On ESPN.com it is imminent. However, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the Jason "how is my hair" Kendall* for Mark Redman and Arthur Rhodes deal is "a done deal".

"It's a done deal. It's just a matter of the A's players passing their physicals"" - one high level source familiar with the negotiations

Just has you brimming with confidence in the deal, doesn't it?

The fact that it's "a done deal", leaves much to be desired. There still is the matter of players passing their physicals, the fact that a significant amount of Kendall's salary will be paid by the Pirates, the fact that this "high level source familiar with the negotiations" did not give out the details of the arrangement and the fact that tomorrow is a holiday all factor in for a long weekend of waiting.

Recall last year when the Mark Kotsay for Ramon Hernandez and Terrence Long deal took two weeks to be finalized.

Hopefully, Billy Beane nixes the trade just to shine light on how dangerous and empty a lot of rumors are.

At worst, the A's get an overpriced catcher who thinks he is better looking than the A's starters. At best the A's get an overrated catcher who can hit. If Kendall ends up with the A's, he could be flipped before the last day of Advent.

Could Kevin Towers have San Diego flip Ramon Hernandez back to the A's along with a prospect for Kendall?

You know Billy Beane is working the angles and weirder things have happened. Maybe the A's get George Kottaras back in the deal and sign Greg Zaun as a cheap free agent stopgap. After all, the A's have catchers up the wazzoo's ying-yang in their minor league system. THAT, makes more sense than trading for Kendall and keeping him for more than one season.
GEORGE KOTTARAS - SD CATCHER

Year	Team	Lg.	Age	Level	Avg	SLG	OBP	OPS	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI
2003	Idaho Falls	Pio	20	Rookie	.259	.476	.348	.824	42	143	27	37	8	1	7	24
					SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	GDP
					1	1	19	36	1	0	1	2
Year	Team	Lg.	Age	Level	Avg	SLG	OBP	OPS	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI
2004	Fort Wayne	Midw	21	A	.310	.461	.415	.876	78	271	40	84	18	1	7	46
					SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	GDP
					0	0	51	41	0	1	3	7
				Minor Lg	Avg	SLG	OBP	OPS	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI
				Totals	.292	.466	.393	.859	120	414	67	121	26	2	14	70
					SB	CS	BB	SO	HBP	SH	SF	GDP
					1	1	70	77	1	1	4	9

* Kendall and Brian Giles often would 'treat' themselves to tanning salons, manicures and highlights in their hair when they both played for the Pirates. Not that uncommon, actually. They were metro-sexual way before it was cool.