcher and the biggest in Giants history, supplanting the $90 million contract Bonds signed after the 2001 season. It ties Vernon Wells' seven-year, $126 million contract with Toronto as the sixth-largest overall.

The Giants hold an $18 million option on Zito for 2014 with a $7 million buyout, making the contract worth a potential $137 million. The option becomes Zito's if he pitches 200 innings in 2013, the final guaranteed year, 400 innings over the final two years or 600 innings over the final three. Zito also has a complete no-trade clause for the entire length of the contract.

I don't even know what to say to that. I think I'll just have to babble for a while…

homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina homina

Wow, a SEVEN year contract for a pitcher. Who ever heard of such a thing? And $126 million? What do you even do with that kind of money? Next year, teams will actually have to sign over ownership of the franchise to sign pitchers.

According to a story in the Newark Star-Ledger (and a bunch of other places, too), the Yankees are looking to trade Randy Johnson:

NEW YORK -- The San Diego Padres have made a more attractive offer for Randy Johnson than the Arizona Diamondbacks, but the Yankees will trade Johnson only if they consider it a good baseball move.
…
San Francisco has also been involved in talks, and the Yankees official said two more teams he would not identify entered the derby yesterday.

Johnson, 43, is questionable for Opening Day because of surgery in October to repair a herniated disk in his lower back.
…
After acquiring Johnson from the Diamondbacks in January 2005, the Yankees extended his contract for two seasons, through next year. An official with a team not involved in Johnson talks was told the Yankees do not want to absorb any of Johnson's salary if they trade him.
…
Meanwhile, although the Yankees lost out on free-agent first baseman Shea Hillenbrand, who agreed to terms with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, they might still add a first baseman who bats left-handed. Doug Mientkiewicz, an excellent fielder, is still on the market and has drawn interest from the Yankees.

So, the Yankees are looking to sell a 43-year old, injured LHP. They're looking to buy a left-handed first baseman.

Suddenly the deal for Jeff Conine makes a lot more sense. Scott Hatteberg: you're on your way!

The Reds have traded Brad Key and Javon Moran to the Phillies for right-handed first baseman/outfielder Jeff Conine.

Check out a bunch of quotes on the deal at Marc's blog from Wayne Krivsky, Jerry Narron, and Jeff Conine.

Krivsky says something that I might not agree with but at least can actually understand:

“Continuing to look for that quality right-handed hitter, whether it was by trade route or free agency, we just felt like this was our best alternative. I’ve had him on a list of players that might be acquired by trade to fill that role that we’ve been looking for. We just felt like after talking to all our scouts, this was the best alternative that was available to us.”

Conine says:

Obviously I’ve played a lot with Alex Gonzalez – we won a World Series together and he’s probably the best shortstop I’ve ever played with. I’m looking forward to watching him in action again.”

Add to that the fact that his musical preferences should jibe well with Bronson Arroyo's (Conine performed Stone Temple Pilot's Plush on Oh Say Can You Sing?), and we might just have a positive vibe going on there.

Which is good, because in 2006, Conine hit .268 with 10 home runs. He's 40 years old. He's going to need some positive vibes from somewhere.

Brendan Harris was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

It seems like just yesterday that Wayne Krivsky traded Jason LaRue to Kansas City, thereby freeing up a roster spot and clearing out some room behind the plate. But no sooner had David Ross and Javier Valentín stretched out in their suddenly uncrowded position, but Kriv-dawg squeezed Chad Moeller in there with them.

So it probably doesn't surprise you that, after cutting loose Brandon Claussen, a soft-tossing lefty who failed to meet expectations last year, to clear a spot on the 40-man, he's immediately picked up another soft-tossing lefty in Bobby Livingston off waivers from the Seattle Mariners.

The story with Livingston is that he was claimed off waivers by Tampa Bay just this week, and MLB nullified the deal for no reason they saw fit to share. Marc says it best:

The Reds have claimed left-hander Bobby Livingston off waivers from the Seattle Mariners. No big deal there, except the Devil Rays claimed Livingston off waivers from the Mariners earlier this week and flipped him to the Phillies for cash.

How did this happen? Well, MLB nullified the previous waiver claim and trade, with no reason given. Apparently the powers that be felt the Phillies were circumventing the waiver process, which is prioritized by record, by cutting a prearraged deal with the Rays and sending Tampa cash for its part.

I'm glad to see Kriv-dawg putting some attention on the pitching aspect of the team for a minute, but I don't see how this really helps matters.