Blane Neal traded to Red Sox

[yagsy]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20050322-1912-bbo-padres-redsoxtrade.html

Outfielder Hyzdu traded to San Diego for RHP Neal

By Howard Ulman
ASSOCIATED PRESS
7:12 p.m. March 22, 2005


http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/images/050322neal.jpg
JAMES BAIRD / Union-Tribune file
The Boston Red Sox traded outfielder Adam Hyzdu to the San Diego Padres for right-handed reliever Blaine Neal, above, on Tuesday.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Boston Red Sox traded outfielder Adam Hyzdu to the San Diego Padres for right-handed reliever Blaine Neal on Tuesday.

Hyzdu, a long shot to make Boston's regular-season roster, played 17 games with the World Series champions last season and had three hits in 10 at-bats. He spent parts of the previous four seasons with Pittsburgh, playing in 173 games. He has 19 homers, 57 RBIs and a .233 batting average in 190 career major league games.

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The 33-year-old Hyzdu was behind Red Sox outfielders Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, Trot Nixon and Jay Payton. First baseman Kevin Millar and Dave McCarty also can play the outfield.

"His skill set is somewhat redundant with Jay Payton's at this point so it was going to be difficult for him to make the club or have a real role on this club until we had an injury," Boston general manager Theo Epstein said of Hyzdu.

The 25-year-old Neal pitched a career-high 40 games last season with San Diego and went 1-1 with a 4.07 ERA but was in a competition with several others for the final spot on the pitching staff. He spent the previous three seasons with Florida, and compiled a 3-0 record in 54 total appearances. He has a career ERA of 4.61.

Neal throws at 94 mph, with a good slider and a sinking fastball.

"It's a good package to work with," Epstein said. "It looked like he started to put it all together last year. He's been a longtime prospect and may have finally started to click last season."

Neal is out of options so the Red Sox would have to keep him on their major-league roster or place him on waivers where he could be claimed by another team.

[yagsy]

http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20050323-9999-1s23padtrade.html
Padres deal for depth in center
UNION-TRIBUNE
March 23, 2005

PEORIA, Ariz. – Doubting their depth behind center fielder Dave Roberts, who has a history of hamstring injuries, the Padres yesterday obtained well-traveled outfielder Adam Hyzdu from the Boston Red Sox for right-handed reliever Blaine Neal.

General Manager Kevin Towers said Hyzdu, 33, could win a bench job with the Padres or begin the season as the starter for Triple-A Portland. Hyzdu has batted .233 with 19 home runs in 318 major league at-bats with five clubs.

Center fielder Freddy Guzman, the projected starter at Portland, is out at least five weeks because of an injured right (throwing) elbow. Guzman suffered bleeding in the elbow and could require surgery after the season.

Manager Bruce Bochy rates utility man Xavier Nady as his top center fielder behind Roberts. But Nady's improvement at third base could put him in a platoon with Sean Burroughs – and Bochy is considering Nady for a start at third as soon as Opening Day.

"Hyzdu has played a very good center field this spring," Towers said. "He plays all three outfield positions. With Guzman's injury and our lack of depth in that area, we felt it was important to get a guy like him."

Neal, 26, was competing with Steve Sparks, Randy Williams band others for the bullpen's final relief job; he had a 6.43 spring ERA and would have been exposed to waivers had the Padres tried to return him to Triple-A. The power right-hander joined the Padres last June and had a stretch of 16 scoreless innings but posted a 9.35 ERA in his final 11 games.

– TOM KRASOVIC