For the better part of two months, the only thing fans in Boston and San Diego were talking about was whether the two teams were going to work out a deal that would send Padres' first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox.
During that same amount of time, ESPN's Jayson Stark had continued to tell people not to put any stock in the rumors surrounding Gonzalez. Unfortunately for us rumor fans, no one was really listening, because the rumors continued.
There were sources that had Clay Buchholz along with Jacoby Ellsbury and another prospect coming to San Diego. Then there were those who couldn't believe that Boston would give up that much but even more who wanted to give up what it took to get the Gold Glove slugger.
Stark, going on WJAB Radio in Portland, Maine, reiterated that the rumors surrounding the first baseman never had any legs to begin with and that the Padres had no intentions of trading him in the foreseeable future.
Even Padres' CEO Jeff Moorad, when interviewed on XX Sports Radio in San Diego , said there was nothing on the table. He went as far as to say that general manager Jed Hoyer had not had any conversations with Red Sox' GM Theo Epstein since the Winter Meetings, and even then, they never discussed Gonzalez.
The only way that was going to happen was if the Padres were to be overwhelmed by an offer. At this point, that hasn't happened and the Padres are in the driver seat in any deal because they don't have an obligation to trade Gonzalez.
In fact, manager Bud Black and Hoyer have already said they expect Gonzalez to be on the team's Opening Day lineup.
What also makes this move even more unlikely is the trade between the Red Sox and the Texas Rangers falling through. The deal would have sent third baseman Mike Lowell to Texas for catcher Max Ramirez, allowing the Sox to move Kevin Youkilis over to third, making room for Gonzalez at first base.
Now that the deal has fallen through, the Sox no longer have that space open. There were two other teams, the Mariners and Orioles, that were said to have had interest in Gonzalez, but neither team began discussions about acquiring him.
At this point, the Padres are inclined to hang on to their All Star as long as humanly possible. The only way he'll be traded will be the team falling out of contention in the National League West sometime before the trade deadline.
If that doesn't happen and the Padres are within striking distance of whoever is in the lead in the division, don't expect San Diego to listen to any kind of deal. If they're in contention, they're going to ride that wave through the rest of the season.
If it comes down to Adrian being traded after the season is over, then that's when a deal will be struck. You don't trade your best player when you're in a division title race.
The darkhorse in all of this will be the possibility of Gonzalez signing an extension with the ballclub.
Though most people look at that as the most unlikely of possibilities, it may not be that far-fetched if he believes this team is not far from contending for more than just a playoff spot.
If he sees enough progress with the new ownership and he believes this team is moving in the right direction, don't be the least bit surprised if an extension discussion begins between his agents and Padres' ownership.
For right now, the Padres will open up spring training in just a few short months with their first baseman in tow. With him in the lineup, this team can be very dangerous in 2010 and beyond.
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