Rolen Traded to Reds

It is in the trade thread below but Scott Rolen has been traded to the Reds for Edwin Encarnacion and a minor leaguer pending Rolen's agreeing to the trade. Encarnacion is 26 so we've gained youth. He isn't hitting much this season but had 26 homers last year. Yonder Alonso who everyone likes can't be traded till after August 16th but he could be a player to be named later. We shall see. 

I'll miss Rolen.

Update, apparently Rolen has approved the deal.

Update - Hugo: The trade is Rolen for Edwin Encarnacion, Zach Stewart, and Josh Roenicke.  Roenicke and Stewart are reasonably good relief arms (both righthanded) who profile as average- to above-average major-league relievers, with Stewart being the slightly better regarded.  Stewart did a bit of starting at the lower levels earlier this season but that experiment seems to be over.  

Although Encarnacion is a big downgrade on defense (and, this season, offense), money was clearly the name of the game for the Jays.  They saved $3.5 million this year and even more next season, where Rolen was due $11 M and Edwin will only be in his first arbitration year.  If Encarnacion can hit as well as he did last year (his improved walk rate this season is a lone bright spot so far), he could be a useful player.

Since apparently we are "competing" next year, think we'll use the money saved on other players?  I could see us using it to resign Scutaro and Barajas - that's something.

3rd Update - Hugo:  According to Griffin, we are paying Rolen's salary for the rest of the year.  In the immortal words of Lando Calrissian, this deal is getting worse all the time.

4th Update - Hugo:  Apparently, Stewart's conversion to the bullpen this season after starting the year as a starter was not based on assessment of his abilities as a starter but as a way to limit his innings, considering how he had only been a reliever last year and mostly did relief work in college (though he did do a bit of starting there).  Of course, with only 14 professional starts under his belt, Stewart is an uncertainty as a major-league starter.  But if there is even a reasonable potential that he can start at the major-league level, it is a much better deal for the Jays.  The Jays typically share that organizational philosophy so that should be interesting to see.

Somewhat less instant reaction:  Like everyone else, I will miss Rolen but this isn't an awful trade for the Jays, is it?  They cleared some salary and gave the team some certainty at third base after 2010 while not creating a huge hole at third, got younger, and added some young arms with potential.  Encarnacion has some upside and Stewart could be a diamond in the rough.  Rolen was incredible this year but will be 35 next season and would have been gone after that regardless.