Adrian Gonzalez to Red Sox
The Red Sox and Padres have apparently agreed on a trade for Adrian Gonzalez. The All-Star first
baseman is either already Boston or on the way according to Nick Cafardo and other reports.
The next step in the process would be for Gonzalez to have a physical and agree on a contract extension.
Neither of those steps are necessarily guaranteed, Gonzalez recently had surgery on his right, non-throwing, shoulder that will reportedly keep him out early in spring training. The Red Sox have to be assured that the injury is not more serious than that. The team also would need Gonzalez signed long term before consummating the deal.
It is unclear who the Red Sox are giving up, and the package appears to be built around RHP Casey Kelly and 1B Anthony Rizzo.
- Adrian Gonzalez.
One of the things people have always marveled about with Adrian Gonzalez is the fact that he has been able to hit 30+ homers in four consecutive seasons with the Padres. Despite playing half of his games in one of the most pitcher-friendly ballparks in baseball. So, what can we expect now that A-Gone is about to be set loose?
Well, let’s start by looking at his career home-away splits.
Home – .263/.360/.440 with 61 home runs, 214 RBI and an 800 OPS (.279/.383/.438 with 11 homers, 42 RBI and an 821 OPS in 2010).
Away – .303/.376/.568 with 107 home runs, 311 RBI and a 943 OPS (.315/.402/.578 with 20 homers, 59 RBI and a 980 OPS in 2010).
This is the primary reason why the rest of the American League should be scared. Keep in mind, those home-away splits include 29 games with the Rangers in 2004 and 2005. Factoring in only PETCO Park, he has a .267/.367/.442 batting line to go along with an 808 OPS.
The Boston Red Sox have agreed to a deal in principle to acquire slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, sources told ESPN The Magazine’s Buster Olney on Saturday morning.
The Red Sox have received permission from Major League Baseball to negotiate with Gonzalez on a new contract, the sources said. And Gonzalez’s physical examination, one of the last hurdles to the deal, could happen Saturday, as Gonzalez was in Boston after being flown in by the team.
The Padres would not receive any established major league players in the trade. But it’s likely the Red Sox would include their top pitching prospect, Casey Kelly, sources have said. Red Sox prospects Anthony Rizzo and Ryan Kalish also have been brought up as possible pieces, sources said.
Sources told Olney it’s very possible the Gonzalez deal would mean the end of Adrian Beltre’s time with the Red Sox, because although Kevin Youkilis could move to left field, Boston’s preference probably would be to shift Youkilis to third base.
Gonzalez is the Padres’ most popular player with great crossover appeal to the team’s Mexican-American market, a native son who carried San Diego to within a game of a playoff spot in 2010.
He is signed through 2011 at 6,3$ million. The Padres exercised his 2011 option November 1. His contract called for a 5,5$ million salary, but performance bonuses pushed the figure above 6$ million.