Soriano amused by interest in him

Alfonso Soriano has been in the center trade talks and tied to five teams.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals are working the phones trying to find favorable deals, while Alfonso Soriano is amused by the rumors flying around ahead of next week's trade deadline.
"The last seven days, I've seen my name [linked] with five different teams, so I'm laughing," Soriano said. "I know and I understand it's a very difficult decision for the team."
General manager Jim Bowden said on Tuesday alone, as of 5 p.m., the Nationals had spoken to 27 of the other 29 major league teams about various players.
"The fire department is presently in my office, hosing down my phone, because all it does it burn," Bowden said.
Seeks to acquire talent
He wouldn't go into specifics about Soriano or any other player that could be involved in a swap. But Bowden did say his goal is to acquire talent -- regardless of whether a player is already in the majors or in rookie ball. The preference would be for pitching.
"Every conversation I have, I say, 'Pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching, pitching.' But you know, not everybody has quality pitching," he said. "We always try for pitching first, no matter what club calls us. We always want pitching, pitching, pitching. But you have to be open to what you can get."
He said it's not likely that the Nationals would grant another club a window for negotiating a new contract with Soriano, who is due to become a free agent at the end of the season.
Dodgers-Royals
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles dealt pitcher Odalis Perez to Kansas City, nearly two weeks after saying they had no plans to trade the disgruntled left-hander.
The Dodgers also sent minor league right-handers Blake Johnson and Julio Pimental and cash considerations to the Royals for right-hander Elmer Dessens.
Perez, a former 15-game winner who spent much of the season in the bullpen due to ineffectiveness, accused the Dodgers of treating him like "trash" on July 13 after he gave up a game-winning home run to Albert Pujols in St. Louis.
He said then he didn't know why he had been demoted to the bullpen, adding, "If I've done something wrong, let me know, tell me. I want to know. I've been treated like trash."
Perez is in the second year of a three-year, $24 million contract and in his sixth season with the Dodgers. He had made just one start since mid-May, had been used only twice since June 28 and is 4-4 with a 6.83 ERA.
Brewers-Royals
MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee acquired Tony Graffanino from Kansas City to shore up an injury-riddled infield.
The Royals got left-hander Jorge De La Rosa in their third trade in the last two days.
Graffanino, 34, can play all four infield positions and will be in Milwaukee for the Brewers' game against the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight, general manager Doug Melvin said. He was batting .268 with five home runs and 32 RBIs for Kansas City.
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