Adrian Gonzalez Trade to Red Sox Almost Complete

Multiple sources are reporting a long awaited trade of San Diego Padres 1B Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox. The San Diego Padres were looking to move the 1B knowing that they would be unable to re-sign him in the off-season. Gonzalez will make $5.5 million this season and is looking to get a contract in the Mark Texeira range (8 years/$180 million).

The prospects that have been listed to be returned to the Padres are pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and outfielder Reymond Fuentes.

The trade will bring over a lot of talent, but they won’t be ready for the MLB level for a season or two. The trade of Gonzalez will open up the first base position for Kyle Blanks to take over next season. Blanks will not be available until May after having Tommy John surgery.

The Padres also have been part of rumors for Arizona Diamondback 1B Mark Reynolds. Reynolds has a contract through 2012 with an option for 2013. Reynolds can play both 1B and 3B and could provide power to the lineup that just traded its biggest power threat. He is still only 27 years old and has plenty of good years in him.

Here are some other possible options at 1B for the Padres in free agency:
Russell Branyan
Jorge Cantu
Troy Glaus
Nick Johnson
Adam LaRoche
Derrek Lee
Xavier Nady

The Padres still have other holes to fill in the lineup. They do not have a 2B or a SS on the roster yet.

Here are the Scouting Reports Provided by SoxProspects.com:

Casey Kelly: Athletic frame with smooth agility and a tremendous feel for pitching. Kelly was a two-way player in high school, excelling at both shortstop and as a pitcher. He was also a highly-touted quarterback recruit for Tennessee before signing with the Sox. Kelly split his first pro year in 2009 between pitching and hitting, showing elite pitching tools and mediocre offensive skills. In December 2009, Kelly made the decision to continue his career on the mound. Kelly’s pitching skills are quite advanced for his age, mixing in three plus pitches: a low 90s fastball, a hard 12-6 curveball, and a nice change. Early in his career, he demonstrated outstanding command, and control, but as his velocity has increased he has lost some touch on his fastball. Sound, smooth mechanics. Fastball has excellent downward movement, and generally sits between 90 and 93 mph, getting up to 96 mph on occasion. Many scouts project that he’ll sit in the 92-95 mph range after he fills out. Curveball has the potential to become a plus-plus wipeout pitch. It sits around 76-79 mph, but he tends to show it a little too much at times. Kelly’s changeup sits around 84 mph with a lot of sink. For the most part, he keeps the ball low in the zone, but he’s hittable when he leaves it up. He can also overuse his fastball. Very good mound presence. Kelly had the makings of an elite defensive shortstop before converting to pitching full time, so he should be an excellent pitcher defensively.

MLB Comparison: Kevin Brown

Anthony Rizzo: Tough-as-nails first baseman with an excellent build. Solid overall approach at the plate, good eye, quick bat speed, impressive timing. Could stand to improve protecting the plate deeper in counts. Plus gap power to all fields. Has had some trouble with advanced breaking stuff. An excellent defender with a solid arm and surprising lateral quickness for his size. Outstanding instincts and fundamentals. Said to be a leader by example and a great teammate. Rizzo was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in May 2008. After receiving chemo-therapy during 2008, he was declared cancer-free in November 2008.

MLB Comparison: Todd Helton

Reymond Fuentes: Athletic center fielder plays the game at full tilt, the type of player that will make a lot of highlight reels. Wiry frame. Line drive hitter, makes excellent contact, without a ton of present power. Should be a gap-to-gap hitter. Turns on inside pitches well. Excellent swing mechanics. Still working on pitch recognition. Plus plus speed. Excellent range and glove in the outfield, projects to stay in center. Solid instincts. Fluid, gets good jumps on the ball. Below average arm. Cousin of Carlos Beltran.

MLB Comparison: Jacoby Ellsbury