Wrapping up Day III

It's looking like the Reds are going to leave here without adding a starting pitcher -- or at least a No. 2 or 3 starter type. Asked how it was going in his session with the scribes, Wayne Krivsky said:

"It's going."

That doesn't sound like a guy on the verge of landing Erik Bedard. You have to read shades of gray with Krivsky, but he seemed pretty confident and upbeat yesterday. Today, not so much.

The difference between getting Erik Bedard and a third-tier free agent is huge. Krivsky talked about bringing in "competition" for rotation spots. That smacks of Victor Santos and Kirk Saarloos.

Last-minute deals happen, and we're getting down to the last minute. The Rule 5 Draft is at 9 a.m. tomorrow. That's end of the meetings.

As for the Rule 5, the Reds have targeted "three or four" guys, they pick seventh, so they'll probably get one. That's why they released Jorge Cantu.

Speaking of the Rule 5: Look for Carlos Guevara to go. He was 1-2 with a 2.32 ERA and 16 saves at Double-A Chattanooga last season. The Reds left him unprotected. Why? He's only 5-11, 25 years old and he's had some injuries.