Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

by W8ingForATitle on Dec 20, 2005 12:09 PM PST Comment 26 comments

Just read on rotoworld the Padres dealt Eaton, Otsuka, and a prospect to the Rangers for Chris Young, Adrian Gonzalez, and Tremell(sp) Sledge. Also Lofton has continued his quest to play for every major league baseball team by signing with the (f&%#$@s) runnning his total to nine teams. The bums are his seventh team since 2001.

I think this is likely to be a good trade for the Padres as they were able to sell high on Eaton and Aki. Young is a good looking pitcher and Gonzalez fills a gaping hole at third base. That being said that pitching staff is not looking so good for 2006. The rotation is Peavy, Young, and not much else and the bullpen will surely be affected by the loss of Otsuka and Seanez. Opinions?

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Third base?

Isn't Adrian Gonzalez a first baseman? True, that is a gaping hole for the Pads.

It looks like a "win later" move, but probably a good one. Gonzalez did a fantastic job as a 23-year-old in AAA last year. He's also a hometown hero, which is nice.

by antinous on Dec 20, 2005 12:22 PM PST reply actions

Re: Third base?

Damn I got to preview better. The mind gets ahead of the fingers sometimes. Yes, he plays first base and had a Texieria sized road block in front of him in Texas.

"San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina" - Ron Burgundy

by W8ingForATitle on Dec 20, 2005 12:28 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Looks like a great move for the Pads. Young and Eaton are, at best, a wash and Young is likely better. He is certainly younger and cheaper.

Otsuka is a nice relief pitcher, but not worth Gonzalez and Sledge, both of who could be very good players in the future.

I suppose this somewhat depends on who the minor league pitcher going to Texas is, but I doubt it's anyone like Stauffer, or that would have been specified.

As much as I thought Texas' Soriano trade was very smart, I think this was quite silly. And it helps the Padres, probably now and in the future.

"Offerman is a guy who can clearly still hit. His numbers don't indicate that this year." -Steve Lyons, FOX baseball announcer

by Minstrel on Dec 20, 2005 1:10 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Really? Damn, I'm a big Gonzalez supporter and have ben asking (pleading for) about going younger with Texas fielders for some of our pitchers (not Cain or Lowry) since last season.

by Kent on Dec 20, 2005 1:12 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

If not Cain or Lowry, the only SP the Giants have that might interest Texas talent-wise (but not $$-wise) is Jason Schmidt. I dont' think the G's matched up well with Texas.

by leftymalo on Dec 20, 2005 1:16 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

I disagree. This deal? I certainly don't know what the Rangers were exactly looking for (suspect a SP). But, in looking at this deal, the Giants would have had enough to have completed it without including Schmidt. What's more, I consider--time will show it to be a correct or incorrect opinion--Gonzalez a damn fine prospect, just waiting for a chance to play. As I've posted before, the Rangers were absolutely going to deal him; he was blocked by Teixeira. I'm disappointed that the Giants didn't seem to care to pick him up.

Now I'm down to Byung-Hyun Kim as a guy that I'd like to see in SF. His signing would placate me for a few minutes. :)

by Kent on Dec 20, 2005 2:08 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Texas has been quite adamant about wanting ML-ready SP. Thus, Adam Eaton. So if you wouldn't trade Lowry or Cain, would you trade Schmidt? Are you saying you think Texas would have traded A. Gonzalez for Hennessey or Correia?

by leftymalo on Dec 20, 2005 2:27 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

I honestly think Gonzalez for Hennessey would have been a much, much, much better deal than what went down. Chris Young is basically Adam Eaton in performance, without the fabled potential to break out, but with a couple more years until free agency. Otsuka's good, but he isn't worth a combination of Sledge and Gonzalez.

Goofy, goofy move. I wish the Giants would make one of these lopsided trades soon.

by Grant on Dec 20, 2005 2:31 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

I gotta agree with Grant. I'm not saying that Lefty's wrong (as in a bad thing), only that I disagree with him. I'm puzzled by this move and, yes, I do think Hennessey could have been used to bring Gonzalez to SF. Even if one of us would have never made that deal, the Giants could have thrown in an additional pitcher as well. Hell, we'll never know now.

by Kent on Dec 20, 2005 4:07 PM PST up reply actions

I don't get it

Why didn't the Rangers just keep Young and trade Sledge and Gonzalez. They must have been able to get more than a RP and a PTBNL for Sledge and Gonzalez. If not, just keep them.

Is Eaton any better than Young? He's certainly more expensive and closer to free agency and been hurt a lot.

by Nick Schulte on Dec 20, 2005 1:30 PM PST reply actions

Me Either

From what I have read the Padres weren't making a deal unless there was a pitcher in return. Young and Eaton's lines from last year are remarkably similar while one pitched in an extreme pitchers park and the other in an extreme hitters park.

