Josh Barfield heading to Cleveland
By: BRIAN HIRO Staff Writer | ∞
SAN DIEGO ---- Making the first trade of the offseason for the third consecutive year, the Padres on Wednesday sent rookie second baseman Josh Barfield to the Cleveland Indians for a pair of Triple-A players.
The Padres received Kevin Kouzmanoff, a highly touted third baseman, and pitcher Andrew Brown.
The move was surprising, in that the 23-year-old Barfield is coming off an impressive rookie season in which he batted .280 with 72 runs, 32 doubles, 13 homers, 58 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. The son of former major-leaguer Jesse Barfield also earned high marks for his defense and steady demeanor.
But the Padres apparently viewed Kouzmanoff as a possible answer to their gaping hole at third base. The 25-year-old right-handed hitter last month was named the top position player in the Indians' system for a season in which he batted .389 with 15 homers and 55 RBIs at Double-A Akron and .353 with seven homers and 20 RBIs at Triple-A Buffalo.
That performance earned him a late-season promotion, and on Sept. 2 he hit the first major-league pitch he saw for a grand slam against Texas. He became only the third major-leaguer to hit a grand slam in his first at-bat, and the first to do so on the first pitch.
Kouzmanoff, a sixth-round pick in the 2003 draft, finished with a .214 average in 16 games with the Indians.
The right-handed Brown, 25, was 5-4 with a 2.60 ERA in 39 relief appearances for Buffalo. He posted a 3.60 ERA in nine September games with Cleveland.
The trade could clear the way for the Padres to make a rumored deal with the Atlanta Braves for second baseman Marcus Giles, the younger brother of Padres right fielder Brian Giles. The presence of Brown could allow the Padres to dangle setup man Scott Linebrink as bait.
More Stories
Advertisement
First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.
Advertisement