Every A.J. Preller Trade Revisited (All 35)
12-02-15 The San Diego Padres trade Marc Rzepczynski and Yonder Alonso to the Oakland Athletics for Drew Pomeranz, Jabari Blash, and Jose Torres
Rzepczynski didn’t last long in San Diego as he was packaged with Yonder Alonso for Drew Pomeranz, a prospect, and a player to be named. The PTBNL turned out to be Jabari Bash, as he was selected from the Seattle Mariners in the Rule-5 draft. Pomeranz absolutely took off with the tutelage of Darren Balsley. His value skyrocketed and he was sent to the Red Sox for one of the best pitching prospects in the game. Blash is with the team in the spring and hoping to stick with the squad.
Yonder Alonso has been completely underwhelming in Oakland. His A’s numbers are right on par with his career numbers and it is becoming more and more evident that he is not a viable option to start at first base everyday at the major league level. He is an excellent contact hitter, but his lack of foot speed and sub-par defense make him a potential pinch hitter off the bench. He could still have a productive career, but the window is closing quickly. Young Jose Torres is a decent prospect. The young 23-year-old right-hander made it all the way to the majors last year throwing mid to high 90’s heat.
12-08-15 The San Diego Padres trade Jedd Gyorko to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jon Jay
The Padres had a need at both center field and for a left-handed batter. They addressed both those needs when they shipped Jedd Gyorko to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder, Jon Jay. The center fielder with a propensity to get on base makes a great fit for a Padres team seeking more balance in the lineup and on the field. Jay was struck on the arm by a pitch and suffered a broken forearm mid-way through the 2016 season. He probably would have been dealt before the trade deadline, but he played out the season and signed with the Cubs in the winter.
Jedd Gyorko just killed the Padres this past season. The team washed their hands of this young man and it looks as though he might still have a productive career. He went off in 2016, hitting 30 home runs in 400 at bats. This trade was about saving money and the Padres certainly did that. Jay was productive while he was healthy, so the Padres got what they wanted. Both sides win in this deal.
12-10-15 The San Diego Padres acquire Christian Bethancourt from the Atlanta Braves for Casey Kelly and Ricardo Rodriguez
A surprise trade was the acquisition of Christian Bethancourt. The Padres had just claimed Josmil Pinto off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. Pinto is considered an offensive-minded catcher, so in the end I guess the Padres decided to acquire Bethancourt, a more defensive-type catcher. Not that Bethancourt does not have ability with the bat. He has legit power and could bloom into a decent major league hitter. His value as a potential pitcher is also intriguing.
The Padres moved Casey Kelly in the deal for Bethancourt. Kelly was the last remaining piece from the Adrian Gonzalez deal and is currently with the Cubs. He started the 2016 year in Triple-A for the Braves, and went 3-6 with a 3.53 ERA in 15 games and 74 innings pitched. He was 0-3 for the Braves in 2016 with a 5.82 ERA in 21 games. The last player in the deal is Ricardo Rodriguez, an 18-year-old catcher who could still develop. This deal looks good for the Padres now, but it will take a while before we know for certain who comes out victorious.
01-28-16 The San Diego Padres trade Rymer Liriano to the Milwaukee Brewers for Trevor Seidenberger
With the addition of four Rule-5 players to the Padres team in 2016, players needed to be cut. Rymer Liriano was the first of two players to be DFA’d by the Friars. The Dominican outfielder has always had ability, but he has never been able to put it all together. He was hit in the face in spring training of 2016 and spent the entire season on the 60-day D.L. The 5-tool talent looks to return soon and make his mark now with the White Sox organization.
In return for Liriano, the Padres got a very decent left-handed pitching prospect. Trevor Seidenberger was in Lake Elsinore for the 2016 season, where he went 1-2 with a 7.05 ERA in 40 games. He has struck out 42 batters in his 54 innings pitched. He looks to be a possible middle reliever at the next level and even made it to Double-A for a cup of coffee in 2016. The 23-year-old left-handed pitcher has a live arm and could be an option for the team down the road.
02-04-16 The San Diego Padres trade Odrisamer Despaigne to the Baltimore Orioles for Jean Cosme
The second player DFA’d by the Padres in the spring of 2016 was pitcher, Odrisamer Despiagne. The right-handed pitcher fell out of favor with the club after some rather rough starts at the end of the 2015 season. He has to rely on touch and feel and he clearly was missing that in the 2015 season with the Padres. He pitched well for the Orioles in Triple-A, but was not effective at the major league level and finished the year in Miami after being released by the Orioles.
The Padres attained a very solid pitching prospect in return for Despaigne. Jean Cosme has great off-speed pitches and is described as having a very live arm. The 21-year-old is pitching in Fort Wayne and has thrown well so far for the TinCaps. He has the arsenal to pitch out of the rotation, but could also throw in relief as well. We will see what the Padres have in store for this young man.
03-28-16 The San Diego Padres trade Erik Kratz to the Houston Astros for Dan Straily
The team acquired Dan Straily, knowing they had no spot for him on their 25-man rotation. They attempted to sneak him through waivers, but the Cincinnati Reds claimed him. The Padres had Straily for all of a week before he was shipped off to Cincy. Straily had a great year in Cincinnati. He really could have helped the Padres in 2016, but the team just didn’t have the room for him at the time. Erik Kratz was dealt to Houston for Straily and was released by the Astros in May after a slow start. He was claimed by the Angels in late May and then traded to the Pirates in June for cash considerations. The Pirates used him for one month at the Triple-A level and then he was released in mid July. He spent time in the Blue Jays organization and is looking to stick with the club.
03-30-16 The San Diego Padres trade Nick Vincent to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later
The San Diego Padres ironically needed relief pitchers in 2016, and Nick Vincent had a decent year for the M’s. He was 4-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 60 innings pitched. He spent some time on the D.L. with a back injury, but was effective all year for the M’s. The Ramona native had a decent career as a Friar, and the Padres probably should have held on to him.
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James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.