Player G W-L IP ERA WHIP ERA+
Young 31 12-7 164.7 4.26 1.257 105
Eaton 22 11-5 128.7 4.27 1.430 90
* Eaton has not posted an ERA+ over 100 since his rookie year.

Throw in the age and salary factor and Young for Eaton does not look good for the Rangers. As I recall Young had some injury trouble down the stretch, maybe the Rangers know something everyone else doesn't, otherwise it appears they are idiots. In addition Eaton is a free agent at the end of the year and wants a 3/27 deal.

The folks on LoneStarBall are none too pleased with this trade.

"San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina" - Ron Burgundy

by W8ingForATitle on Dec 20, 2005 1:44 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Great. Just when we'd finally gotten our Sweeneys straight, suddenly we now have to keep track of two Chris Youngs in the division.

by Evan on Dec 20, 2005 1:32 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Doesn't appear to be much left of sd's pen at this point.

by keithr on Dec 20, 2005 2:32 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Looks like Gonzalez then at 1b for the Pads and Roberts, Cameron and Giles in the OF. Where does that leave Klesko? Straight up for Alfonzo gives the Pads a 3b and the Giants a lefty 1b.

by keithr on Dec 20, 2005 2:46 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

They traded for Vinny Castilla and I don't know if they made this trade to just hand Gonzalez the job.

It'd be good for the Giants though. Maybe the Pads would be into it just for the couple million in savings.

by hammystyle on Dec 20, 2005 3:03 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Forgot about Vinny.

by keithr on Dec 20, 2005 3:12 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

ooooh....please.....please

by Lyle on Dec 20, 2005 3:31 PM PST up reply actions

Power?

For some reason, I visualize Gonzalez as a guy with borderling power, lots of flyballs that barely clear the wall. I could be wrong. I just wonder how much power he'll have in Petco? Yup, the Pads bullpen is shrinking.

by DrBGiantsfan on Dec 20, 2005 3:40 PM PST reply actions

Re: Power?

Rotoworld says Gonzalez might be moved for David Wells. That might be pure speculation, but it makes sense.

by Grant on Dec 20, 2005 3:41 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Power?

That would mean Eaton + Otsuka + prospect for two starting Ps and a 4th OF. Wells' donuts, er, wheels could fall off at any minute, but the Pads still come out ahead. Eaton was a goner, anyway, and Otsuka was fungible with Linebrink still slotted to work behind Hoffman.

If he hadn't traded Loretta for Mirabelli, I would think Towers is a smart dude.

BTW, do you guys get the feeling that Sabean doesn't like three-ways? Trades, that is? Has he ever pulled one off? Maybe they make his brain hurt even more than on-base percentage.

by leftymalo on Dec 20, 2005 4:03 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Power?

If he hadn't traded Loretta for Mirabelli, I would think Towers is a smart dude.

Don't forget about the Vinny Castilla trade. Yeesh, what a bad move.

Three-ways are rare enough to where I don't think we could tell if he were averse to them or not. Sample size, and all that.

by Grant on Dec 20, 2005 4:10 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Power?

If I were a Pads fan I'd still hold the Randy Myers waiver claim against him.

by keithr on Dec 20, 2005 5:29 PM PST up reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

Dang! I was hoping to get Gonzalez! He might be borderline but I would have been willing to give him a chance at SBC in a platoon with Niekro.

Lofton to LA?!? They have Ledee, Cruz, Kent, Mueller already, they should just bite the bullet and get Sanders, Santiago, and Shinjo while they are at it, plus Dunston probably wouldn't mind another payday on the bench as well. Trade with Arizona to get Ortiz, trade with Washington to get Livan, plus Rueter's available as well. And they could always sign Snow to PH and train Nomah at 1B plus 1B late game defense. Is F-Rod a FA? Get him too if he is.

by Martin BiasedGiantsFanatic on Dec 20, 2005 5:49 PM PST reply actions

Re: Padres deal Eaton, Lofton officially a Bum

I saw Young pitch against Cleveland during a road trip to Ohio in early August just as the Indians were getting hot. He shut them out one day after they had absolutely pounded Rogers. The Padres don't lose much if anything going from Eaton to Young based on what I saw. I think this was a lopsided trade in the Padres' favor unless the minor leaguer is a top prospect.

by NearestNorwich on Dec 20, 2005 6:24 PM PST reply actions

Top Prospect?

19-year-old Catcher, originally a third round pick, doesn't look impressive based on last years numbers but it is too early to tell.

"San Diego, which of course in German means a whale's vagina" - Ron Burgundy

by W8ingForATitle on Dec 20, 2005 8:56 PM PST up reply actions

Padres

This strikes me as a good deal for the Padres. I'd rather have Young than Eaton. Plus they're getting Gonzales and Sledge for Otsuka, which isn't too bad either.

by Dan from NM on Dec 20, 2005 6:48 PM PST reply actions