• The Reds announced (on Twitter) that they have re-signed minor league free agents Justin Freeman, Ray Chang, Jose Diaz, Mike Costanzo and Kristopher Negron. Each played for Triple-A Louisville at some point, though Costanzo and Chang spent more time at the Double-A level. Diaz, in particular, was impressive for the Bats, firing 54 1/3 innings of 1.66 ERA ball with 9.9 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and 13 saves.
• As shown in MLBTR's DFA Tracker, the Rangers' Jeff Baker is the only player that is currently in DFA limbo.

• The Nationals have signed corner infielder Mike Costanzo and right-hander Matt Torra to minor league contracts, MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports (via Twitter).  Costanzo has a .779 OPS in 3659 minor league plate appearances over eight seasons in the Phillies', Orioles' and Reds' organizations and he made his Major League debut in 2012, receiving 21 PAs with Cincinnati.  Torra, 28, was drafted 31st overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2005 amateur draft and has a 4.41 ERA, 5.6 K/9 rate and a 3.08 K/BB ratio in 175 career minor league games (168 of them starts) in the D'Backs' and Rays' systems.  

• The Reds outrighted right-hander Andrew Brackman to Class A Bakersfield, according to the team's website. The Reds designated Brackman for assignment on the afternoon of the non-waiver trade deadline after he posted a 6.80 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 6.1 BB/9 in 49 innings at Class A and Triple-A.
• The Reds outrighted third baseman Mike Costanzo to Triple-A Louisville, according to the team's website. The Reds designated Costanzo for assignment two days ago to create roster space for Dioner Navarro.

Costanzo, 28, had one single and one walk in 21 plate appearances for Cincinnati this season, good for a .056/.095/.056 batting line. The infielder was involved in two high profile trades in 2007, first the Brad Lidge–Michael Bourn swap and then the Miguel Tejada–Luke Scott deal.

The 26-year-old hit a combined .202/.304/.316 in the upper levels of the Orioles' system last year. Costanzo, a 2005 second round selection by the Phillies, came over to Baltimore in the 2007 deal that sent Miguel Tejada to Houston.

UPDATE, 12-12-07 at 12:04pm: Rosenthal says Tejada is expected to play short for the Astros; Adam Everett’s time may be up.  Tejada’s offensive output looks a lot better coming from short than it does coming from third, though it may be a moot point if Ty Wigginton is manning the hot corner.

FROM 12-12-07 at 11:42am:

This comes as a surprise, on the heels of a Rosenthal report to the contrary.  Jeff Zrebiec says the Astros have acquired Miguel Tejada for Luke Scott, Matt Albers, Troy Patton, Dennis Sarfate, and Mike Costanzo. 

That’s a fine haul for Baltimore.  The Astros pretty much cleaned out their farm system for two years of an average-hitting third baseman.  The average NL 3B had an .804 OPS in ’07; Tejada was at .799 in the AL.  I know some readers think I’m an Astro-hater but that’s not the case.  I just think they gave up way too much here.  Patton was ranked their third best prospect by Baseball America, Costanzo sixth.  Scott is a cheap quality regular, and Albers was third on the team’s 2007 top prospect list.

The makings of this deal surfaced earlier today, as it was revealed the Astros had interest in Francisco Cordero.  The ’Stros had been talking about bringing in a center fielder, though no one expected Bourn.

Phillies fans have to be happy to hear that the acquisition will allow Brett Myers to move back into the starting rotation.  We were hearing just yesterday that Myers would remain in the pen.  Perhaps Pat Gillick surveyed the market for a top-rotation starter and didn’t like the prices. Besides bolstering the bullpen for 2008, Gillick should snag a draft pick or two if Lidge leaves for a multiyear deal via free agency (assuming he has a good 2008 season).

Bourn is obviously the key to the deal for Ed Wade and the Astros.  He’s a burner and prototypical leadoff man as well as a plus on defense.  The move seems to give Wade a new trading chip, right fielder Luke Scott.