San Diego traded LHP Alan Embree and RHP Andy Shibilo to Boston for RHP Brad Baker and RHP Dan Giese on Sunday. Boston desperately wanted a quality left-hander for the pen and the Padres felt they were sufficiently out of the race that they could deal Embree for future value. The Mariners also reportedly expressed serious interest in Embree with the Yankees taking a more relaxed approach and the Reds making a late bid, but San Diego targeted Baker as their desired compensation.

At the time of the trade, Embree had a 38:9 K:BB in 28.2 IP with 23 H and 2 HR allowed. He's improved every aspect of his game this season and gone from a good lefty reliever to one of the best in baseball. This season is really the 32-year-old's first year playing for a non-contending team, so he's pleased that the trade takes him into a playoff race.

Boston has not yet decided how they are going to clear a roster spot for Embree, as they have today's off day to think about it. Most likely the Red Sox will demote a lefty reliever, either Chris Haney or Casey Fossum. Fossum's pitched acceptably this season. In 33 IP, he has a 23:10 K:BB with 31 H and 3 HR allowed. However, he's been much more effective against right-handed batters, whereas Embree has pitched well against righties and dominated lefties.

The Red Sox promoted Haney to fill Rich Garces' roster spot when they placed Garces on the DL in early June with a strained right hamstring. Haney has a 2:1 K:BB with 5 H and 1 HR allowed in 7.1 IP. Garces recently started a rehab assignment and should be able to rejoin the team later this week barring a setback, so Boston will also need to clear room on the roster for him. The Red Sox are somewhat disappointed in his season, as he's allowed 19 H and 4 HR in 13 IP with a 9:3 K:BB and 11.77 ERA.

St. Louis originally drafted Shibilo out of Pepperdine University in the 23rd round of the 1998 draft, but the Cardinals released him prior to the 2000 season. The 25-year-old moved from the rotation to relief work last season in the minors after signing with the Padres as a free agent out of the independent leagues. Shibilo spent last season at A+ Lake Elsinore in the California League; he posted a 105:27 K:BB in 83 IP and only allowed 66 hits. His numbers have dropped off a bit after making the jump to AA Mobile in the Southern League this year but are still good. He has a 42:16 K:BB in 42.1 IP with 49 H and 2 HR. Although San Diego briefly promoted him to the majors earlier this year, he didn't make an appearance during his two days on the roster. He likely needs at least a half season of AAA before he's ready for the majors; his upside is setup work, but he'll probably wind up in middle relief.

The Red Sox drafted Baker out of Pioneer Valley High School in Massachusetts in the first round of the 1999 draft. He spent the rest of that season in the Gulf Coast League and then spent 2000 at A Augusta in the South Atlantic League. In 2001, he moved up to A+ Sarasota in the Florida State League where he posted a 103:64 K:BB in 120 IP with 132 H and 8 HR. Boston returned him to Sarasota this season, likely to work on his control. In 61.1 IP, he's allowed 53 H and 4 HR with a 65:25 K:BB, showing definite improvement in his control and subsequently his command.

He still needs to bring those walks down more but he should make it to AA by the end of this season. Considering he'll turn 21 in November, he has time to spend next season in AA and 2004 in AAA. Although he won't help the major league team for a few years, he adds another layer to their minor league pitching talent that will allow them to trade from a strength if they need hitting in a year or two when their rotation has matured and providing the foundation for a playoff contender.

Boston drafted Dan Giese out of the University of San Diego in the 34th round of the 1999 draft. He went to Lowell in the Short-Season New York-Pennsylvania League following the draft and was promoted before the end of the season to Augusta. The Red Sox sent him back to Lowell in 2000 before jumping him to Sarasota. Last season the right-handed reliever returned to Augusta for the full season, posting a 95:8 K:BB in 74 IP with 65 H and 2 HR. Boston sent him to AA Trenton in the Eastern League where he's compiled a 39:9 K:BB in 49.1 IP with 53 H and 6 HR allowed this year. Giese's 25, so unlike Baker, he'll need to move quickly through AA and AAA to make an impact in the majors.

Embree's on a one-year $500,000 deal, so if the Padres think they'll be in contention next season and want him back, they can merely re-sign him in the off-season. While I think the Red Sox could have found bullpen help for less, Embree should certainly help them reach the playoffs. Shibilo and Giese are similar players; Shibilo is slightly ahead of Giese but I don't believe Giese's on the 40-man roster. Baker's a quality prospect, though I'm sufficiently concerned with his control problems and lack of experience above A+ to understand Boston's willingness to let him go. While I think both teams fulfilled needs in this trade, the Red Sox could easily regret losing Baker, and he could be a very nice acquisition for San Diego at the cost of a player not involved in their pennant run, so the Padres win the trade.

San Diego announced last week that Ryan Klesko signed a contract extension. He's currently in the first year of a $18.75M, three-year extension signed in May of 2000, shortly after the Braves traded him to the Padres with 2B Bret Boone and RHP Jason Shiell for 1B Wally Joyner, 2B Quilvio Veras, and OF Reggie Sanders in December of 1999. This extension will stretch his contract from the end of the 2004 season through 2006 for an additional $16.5M.

The Padres new stadium should open for the 2004 season, just when all of their pitching prospects should be maturing. Consequently, San Diego will be able to ride a new ballpark and winning ballclub to some very tidy profits over the next decade. Finalization of ballpark financing in late May spurred the completion of Klesko's extension, and the Padres intend to work on an extension for Trevor Hoffman soon.

I admire Klesko's skills and think that San Diego signed him for a good price. However, I have several concerns with this extension. The Padres signed Nevin to an extension this winter despite their plans to use Sean Burroughs as their starting third baseman for the foreseeable future. While both are currently disabled, Nevin's subsequent move to first base moved Klesko away from his preferred position and into the outfield. Additionally, both Nevin and Klesko have no-trade clauses, making it at least very difficult if not impossible for the Padres to change their minds about the commitment.

Klesko hasn't spent much time on the disabled list, but he does have a history of minor injuries that will keep him out of the lineup for several days here and there. He also turned 31 this month (I just discovered we share a birthday). His former contract would likely have taken him through his prime, whereas this extension may easily take him past it.