San Diego’s Adrian Gonzalez

At the end of the 2009 baseball season, it was assumed that the San Diego Padres would trade slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez before the start of the 2010 season.  The Padres finished in 4th place in the National League West, with a record of 75-87.  Gonzalez had hit 40 home runs and driven in 99, and the conventional wisdom was that he would bring a lot in return in a trade as the Padres rebuilt themselves.  But no deal was made, and Gonzalez was back at first base for the Padres on Opening Day of the 2010 season.

They say that sometimes the best deals are the ones you don’t make, and the non trading of Adrian Gonzalez is one of those good non deals.  The 2010 season has been a complete reversal of fortune for the San Diego Padres.  Going into the final weekend of August, the Padres are not only in first place in the N.L. West, they had the best record in the entire National League.  And Gonzalez was having another fine season, with 26 home runs and 86 RBIs through games of August 26th. 

Gonzalez, a San Diego native, began his Major League career with the Texas Rangers in 2004 and has quietly played some very good baseball for his home town team since 2006.  The Padres are one of baseball’s  biggest surprises this year, and it’s likely we’ll see them in the post season.

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