The Reds have been rumored to be shopping players, amongst them Ken Griffey Jr.  It is pretty clear the Reds are not going to get much in return for the 38-year old right fielder, but anything is better than nothing.  The team has a $16 million option for 2009 with a $4 million buyout. Trading if nothing else will save the club the buyout money.

While Griffey is always an injury risk and his skills are diminished, he still is capable source of left-handed power and a hitter than many pitchers still fear. If it wasn't for the fact that they play in NL Central the Reds would already be out of the race and if they can't turn it around soon they will be by next month at this time anyway. Trading Griffey makes to much sense.

Let's take a quick look at some teams that would make good fits:

MARINERS
Seattle is the most logical choice. After watching the reception in a brief three-game visit last year the Mariners' fans love this guy. There is not a better place for him to finish his Hall of Fame career than the city where most of his Hall of Fame accolades were earned. Junior would immediately step in and help pick up the slack left by the disappointing Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre. Not to mention the man will sell some tickets.

CUBS
Lou Piniella is screaming for left-handed pop and let's face it Felix Pie doesn't appear to be ready. If the Cubs are serious going to make a pennant run like so many of their fans claim, they better beef up that line-up a bit.

INDIANS
At 14-17 Cleveland is off to a disappointing start. The team is 24th in MLB in runs and desperately needs some offense. Griffey could take over in left field for Dave Delluci or in right for Franklin Gutierrez. Jason Michaels has fizzled too and the Tribe needs to score to compete in the AL Central.

TIGERS
The future of Gary Sheffield is in doubt and it's not like Marcus Thames is ripping the cover off the ball. Griffey would nicely in the middle of the Tigers' right-handed thump of Magglio Ordonez, Miguel Cabrera, and Sheffield if he plays. If I'm the Reds I trade him straight up for Brandon Inge, and maybe even include Josh Fogg in the deal.

Despite the fact that he is mired in a bit of a slump, the Rockies' Clint Barmes is worth a look.  Even after going 3 for his last 19, Barmes is still hitting .280 on the season and with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki out 4-8 weeks and maybe longer due to a torn tendon in his left quadriceps, the middle infielder will shift from second base to shortstop.

He had already beaten out Jayson Nix to nab the second base job in Colorado, but now he will move back to the spot that once belonged to him. This dual position eligibility only increases his value and makes him a savvy middle infielder option in AL-only and deeper mixed leagues.  The recent slump has dropped him down to either 7 or 8 in the order, which obviously is not as good as hitting in front of Matt Holliday, Todd  Helton, and Garrett Atkins, but I still expect Barmes to snap out of the slump and put up respectable numbers in an above average Rockies' lineup.

The guy is not going to be a star, however, I do expect him to be a nice stop gap option for the short-term and one that is showing up more and more on the fantasy radar.

That's going to leave a mark...

Lost in all the talk about Eight Belles and claims from many outsiders that the horse racing industry is brutal punishment to the thoroughbreds is the fact we have a real triple crown contender in Big Brown.

Many have compared him to last year's Triple Crown colt Curlin, who in my opinion is the best horse in the country right now. It is easy to see the comparisons though both horses are huge specimens and remarkable athletes. The biggest difference between the two though is the fact that there's no horse that is comparable to Street Sense or Hard Spun to challenge this year's Triple Crown hopeful.

The overpowering victory by Big Brown in the Kentucky Derby on Saturday at Churchill Downs, in which he got a Beyer Speed Figure of 109, left no doubt as to his superiority over the current crop of 3-year-olds. He was so dominant that, as of Monday, just one of his beaten rivals in the Derby was even under consideration to challenge him again at Pimlico, according to DRF.com.

With so few Derby horses headed to Pimilico for the Preakness, it appears as if Big Brown is going to grab the second leg of the Triple Crown he will have to beat a fresh batch of horses.

"It just wasn't a strong Derby field other than our horse," said Big Brown's trainer, Richard Dutrow Jr.

"I don't think I'll be as confident," said Dutrow, who was extremely confident before the Derby. "I really do like training a horse up to a race, and I can't do it now. It looks like he's the best horse in the Preakness. I don't like coming back in two weeks, but I've got no choice."

I was scared off Big Brown in the Derby because of the fact he drew the #20 hole, but the run he made and the lack of fire from the other contenders, leaves me to think we have a great shot to have our first Triple Crown horse in 20 years.