On Thursday, the Mets traded Shawn Estes to the Reds for LHP Pedro Feliciano, OF-R Elvin Andujar and two players to be named later. Cincinnati wanted to pick up a left-handed pitcher for their playoff run, as their rotation had previously been comprised entirely of right-handed pitchers. They felt having a lefty in the rotation was particularly necessary for their upcoming series against the Astros and Cardinals.

New York will cover the remainder of Estes' salary, reported to be $1,524,592, allowing the Reds to maintain their current payroll. Estes will take the roster spot of Scott Sullivan, whom Cincinnati placed on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder. Evidently, Cincinnati intended to have Jose Rijo replace Joey Hamilton as the fill-in for Elmer Dessens in the rotation. However, Estes will now step into that rotation spot. Dessens is expect back next week, at that time the Reds will have to decide which of their starters will move to the bullpen. Brian Moehler and Ryan Dempster are likely safe as the team expended effort and talent in their acquisition, so either Jimmy Haynes or Jared Fernandez will likely shift to relief work. Due to his added durability as a knuckleballer, Fernandez will probably be the pitcher chosen to make the move.

The Dodgers drafted Feliciano out of a Puerto Rican high school in the 31st round of the 1995 draft. After he signed, LA assigned him to Great Falls in the Rookie-level Pioneer League where he stayed through the 1996 season. Feliciano spent the majority of 1997 at A Savannah in the South Atlantic League with a brief promotion to A+ Vero Beach in the Florida State League. He stayed with Vero Beach through 1998 and did not play in 1999 due to injury.

Feliciano picked up where he left off at Vero Beach to start the 2000 season, moving up through AA San Antonio in the Texas League and AAA Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League. He spent last year at the Dodgers' new affiliates of AA Jacksonville in the Southern League and AAA Las Vegas in the Pacific Coast League before signing with the Reds as a minor league free agent after last season. While he began his career as a starter, he moved into relief following his injury and demonstrated solid skills. In 38.2 IP at Chattanooga this season, he compiled a 26:11 K:BB while only allowing 33 H and 1 H before moving up to AAA Louisville in the International League. At the time of the trade, Feliciano had a 19:4 K:BB with 35 H and 3 HR allowed in 26.2 AAA IP. He doesn't have outstanding upside, but he could easily provide the Mets with inexpensive left-handed relief in the majors next season.

Cincinnati signed Elvin Andujar as a nondrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1999. After two seasons with the Reds' Dominican Summer League team, Andujar moved to the Reds' Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team in 2001, receiving a brief promotion to A Dayton in the Midwest League before the end of the season. This season at Billings in the Rookie-level Pioneer League Andujar has 40 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, and 5 HR with a 12:49 BB:K and 2/3 SB% over 140 AB for a .286 BA, .365 OBP, and .443 SLG. The 22-year-old will need to improve his plate discipline before he can take advantage of the speed skills he's shown in past years, when he's had 20+ SB in only around 200 AB.

Based on his placement in Rookie-ball and low number of stolen base attempts, I wonder if he suffered an injury prior to the season, as his on-base isn't sufficiently low to limit him to this few steal attempts. Unless he substantially improves, I don't think he'll develop into anything more than a reserve outfielder and considering he's only in Rookie-ball, it should be at least three years before he reaches the majors even if his skills develop.

I don't think this move substantially improves the Reds, and I've never thought much of their playoff chances. Consequently, they likely shouldn't have expended any minor league talent on the acquisition. I understand the desire to make a hard push for the playoffs, particularly going into a new ballpark next season. However, their moves merely seem to involve juggling players rather than actually improving the team. If the players to be named later are more than organizational filler, then Cincinnati's made a mistake with this deal.

Trading Estes seems to represent an about-face in the Mets' pursuit of the Wild Card, likely due to the loss of Edgardo Alfonzo and the injury troubles of Mike Piazza. New York placed Alfonzo on the disabled list a week ago with a strained oblique. Alfonzo sat out for a week before the Mets decided to send him to the disabled list to recuperate. Piazza likely isn't headed for this DL, but he has developed tendinitis in his left wrist, causing him to miss several days this week. While he plans to return to the lineup today, the injury will probably bother him for the rest of the season.

New York's playoff chances were weak with a healthy roster, so their chances with two of their best producers injured don't seem bright. Luckily, their deadline acquisition of John Thomson should benefit them next season, and Steve Reed will at least help their bullpen avoid overwork at the end of the year as the team auditions young starters. While I don't think a lot of Feliciano and Andujar, the players to be named later have upside and acquiring some potential is better than having Estes depart at the end of the season, adding nothing to the system. New York recalled Mike Bacsik to fill Estes' roster and rotation spots.

The Mets dealt Mark Little, who they acquired with Thomson, to the Diamondbacks for a player to be named later. New York had already sent Little to the minors through waivers shortly after his acquisition in order to clear room on the roster for the call-up of Ty Wigginton. As I said when he moved to the Mets, Little has minute value to his team unless he improves his plate discipline. Arizona will probably bring him up to sit on the bench in September, but I don't expect him to see much playing time. New York should break even in this deal regardless of the skills of the player to be named later, and they could easily come out on top.