Happy RayDay?

The rumors begin to swirl that the long-rumored Ray Durham to Milwaukee deal is close to consummation.

From Tom Haudricort at the Journal-Sentinel's Brewers Blog:

There's a lot of other names floating around. One has the Brewers dealing second baseman Rickie Weeks in an expanded trade but I don't believe that at all.

More likely, it's a minor deal involving either Durham and/or Giants reliever Jack Taschner. It appears the Brewers are sending minor league outfielder Darren Ford in whatever deal is being hashed out because he was removed from the starting lineup with Class A Brevard County today with indications he is being traded.

Rickie Weeks?  Really?  Schulman chimes in with a dose of reality at the Chronicle's Splash Blog:

UPDATE: From what I'm hearing, rumors of a blockbuster are not true, and that Durham is the main man in the deal. One reason Durham's agent might be in his office on a Saturday night, and why the deal could not be announced Saturday, is that Durham is a 10-5 guy who needs to approve any trade. That can involve negotiations with a player.

Either way, selling off Day to Day Ray for anything of value is a coup.  At least I thought it was until I read Haudricourt's downlow on the presumptive return in this deal:

Ford, 22, is one of the fastest players in the minors but plays centerfield, a position at which the Brewers are well-stocked. In 91 games with Brevard, he is batting .230 with 48 stolen bases in 59 attempts.

Perfect.  A speedy no hit centerfielder, huh?  Way to match up in a deal there, Brian Sabean.  Not like we don't have any of those, in the minors or the majors.  With the Dave Roberts deal expiring in a short 15 months, and only Wendell Fairley, Clay Timpner, Brian Horwitz, Nate Schierholtz, Eugenio Velez and a boatload of others available to replace him, I think it's perfect that he's targeted Ford. 

Not, you know, an infielder, or a relief pitcher, or any kind of low-average, middling-power guy.

I'm not expecting a Cameron Maybin for Ray Durham, but if I had to profile the one minor leaguer I would NOT want in any deal, it would be Darren Ford.

(I could be fair and say the kid's got some size at 6'1/195 and he's shown a bit of pop with 18 HRs in two and a half minor league seasons. But .230? Kid should be pretty settled in at A ball, by now, don't you think?)

Well played, Brian.  I'm climbing back into the (Sunday morning) bottle.