This and that

• A deal that sends outfielder Ryan Freel and minor-league infielders Justin Turner and Brandon Waring to the Orioles for catcher Ramon Hernandez (and at least $1 million in cash) has been finalized.

Quotes from Walt Jocketty:

"It was part of our report from scouts. ... We had scouts who saw him in the past and saw him again this year. They thought there was some level of frustration that he had been experiencing. We talked about it. I did some research with people I know who have had him. I got great reports."

"We do think a change of scenery will help him immensely. We've got a pretty good pitching staff. I think he's a guy who will work well with that staff and develop that staff and have renewed energy."

I would imagine Ryan Hanigan should still get considerable playing time, seeing as how Hernandez has only had more than 500 at-bats in a season once in his 10-year big-league career (he did have 23 homers and 91 RBIs that season). And he's not getting any younger (he'll be 33 in May). He was good for at least .275 for a few years there but his average has dropped a little the past two years (.258 in 2007 and .257 last season). He also threw out just 20 percent of runners last season and led the majors in passed balls with 10.

Baltimore could afford to part with Hernandez because of the emergence of Matt Wieters. Turner and Waring have impressed in the minors and AFL. Both were seventh-round picks. But they were both expendable because one's a second baseman with less potential in the Reds' eyes than Brandon Phillips and the other's a third baseman with less than Juan Francisco.

So it's just a matter of figuring out where to deal solid mid-level prospects. It makes sense that they sent Freel but you just hope they didn't give the Orioles too much for a guy who hit .257 and didn't impress defensively.

• Other Hot Stove rumors du jour: The very end of this MLB.com story by Mark Bowman says a source has indicated the Reds may have interest in Jeff Francoeur.

FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says Marlins outfielder Jeremy Hermida is drawing interest from the Reds, Cubs, Braves and Rays.

And here's MLB.com's latest about Jermaine Dye. White Sox GM Ken Williams apparently is keeping Dye abreast of all developments, telling Dye he hasn't been traded but there has been interest, from the Reds and others.

• The Carson Palmer elbow saga continues. The Enquirer's Dustin Dow does a nice job including all of the Marvin quotes (there were some good ones) as well as a comprehensive timeline in his Surgery not likely for Palmer piece. If you're so tired of the Bengals being secretive about it and Marvin talking out of both sides of his mouth, I'll save you the pain of reading it. Basically, there's still a chance Carson could play in one or all of the Bengals' three remaining games this season. "What football players do is they play football," Marvin said. Wow.

Chick Ludwig's notebook also includes a "for what it's worth" quote from Marvin about how the Bengals would like to have both T.J. and Stacy Andrews back for next year.

• You have to admit, it's a little bit fun to start looking at NFL mock drafts, even this early. NewNFLdraft.com gets it right, they've got the Bengals taking Bama OT Andre Smith. Draftcountdown.com says Buckeyes RB Chris Wells, but they have the Bengals picking fourth. I just don't see how they can take anyone who's not a lineman. FFtoolbox.com and mynfldraft.com: Andre Smith. WalterFootball.com: Ole Miss OT Michael Oher. So basically unless they win their final three games, which isn't going to happen, they should be able to get either Smith or Oher if they don't trade down.

• In Andy Katz's Weekly Watch, his team of the week is Ohio State and one of his "Five places to be this week" (right-hand column) is Cincinnati for Saturday's Crosstown Shootout.

• I can't imagine the Bearcats are thrilled about all of these writers - including FOXSports' Pete Fiutak - saying Virginia Tech and Cincinnati are misfit teams that no one really cares about seeing play. Bad take. I can't imagine Fiutak has even bothered to sit down and watch the Bearcats play.

• Non-local link of interest: CNBC.com has a must-read for those who remember the Billy Ripken Fleer baseball card with "F--- FACE" written on the knob. It's 20 years later, and Ripken finally is talking about what really happened. Good stuff.