Notes on the Kenny Williams press conference are under the comments for the big trade.

Cincinnati Reds executive vice president/general manager Wayne Krivsky today announced the acquisition of IF/OF Jeff Conine from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for minor leaguers IF Brad Key and OF Javon Moran.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Reds designated for assignment IF Brendan Harris.

Last season Conine combined to hit .268 with 10 home runs and 66 RBI for the Baltimore Orioles and Phillies. He began the season with the Orioles, then on August 27 was traded to Philadelphia, along with cash, for a player to be named.

The 16-season veteran was a National League All-Star in 1994 and 1995 and was a member of the Florida Marlins’ World Series championship teams in 1997 and 2003. In 1993, his first full big league season, Conine finished third in the NL Rookie of the Year voting. He has a .286 career batting average in 1,923 games.
In his Major League career the versatile Conine has appeared in 935 games at first base, 928 games in the outfield and 67 games at third base.

Key last season played at Class A Dayton and Sarasota, while Moran spent time in Sarasota and Class AA Chattanooga. Harris, acquired from the Washington Nationals as part of an 8-player deal in July, spent most of last season at Class AAA but also made 17 appearances for the Nats and 8 appearances for the Reds.

The Chicago White Sox have acquired left-handed reliever Andrew Sisco from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for first baseman/outfielder Ross Gload.

Sisco, 23 (turns 24 on January 13), has gone 3-8 with one save and a 4.85 ERA (72 ER/133.2 IP) in 132 games over the last two seasons with the Royals. The 6-foot-10, 270-pounder was 2-5 with a 3.11 ERA in 67 games in 2005 before going 1-3 with a 7.10 ERA in 65 games last year. He has struck out 128 hitters in 133.2 career IP (8.6 per 9.0 IP).

Sisco was originally chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the second round of the June 2001 draft and was a Rule 5 selection by the Royals in December 2004.

Gload, 30, batted .327 (51-156) with three home runs and 18 RBI in 77 games with the White Sox in 2006. Over three seasons with the Sox, he has hit .308 (133-432) with 10 home runs and 67 RBI. Gload also has appeared in the major leagues with the Cubs (2000) and Colorado (2002).

The Houston Astros announced today that the club has acquired right-handed pitchers Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for right-handed pitchers Taylor Buchholz and Jason Hirsh and outfielder Willy Taveras. The announcement was made by General Manager Tim Purpura.

Jennings, 28, was 9-13 with a 3.78 ERA (89ER/212IP) in 32 starts for the Rockies in 2006, including three complete games and two shutouts. His 3.78 ERA last season represented the second-lowest, full-season mark in Colorado franchise history and ranked 12th overall in the National League. Jennings also posted career-high totals in 2006 in innings pitched (212) and strikeouts (142).

From May 29 until end of the 2006 season, Jennings posted a 3.17 ERA (52ER/147.2IP), the second-lowest ERA in the NL during that span and the fourth-lowest in MLB, trailing only Johan Santana (2.44), Roy Oswalt (2.78), and Erik Bedard (2.91).

In 156 career games from 2001-06 (all as a starter), Jennings is 58-56 with a 4.74 ERA (496ER/941IP), including six complete games and three shutouts. He was the 2002 National League Rookie of the Year after finishing 16-8 that season with a 4.52 ERA (93ER/185.1IP). in 32 starts. The former Baylor University standout earned the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in America in 1999 and was named the National Player of the Year in college baseball that season by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball, and USA Today/Baseball Weekly. Jennings also attended Poteet High School in Mesquite, Texas.

“We are excited to add a pitcher of Jason’s caliber to our rotation,” said Purpura. “He solidifies the No. 2 starter position for our ballclub, and we look forward to having him on the mound for us in 2007.”

Asencio, 26, was 1-0 with a 4.70 ERA (4ER/7.2IP) in three games (one start) for Colorado in 2006. In 38 games (16 starts) for Triple A Colorado Springs, he was 8-7 with a 5.03 ERA (62ER/111IP) and one save. In 42 career Major League appearances (30 starts) with Kansas City (2002-03) and the Rockies (2006), Asencio is 7-8 with a 5.12 ERA (102ER/179.1IP).

Buchholz, 25, was 6-10 with a 5.89 ERA (74ER/113IP) in 22 games (19 starts) for Houston in 2006. Originally acquired along with right-handed pitcher Ezequiel Astacio and Brandon Duckworth in the trade that sent Billy Wagner to Philadelphia on Nov. 3, 2003, Buchholz threw one complete-game shutout and struck out 77 while walking 34 in 113 innings in 2006.

