PADRES REEL IN RANDA
The San Diego Padres acquired third baseman Joe Randa from the Cincinnati Reds for minor-league pitchers Justin Germano and Travis Chick.
What does it give the San Diego Padres
With Sean Burroughs in his third full major-league season and still not living up to his potential, Randa gives them a nice boost at the hot corner. The 35-year-old veteran is having his best power year to date and comes fairly cheap and without much commitment. He'll possibly help them into the postseason and then be a free agent at the end of the year, and from there the Padres can decide if Burroughs is still their future at third base.
What does it give the Cincinnati Reds
The Reds got exactly what they need in Germano: a pitching prospect who's just about big-league ready. Pitching has been a sore spot for the Reds in recent years and Germano is a kid with good command, a nice curveball and has nothing more to prove in the minors, so he could be up with the Reds very soon. Chick also gives them an excellent pitching prospect, though not yet close to big-league ready. Entering the season ranked the Padres' top pitching prospect by Baseball America, he's just 21 and has been compared to a young Curt Schilling, with nasty stuff and a competitive edge. However, he has had his struggles at Double-A this year. Still, this looks like a great deal for the Reds, who will replace Randa at third with top prospect Edwin Encarnacion.
Fantasy impact
