A trade just went down between the A’s and the Padres. Many people reported it coming together, but Keith Law seems to be the first with all of the players involved: the Padres are trading first baseman Yonder Alonso and lefty Marc Rzepczynski to the Oakland A’s for lefty Drew Pomeranz and minor-league lefty Jose Torres.
Alonso, always thought to be poised for some kind of breakthrough due to his on-base skills has never quite panned out and was likely going to be a non-tender candidate for San Diego today. Pomeranz was likewise considered to be a step or two away from being something special but after some injury trouble was sent to the bullpen by the A’s. Each of those two could probably do with a chance of scenery.
Rzepczynski, a reliever, was sent to Oakland as part of a longstanding vendetta by Padres management against the press corps which covers the A’s and now has to spell “Rzepczynski” 60-70 times a year.