The cupboard ain't bare in San Diego

Via MLB Trade Rumors, here’s a choice quote regarding the Padres’ front office situation:

Considering the current state of the Padres, it’s an easy guess
that whomever CEO Jeff Moorad selects as the new GM will be lauding
Towers’ efforts for years to come . . . the Padres’ new GM will
walk into one of the most promising setups in baseball. The Padres have only $12 million in guaranteed money
committed for 2010 after Towers unloaded Jake Peavy’s $56 million
contract. The pitching staff was completely overhauled through the
trades of Peavy and Scott Hairston and several other minor
deals. The 40-man roster is loaded with affordable, controllable
talent.

Wow, that is great. So can someone please explain to me why the architect of that got fired again?

The White Sox have reportedly picked up first baseman Yonder Alonso from the Indians, according to Stadium. The return for Alonso is expected to be nothing more flashy than a “fringe prospect,” though the minutiae of the deal is still pending a formal announcement from both teams.

Alonso, 31, inked a two-year deal with the Indians during the 2017 offseason. His first campaign with the club yielded a modest .250/.317/.421 batting line, 23 home runs, .738 OPS and 0.7 fWAR in 574 PA. The real boon for the White Sox may not be a passable veteran bat, however, but something more intangible — like Alonso’s clout with his brother-in-law and highly-coveted free agent slugger, Manny Machado.

While Alonso’s 2018 output represented a significant decline from the career-best numbers he posted in 2017, he’s still a solid contributor at the plate and, more importantly, slated to remain under team control for the next two years with just $8 million owed in 2019 and a $9 million option in 2020. As MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince notes, the $17 million the Indians just erased from their payroll should give them enough room to accommodate the contracts for right-handers Trevor Bauer and Corey Kluber — a bonus regardless of what they happen to get in the trade.