MLB Trade Deadline: Padres Move Adams, Ludwick Yet Hold onto Bell

Mike Adams was sent to the Rangers in a surprising move by the Padres. Jed Hoyer, the GM of the Padres, stated that he'd have to be "blown away" with a trade offer to move their stellar eighth inning man. There had been a lot of interest in Adams, and with due cause. His 1.13 ERA is second in baseball for pitchers with at least 45 innings pitched, and his 25 holds ranks third in all of baseball.

Adams, 33, will likely be the eighth inning man in Texas, but rumor is the Rangers may want to move their current closer, Neftali Feliz, into the starting rotation in the future, which would allow Adams a chance to slide into the closer role. 

In return for Adams, the Padres received two young potential starters in Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland.

Wieland, 21, has gone 10-3 with a 1.80 ERA in 129.2 innings, a .233 OBA and 132 strikeouts in 21 games between Single-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco this season. Wieland is the lesser of the two prospects the Padres received. He was a former fourth-round pick in 2008. 

Erlin, 20, has gone 8-4 with a 3.34 ERA in 121.1 IP, a .219 OBA and 123 strikeouts in 20 games between Single-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco this season. Erlin is 34th in Baseball America's Top 50 prospects list. He was a former third-round draft pick in 2009. 

In another move to clear up some salary space and give a young player some more appearances, the Padres sent Ryan Ludwick to the Pirates for cash or a player to be named later. The Padres will have until Jan. 1 to choose from a list of three minor leaguers. None are thought to be high level prospects. Ludwick is only hitting .238 with 11 home runs, and yet is 10th in the majors with 64 RBI.

The Padres purchased the contract of Erik Hamren, who has a .92 ERA in 49 innings at Double-A San Antonio this season, and recalled Wade LeBlanc, who has a career 4.55 ERA for San Diego in 44 games.

Other players that had drawn interest from teams were RP Chad Qualls, RP Luke Gregerson, SP Aaron Harang and CL Heath Bell, who everyone was expecting to be moved to either the Rangers, Angels or possibly the Yankees. Instead the Padres will either offer Bell arbitration, which would pay him $11 million or offer him a multi year contract. If Bell rejects arbitration the Padres would receive draft picks, however it appears that he would like to stay in San Diego, and plans on excepting any deal to stay in San Diego.

"If I don’t have a multi-year deal and they offer me arbitration, I will accept arbitration,” Bell said. “My wife (Nicole) and I talked about all the scenarios last night."

“There is no downside to me accepting arbitration and the family staying in San Diego for at least another year. My kids love it here. My family is happy here. And I’m in a position where I can make some decisions right now."

“The ball is in my court. I want to stay in San Diego. And I want to win here.”