Diamondbacks, Blue Jays Swap 4 Players
The Arizona Diamondbacks traded power-hitting Troy Glaus and a top minor league shortstop prospect Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday for gold glove second baseman Orlando Hudson and pitcher Miguel Batista.
The Blue Jays, lacking punch since Carlos Delgado left as a free agent after the 2004 season, scheduled a news conference for Tuesday evening.
Glaus led Arizona in homers (37) and RBIs (97) last season, playing in 149 games in his only season with the Diamondbacks despite occasional flare-ups of a strained tendon in the back of his left knee.
He was the 2002 World Series MVP for Anaheim, following a season in which he had a career-high 111 RBIs. In 2000, Glaus led the AL with 47 homers.
Batista, 34, had 31 saves last season, his second with the Blue Jays and first as their closer. He went 29-26 in 76 starts and 44 relief appearances with the Diamondbacks from 2001-03.
Hudson, 28, is a career .271 hitter and a spectacular defensive player.
Glaus is due to make $10.5 million next season as part of a $45 million, four-year contract he agreed to last December.
Toronto, expanding its payroll from $45 million to about $80 million, has been one of the most active teams in baseball this offseason.
The Blue Jays added starting pitcher A.J. Burnett and first baseman Lyle Overbay. They also gave closer B.J. Ryan a five-year, $47 million contract - the most lucrative in history for a reliever.
Toronto is expected to make more trades because adding Glaus creates a glut at the corner infield positions. Glaus prefers playing third base, but the Blue Jays already have Corey Koskie. The Blue Jays also have Shea Hillenbrand and Eric Hinske at first base and DH.
Batista was a closer for Toronto last season but will move to the starting rotation for Arizona, general manager Josh Byrnes said.
"Our plan is to have him in the rotation. I think he pitched well there," Byrnes said. "He pitched well (as a starter) in Arizona and his first year in Toronto. He did well, and that at this point is a greater area of need for our club."
Batista was 29-26 and made 76 starts for the Diamondbacks from 2001 through 2003. He was 11-8 with a 4.58 ERA as part of the rotation for Arizona's World Series championship team in 2001. Batista didn't allow a run in eight innings in the seven-game World Series triumph over the New York Yankees. He signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent in 2004 and was converted to a closer last season.
The trade clears the way for Chad Tracy to return to third base for Arizona, the position he played as a rookie in 2004. When Glaus was signed, Tracy moved to first base and played some in the outfield last season. Tracy led the Diamondbacks with a .308 average last season.
Tony Clark and Connor Jackson are expected to share time at first for Arizona.
The acquisition of Hudson means Craig Counsell will shift to shortstop. Hudson hit .270 in four seasons with Toronto. This year, he batted .271 with 63 RBIs and 10 home runs.
The Diamondbacks were willing to part with Santos, who hit .288 with 68 RBIs and 12 home runs for Triple-A Tucson last season, because of the rise of Stephen Drew through the minor league system.
Drew hit .389 for Class A Lancaster last season, and spent the final few weeks with Double-A Tennessee, where he batted .218 with four home runs and 13 RBIs in 27 games. Byrnes said Drew probably needs another season in the minors before he is ready for the majors.
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