Kevin Towers Trade Profile
I decided to compile a nifty spreadsheet of all the trades Kevin Towers has made since 2001. Go ahead - Download san_diego_padres_towers.xls. From this compilation I learned a few things about Towers's favorite trading partners. He works well with Brian Cashman and the Yankees, albeit on mostly minor deals (5 trades since 2001). Towers also gets along well with Bill Bavasi and the Mariners - they've made four trades since 2001. He's also made plenty of trades with the Red Sox, whether the GM was Mike Port, Theo Epstein, or the College of GMs.
Towers's only swap with Dave Littlefield of the Pirates took place a year ago, when he acquired Dave Ross. However, you do have to wonder if Towers will simply replicate his move from last year: add Joe Randa. Randa represents only a modest upgrade over the current third basemen, however, and he was lousy with the Padres last year.
Given the Boston connection, Towers could pursue the resurgent Mike Lowell. The 32 year-old makes $9MM this year and another $9MM in '07, but he is hitting .307/.359/.516 for Boston. Epstein could find catching prospect George Kottaras to his liking - Kottaras is hitting .276/.394/.451 for San Diego's Double A affiliate. Ben Johnson could be expendable and any team would love to have righty Cesar Carrillo.
Towers acquired Rich Aurilia two years ago, and he could be a useful addition again if acquired from the Reds. Aurilia is slugging .488 on the season. Another low-tier option could be Tony Graffanino of the Royals, who has played 26 games at third this year.
Super long shot: Adrian Beltre. In an April interview with this website, Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist John Hickey indicated that Beltre could be available if anyone would take a chunk of his contract. And I already mentioned that Towers likes working with Bavasi. On the other hand, Beltre's been awful this season and the Padres don't typically trade for huge contracts.
I think Towers will make some sort of move, even if it's far too late to actually make a difference. I expect something of the Aurilia/Graffanino flavor based on past history.
The Reds match up well. I doubt Aurilia could bring much and Jerry Narron might cry if he were traded. However, there is Ryan Freel, and also Edwin Encarnacion, depending on who Towers is willing to part with.
How about:
Freel for Linebrink
or
Encarnacion for Peavy
I really like Kottaras and if some GM manages to land him, they will have done very well.
Posted by: Blue | July 12, 2006 at 01:57 AM
The Pads can't move Linebrink or Peavy. Linebrink could go if they secured some bullpen help in another move, say getting Seanez back from Boston, but Peavy isn't going anywhere. He might be having a bad first half, but you don't unload such a young talented ace for Encarnacion.
Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | July 12, 2006 at 02:53 AM
The Padres would have to give up an awful lot to get Morgan Ensberg from the Stros.
Posted by: Brian | July 12, 2006 at 08:32 AM
You know what's odd? The Giles trade happened in August of '03, but the Padres claim nothing happened that month on their official site. It's almost as if this trade was omitted intentionally.
http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/team/transactions.jsp?c_id=sd&year=2003&month=8
Posted by: RotoAuthority | July 12, 2006 at 08:37 AM
You mention Bavasi as GM, but Gillick's been there for a lot of that, too. He's obviously with the Phils now, so any chance of unloading David Bell for a prospect or two: George Kattaras, Mike Thompson, Sean Thompson, Jared Wells.
Posted by: jhop | July 12, 2006 at 08:57 AM
I don't think Bell represents an offensive improvement...and also I believe all those deals I mentioned occurred after Bavasi became GM.
Posted by: RotoAuthority | July 12, 2006 at 09:37 AM
Apparently Aubrey Huff is being shipped to the 'Stros for Double-A right-handed pitcher Mitch Talbot and Double-A shortstop Ben Zobrist. Don't know much about the prospects, but that seems to take a 3B/Utility guy off the markey for the Pads.
Posted by: ArodSucksAtLife | July 12, 2006 at 09:51 AM
That's an interesting move on the 'Stros part, any idea who or where or what happens with Ensberg, or does he become a viable option for the Padres?
Posted by: astrosfanfromNY | July 12, 2006 at 10:04 AM
I would think Huff will be playing LF. Lane was optioned to AAA.
Posted by: Jman | July 12, 2006 at 10:27 AM
An article in the Houston Chron also mentions that Huff would be "Cutting in to Ensberg's play time." So, I'm thinking, if Morgan doesn't get his act together soon, he's on the block. Thoughts? Who would want him and what could the Astros get of value for him?
Posted by: astrosfanfromNY | July 12, 2006 at 10:36 AM
Roto, this is for you, what is Huff's true value? Was this a "good" trade for the 'Stros? I know that Zobrist (from AA) was tearing up at the plate. Don't know much about the pitcher.
Posted by: astrosfanfromNY | July 12, 2006 at 10:38 AM
I have to look closer at the details to see whether this was a good trade for the Astros. It's tough for Houston to give up a high-OBP shortstop like Zobrist, but they are trying to win now.
On the other hand, the upgrade of Huff over Jason Lane will barely move the needle in the standings. As bad as his AVG was, Lane's .746 OPS will not be that much worse than whatever Huff manages.
Posted by: RotoAuthority | July 12, 2006 at 11:23 AM
From a fantasy point of view, this may mean that the B.J. Upton as a shortstop experiment is over.
Posted by: RotoAuthority | July 12, 2006 at 11:23 AM
I doubt Peavy will be traded, though he has enjoyed too much time in the MRI room this year. Would Michael Cuddyer work for the Padre's I wonder, hes a workhorse anywhere you put him. Freel for Linebrink might work. It would benefit both teams, strengthening the Reds bullpen a lot and giving the Padres a quality third bagger.
Posted by: A2000 | July 13, 2006 at 09:33 PM