By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Toward the end of his press conference announcing Thursday's trades, acting co-general manager Brad Kullman prefaced an answer by saying:

"I'm not saying we're going to win the '08 World Series."

He didn't say the Reds were going to win it in '04, '05, '06 or '07, either.

The flurry of trades the Reds made leading up to Thursday's 4 p.m. deadline were all aimed at the future. But the future could be a ways off.

Aaron Boone was traded to the New York Yankees for left-handers Brandon Claussen and Charlie Manning and cash; left-handed reliever Gabe White was traded to the Yankees for a player-to-be-named.

Part of the job of Kullman and the co-acting GM, Leland Maddox, over the last few days has been to put positive spin on the moves. Scott Williamson went to Boston Tuesday and Jose Guillen went to Oakland Wednesday.

Net result of four trades in three days: Four established players out, eight minor league pitchers in. (The player-to-be-named in the Williamson and White deals are expected to be left-handed pitchers).

"We're going in a direction where we're trying to be fiscally responsible and we're trying to win," Kullman said. "We're doing the best we can within the perimeter of where we are as an organization."

That isn't a message the players or fans want to hear. The fans lit the Reds up on the talk shows.

The players were angered and saddened by the trades of Boone and White on Thursday, which came minutes before the 4 p.m. deadline in which players can be dealt without having to go through waivers.

"It's a sad day," said Sean Casey as he fought back tears. "You don't go out and just find guys like Aaron Boone. You want to build your team around guys like him."

"It's a salary dump," Barry Larkin said.

"I disagree," Kullman said. "Am I saying these are great moves to try and help us win tonight's game? No."

But he said money was not the sole reason behind any deal.

"We didn't have any mandate to shop any particular players, particular contracts," Kullman said. "We did not have any instructions to move X amount of money."

Boone was one of the young core from 1999 around whom the Reds promised to build. He may also have been as popular as anyone in the clubhouse.

"If you want a person who will represent the organization in a professional manner, plays hard everyday, is a professional, (Aaron Boone is it,)" reliever Scott Sullivan said. "If you don't want to keep him to build around, I don't know what you're looking for."

Beyond that, the players don't see a commitment to winning.

"I've put a lot of time in for this organization," Sullivan said. "I feel I've given my best. You always hope it will turn around and they'll make a commitment and head in the right direction. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened."

The Reds got $1.25 million in the Williamson deal, and another $1 million in the Boone deal. The White and Boone deals were reportedly split, players added and money taken out after Major League Baseball nixed a deal that included too much cash and only Claussen.

Kullman wouldn't confirm that, but did say: "We had many discussions with Major League Baseball. I don't know 'nixed' is the right word."

Despite their contention it wasn't a salary dump, the Reds saved a boatload of money: Roughly $3 million, taking into account the contracts of the four players they traded. Add that to $2.25 million they got back from Boston and New York, and the Reds will pay only about $55 million in payroll this season.

That would seem to indicate that the Reds are going to spend less on payroll in 2004.

No matter how you spin it, the Reds face a creditability problem with the fans.

And they have a credibility problem in their own clubhouse.

Allen told the players after general manager Jim Bowden and field manager Bob Boone were fired on Monday that the club was not throwing in the towel.

"Then they trade our two best players and our closer," Ryan Dempster said. "I don't expect the Yankees to trade (Derek) Jeter, (Jason) Giambi and (Mariano) Rivera if they want to get better."

On the eight players the Reds got in the last three days, Claussen is the surest bet.

The 24-year-old left-hander was 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA for Triple-A Columbus this year. He made one start for the Yankees and allowed only one earned run in 6 1/3 innings.

"Every time we've had discussions with the Yankees, we always asked for Brandon Claussen first and (GM) Brian Cashman always said, 'Nope.' " Kullman said. "When we began discussions a couple of days ago. We said, 'If we can't get Brandon Claussen, we're not making a deal with you.' "

So the deal was done.

Claussen went to Louisville. He will likely be up soon. Aaron Harang, the pitcher the Reds got in the Guillen deal, could start Saturday.

Kullman says the Reds team they are joining isn't all that bad.

"I think it's not as bad as the reaction when people look at it closer," he said. "Overall, I don't think that the drop-off is as great as people might think for tonight's game."

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