Hirsh, 24, was 3-4 with a 6.04 ERA (30ER/44.2IP) in nine starts for the Astros this season. He struck out 29 while walking 22 in 44.2 innings. The 2006 Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year, Hirsh’s 13 wins led the circuit and he finished 13-2 with a 2.10 ERA (32ER/137.1IP).

The 24-year-old Taveras hit .278 (147-529) with one home run, 30 RBI, and 33 stolen bases in 149 games played in 2006. He played in parts of three Major League seasons with the Astros from 2004-06, hitting .284 (319-1122) with four home runs, 59 RBI, and 68 stolen bases in 311 career big league games. Taveras finished second in the 2005 National League Rookie of the Year balloting after hitting .291 (172-592) with three home runs, 29 RBI, and 34 steals that season.

Dec. 4
St. Louis Cardinals - Signed RHP Chris Carpenter to a five-year contract extension through the 2011 season with a club option for 2012.
San Francisco Giants - Signed INF Rich Aurilia to a two-year contract. Re-signed INF Pedro Feliz to a one-year contract.
Seattle Mariners - Signed OF Jose Guillen to a one-year contract with an option for 2008.

Dec. 5
Chicago White Sox - Re-signed INF/OF Pablo Ozuna to a one-year contract.
Colorado Rockies - Signed RHP LaTroy Hawkins to a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2008.
Los Angeles Dodgers - Re-signed RHP Takashi Saito to a one-year contract.

Dec. 6

Baltimore Orioles - Acquired INF/OF Freddie Bynum from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for a player to be named later. Signed C Paul Bako to a one-year contract.
Cleveland Indians - Signed RHP Joe Borowski to a one-year contract with a club option for 2008. Signed OF David Dellucci to a three-year contract.
Los Angeles Dodgers - Signed C Mike Lieberthal to a one-year contract with a club option for 2008.
New York Mets - Acquired RHP Ambiorix Burgos from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for RHP Brian Bannister.
Oakland Athletics - Signed LHP Alan Embree to a two-year contract through 2008 with a club option for 2009.
Philadelphia Phillies - Acquired RHP Freddy Garcia from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHP Gavin Floyd and a player to be named later.
San Francisco Giants - Signed C Bengie Molina to a three-year contract.

Dec. 7
Atlanta Braves - Acquired RHP Rafael Soriano from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for LHP Horacio Ramirez.
Chicago Cubs - Acquired RHP Kevin Hart from the Baltimore Orioles as the player to be named later in the December 6th trade of INF/OF Freddie Bynum.
Chicago White Sox - Acquired LHP Gio Gonzalez from the Philadelphia Phillies as the player to be named later in the Dec 6 trade of RHP Freddy Garcia.
Cincinnati Reds - Acquired OF Josh Hamilton (Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.
Detroit Tigers - Acquired LHP Edward Campusano (Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations.
Kansas City Royals - Signed RHP Gil Meche to a five-year contract.
Oakland Athletics - Acquired OF Ryan Goleski (Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in exchange for LHP Jay Marshall (Rule 5 Draft selection) and cash considerations.
Philadelphia Phillies - Acquired RHP Alfredo Simon (Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for C Adam Donachie (Rule 5 Draft selection) and cash considerations.
Seattle Mariners - Acquired RHP Sean White (Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations.
Texas Rangers - Acquired C Salomon Manriquez (AAA Phase Rule 5 Draft selection) from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash considerations.

The Atlanta Braves and Seattle Mariners completed a two-player trade today, as the Braves acquired right-handed relief pitcher Rafael Soriano from the Mariners in exchange for left-handed pitcher Horacio Ramirez.

Soriano, who turns 27 on December 19, established career highs in nearly every statistical category in 2006, despite not pitching the final month of the season due to a concussion. He worked in 53 games and posted a 2.25 ERA with 65 strikeouts and just 21 walks in 60 innings pitched. He was hit on the right side of the head by a line drive off the bat of the Angels’ Vladimir Guerrero on August 29 at Safeco Field. Soriano’s ERA ranked ninth among all American League relievers, while his .204 opponents’ batting average ranked 10th.

“One of our primary objectives this off-season was to bolster our bullpen,” Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager John Schuerholz said. “In 2006 Rafael established himself as a very reliable pitcher and we obviously feel that we have improved our pitching staff with his addition.”

In his five-year career, Soriano is 4-8 with a 2.89 ERA and a .212 opponents’ batting average. He boasts 177 strikeouts and just 53 walks in 171 innings pitched.