Reds, A’s Swap Four Players; Taveras To Oakland

Immediately after being acquired with Adam Rosales from Cincinnati, Willy Taveras was designated for assignment by the A’s. Oakland will be on the hook for his 2010 salary, but they will not have to clear roster space, as Taveras will spend next season playing somewhere else.

Oakland and Cincinnati have agreed to exchange some troublesome contracts:

Going the other way will be infielder Aaron Miles, a utility sort coming off a disastrous and injury-shortened .185 season in Chicago. Sending Miles frees up some payroll space, as Taveras has a $4m price tag. Miles may not make the Reds, but as a guy only two years removed from hitting .317, he will likely get a chance to compete for a backup spot in the infield.