When $1 is too much...

From everybody's favorite watered down team reporter, Dick Kaegel, we have this little nugget. 

That November 20, 2006, deal that brought LaRue to the Royals has been completed, Taylor tells us. The Royals sent the Reds $1. That's right, the big one buck that is sometimes specified as "cash considerations" if the two teams cannot agree on the player to be named. This is a fairly common practice. The Reds wanted to move LaRue and his $5.45 million salary that winter and they assumed a large chunk of it to make the deal. The Royals, in return, agreed to send the Reds a player to be named or $1. Reading between the lines, it appears the Reds just wanted to clear most of LaRue's salary off their books and really didn't care about receiving a player in return. They could apply the $1 to Ken Griffey Jr.'s salary. 

Personally, after LaPoo's performance from last year, I think the Reds made out like bandits! 

Also in the same mailbag, Dick predicts Alex and Billy Butts will each hit around 15 homers this year (possibly upwards of 20).  I, personally, would be hugely disappointed if Alex in particular repeated last year's line of 15 HRs... barring significant lost time, of course.