Brewers strike first by acquiring K-Rod

July, 13, 2011

7/13/11

1:56

AM ET

By Jim Bowden | ESPN.com

PHOENIX -- The Milwaukee Brewers as a whole were in the midst of celebrating Prince Fielder becoming the first Brewers player to hit a home run in an All-Star Game, and then winning the 2011 All-Star Game MVP.

During that celebration on the field after the National League's 5-1 win over the American League on Tuesday, which included both of Fielder's sons, shocking word quickly spread that the Brewers had acquired Francisco Rodriguez and cash considerations from the New York Mets in exchange for two players to be named later. By rule, the two players must be agreed upon within six months of the transaction. It has been reported that how K-Rod performs for the Brewers will affect which players the Mets eventually get in return. The Mets are picking up a significant amount of Rodriguez's salary in the transaction. More details about the deal are likely to soon follow.

Rodriguez

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ABOUT THIS BLOG

Jim Bowden

Bowden, who served as the senior vice president and GM for the Cincinnati Reds and the Washington Nationals, is an analyst for ESPN.com. In 1992, Bowden became the youngest GM in MLB history when the Reds hired him at age 31. The Reds finished in first place twice during his 10 years as GM, and he was named MLB Executive of the Year by Baseball America in 1999. After working for ESPN in 2004, Bowden became the first GM of the Washington Nationals when the franchise relocated from Montreal to Washington, D.C., in 2005, working in that role until the 2009 season. Bowden co-hosts the "Inside Pitch" radio show on Sirius XM satellite radio. Follow on Twitter: @JimBowdenESPNxm.