Outfielder Brown dealt to A's for cash considerations

WASHINGTON -- Corey Brown is going back to where his professional baseball career began. The Nationals traded the outfielder to the Athletics for cash considerations on Thursday.

The deal marked the eighth time in three years the two clubs were able to complete a trade. Just last week, the Nationals acquired left-hander Jerry Blevins from Oakland for outfielder Billy Burns.

Last week, the Nationals designated Brown for assignment after they signed free agent Nate McLouth to a two-year contract. The Nats had 10 days to trade Brown, reassign him to the Minor Leagues or release him.

After joining the Nationals following the 2010 season, Brown had a tough time staying healthy. He had ankle, knee and oblique injuries during his time in the organization.

"The biggest thing this offseason is getting my body back to being 100 percent, trying to be in the best shape possible," Brown said last month. "After I got traded [to the Nationals], there was a window I could have taken advantage of. I got hurt [during the spring of 2011] and it turned out to be a rough season for the most part. I really didn't figure it out until the end. Then Bryce Harper was able to get to the big leagues. That window that I had got a lot smaller."

Brown started his professional career with the Athletics. He was the club's third first-round pick (No. 59 overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. Oakland then traded him and right-hander Henry Rodriguez to the Nationals for outfielder Josh Willingham on Dec. 16, 2010.