SAN DIEGO - The Padres on Wednesday moved to boost their bullpen and their local representation by acquiring relief pitchers Heath Bell and Royce Ring from the New York Mets for outfielder Ben Johnson and reliever Jon Adkins.

Bell, a 29-year-old right-hander, was born in Oceanside but went to high school in Tustin. Ring, a 25-year-old lefty, is a La Mesa native who developed into a star closer at San Diego State.

They became the second and third relievers landed by the Padres this offseason, following righty Andrew Brown, who came over from Cleveland with third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff in last week's trade of Josh Barfield. The young trio joins a talented bullpen anchored by closer Trevor Hoffman and setup men Scott Linebrink and Cla Meredith.

"Our strength as an organization has always been acquiring young arms for the bullpen," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said after the third day of the GM meetings in Naples, Fla. "We have a lot of guys we control for a while and a lot of depth at that area."

Towers envisions Bell as a middle reliever who could grow into the setup role. Described as a "power arm with four solid pitches," Bell posted a 5.11 ERA with 35 strikeouts in 22 games for the Mets last season. He also pitched in 30 games for the Mets' Triple-A team in Norfolk, Va., going 3-3 with a 1.29 ERA, 56 strikeouts and 12 saves.

Originally signed as a nondrafted free agent in 1998, Bell is 1-5 with a 4.92 ERA in 81 career games with the Mets.

During his time at San Diego State, Ring was a hard thrower who went 5-1 with a 1.85 ERA and a school-record 17 saves as a junior in 2002 before being picked in the first round (18th overall) by the Chicago White Sox. But the Mets, who traded for him the next year, converted him into a finesse pitcher whose weapons of choice are a three-quarters delivery and a biting curveball.

The adaptation has made Ring especially tough on left-handed hitters, whom he held to a .150 average (3-for-20) while recording a 2.13 ERA in 11 games with the Mets. Ring gives the Padres their first true situational lefty since Jesse Orosco in 2003.

"The only reason we haven't looked at a lefty specialist is because there are so few out there," Towers said. "We finally found a pitcher with the deception and angle to be one."

Despite adding Ring, the Padres remain interested in re-signing left-hander Alan Embree, who went 4-3 with a 3.27 ERA in 73 games last season. They also hope to bring back righty Doug Brocail, another veteran free agent.

Towers said the new relievers don't make him more inclined to deal Linebrink, one of the Padres' most valuable bargaining chips.

"We'd like to keep our bullpen intact," Towers said. "For us to move Scott Linebrink, a team would definitely have to overpay. There has not been a deal like that proposed."

Johnson, 25, is the second young Padres outfielder traded to the Mets in the past year, following Xavier Nady (for Mike Cameron) last November. The Padres' Minor League Player of the Year in 2005, Johnson batted .250 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and 19 runs in 58 games for the major-league club last season.

"We're going to go out and acquire another outfielder, a more experienced outfielder," said Towers, who identified a power bat and starting pitching as his top two priorities. "(Johnson) was going to be an extra outfielder. We like Ben, but we like the guys we got a great deal."

With Johnson gone, Terrmel Sledge probably will be the Padres' fourth outfielder next season.

Adkins, 29, was 2-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 55 relief appearances.

- Contact staff writer Brian Hiro at b_hiro@hotmail.com.

AT A GLANCE: Trade breakdown

The Padres receive …

RHP Heath Bell

Age: 29

2006: 5.11 ERA, 35 strikeouts in 22 games

The skinny: The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Bell is a hard thrower who had 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings in nine minor-league seasons. Padres general manager Kevin Towers projects him as a seventh-inning reliever next season and a setup man in future years.

LHP Royce Ring

Age: 25

2006: 2.13 ERA in 11 games

The skinny: Unlike such recent left-handed Padres relievers as Alan Embree and Chris Hammond, Ring is a situational southpaw. His three-quarters delivery and slow, looping curveball are killer on left-handed batters, who hit only .150 off him last year.

The Mets receive …

OF Ben Johnson

Age: 25

2006: .250 average, four homers, 12 RBIs in 120 at-bats

The skinny: Once viewed as a possible replacement for free agent Dave Roberts in left field, Johnson became expendable when they Padres decided to focus on proven outfielders with middle-of-the-lineup power. The strong and fast Johnson has great potential, but the Padres didn't see the progress they hoped for after he was named their top minor-leaguer in 2005.

RHP Jon Adkins

Age: 29

2006: 2-1, 3.98 ERA in 55 games

The skinny: A nonroster invitee to spring training, Adkins unexpectedly evolved into a workhorse for the Padres. He ranked third on the team in relief appearances.