Padres trade Aaron Cunningham to the Cleveland Indians for minor leaguer Cory Burns

by Dex on Dec 16, 2011 1:49 PM PST

Makin' moves... Makin' moves...

@hoynsie
paul hoynes#Indians trade with San Diego is confirmed. Tribe gets OF Aaron Cunningham for right-hander Cory Burns.
Dec 16 via webFavorite RetweetReply

I think the most interesting thing about this transaction is not the fact that our one degree of separation with Ice-T has been erased, but rather, as Friarhood points out, this opens up a spot on the 40 man roster. The Ice-T thing is probably second most important.

Aaron Cunningham

#28 / Right Field / San Diego Padres Cleveland Indians

Height: 5-11

Weight: 205

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Apr 24, 1986

Facial Hair: Comes in creepily blonde

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Hopefully this quiets all those angry fans

by Antonio Olivares on Dec 16, 2011 1:52 PM PST reply actions

Average fan will not think much of this move

But it’s trading a player that has nothing left to prove in the minors, yet has no place to go in the majors, for a younger player at a position of need. They basically traded a guy that was probably going to rot in AAA for years for a pitcher that could be a cheap, good bullpen guy in San Diego for a number of years.

"second base is the bizness." -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans

by Wonko on Dec 16, 2011 1:56 PM PST reply actions

yeah, I figured bullpen...

but any upside in “Adams”, “Bell”, “Trevor”-like potential?

Or just a solid middle reliever?

by Zen Blade on Dec 16, 2011 2:01 PM PST up reply actions

He's been tested as a closer in the minors.

But, it is hard to project that kind of potential with his low K rates.

"second base is the bizness." -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans

by Wonko on Dec 16, 2011 2:03 PM PST up reply actions

am i missing something

or did he not average almost 11 k/9 last season in AA?

i agree his velocity probably isn’t what you want out of a closer, but apparently he has a really good changeup and a deceptive delivery. could be closer of the future option if brach doesn’t work out.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 16, 2011 2:19 PM PST up reply actions

Burns, 24, posted a 2.11 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 59 2/3 innings of relief at Double-A in 2011. He has saved 88 of the 130 minor league games he’s appeared in since being selected in the 2009 draft

-mlbtraderumors

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on Dec 16, 2011 2:22 PM PST up reply actions

Is that 88 for 130 in save opportunities

or he’s been the pitcher in save situation and saved the game in 88 games of all 130 games he’s played in.

TBD

by IputtheYinTony on Dec 16, 2011 5:10 PM PST up reply actions

sounds like the latter to me

by abara on Dec 16, 2011 7:08 PM PST up reply actions

unless his manager was charlie manuel

#lidged

by iheartyourfart on Dec 17, 2011 1:03 AM PST up reply actions

Huh

I thought I had seen that it was like 5.7 K/9. Wonder how I got that in my head?

"second base is the bizness." -jbox

Bolts from the Blue - San Diego Chargers Blog Created By The Fans, For The Fans

by Wonko on Dec 16, 2011 2:37 PM PST up reply actions

Wrong Burns

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on Dec 16, 2011 2:46 PM PST up reply actions 4 recs

Mr. Byrnes

[Comment From Jesse Jesse: ]
Do you imagine a scenario where we could, say, sell Hudson to a Japanese team?

by Natrone Means Business on Dec 16, 2011 3:06 PM PST up reply actions

I dont remember where

but I read a 5.7K/BB ratio or similar to that somewhere.

Scowling at Padres Losses since 1981

by Nater Tater on Dec 16, 2011 9:24 PM PST up reply actions

With Balsley

everyone has Bell-Adams upside…..not that they will achieve it.

"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"

by Ron Mexico on Dec 16, 2011 2:20 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Goodnight sweet prince

Hope this new guy is good!

"You're like the nicest internet person I know." - theodore donald kerabatsos
http://www.fatforfood.com/

by Jordan_Ming on Dec 16, 2011 3:35 PM PST reply actions

Gonna miss Schneaky Peeg

~Chicks dig the BOOMSTICK~

by eastbaysd on Dec 17, 2011 12:21 AM PST up reply actions

i liked cunningham

but i like this move. he’s younger and cheaper than denorfia but not as proven, and perhaps not as good, even though their skillsets are similar. and he doens’t have norf’s scrap-factor. he should be a good 3rd or 4th outfielder on a team that needs a right-handed contact bat with some on base skills.

as for burns you can never have too many young arms. his track record so far in the minors also seems pretty good. both teams win.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 16, 2011 6:33 PM PST reply actions

cunningham I think somewhat hoodwinked us by a couple early flashes of brilliance

that grand slam being chief among them…but I never really saw anything that showed he was capable of more than the classic NL 4th OF archetype that the Padres seem to collect like pokemon

by abara on Dec 16, 2011 7:10 PM PST up reply actions

Totally

Cunningham seemed like a solid 4th outfielder. Okay offense, okay defense, could play CF in a pinch. He is probably not a solid regular though. I do hope he gets more of a chance in Cleveland. Hopefully they don’t also have half a dozen 4th outfielder types.

by Antonio Olivares on Dec 17, 2011 12:53 AM PST up reply actions

One more sign that this is the Year of the Venable

Ehhhh, I don't deserve a signature...

by sdchicken on Dec 17, 2011 1:48 AM PST reply actions

yes, the year of trading Venable...

by Zen Blade on Dec 17, 2011 5:27 AM PST up reply actions

Haters gonna hate, but Will's gonna triumph

Ehhhh, I don't deserve a signature...

by sdchicken on Dec 17, 2011 7:32 AM PST up reply actions

Venable

Venable will have his breakout year just as he’s about to get expensive…..uh-oh, we know what that means.

by globalform on Dec 17, 2011 10:36 AM PST via iPhone app reply actions

thats not an uh-oh at all

I’d rather be in position to trade him after he starts doing something then try to off load him based on his career to this point.

Scowling at Padres Losses since 1981

by Nater Tater on Dec 18, 2011 2:59 AM PST up reply actions

he's always had good road numbers

career .771 road OPS, with good baserunning ability and the potential to play centerfield. he’s really an ideal 4th outfielder and a useful player on most teams since he does a little bit of everything reasonably well. some team with a small park might even acquire him with the intention of starting him in CF. most would see him as a complimentary piece though. i don’t think he’s gonna bring back much at this point unless he’s part of a larger trade involving others. he’s probably the kind of guy you sign in january, or pick up off waivers in august, not the kind of guy you shop for in december.

by iheartyourfart on Dec 18, 2011 4:22 AM PST up reply actions