Scott Hairston Traded to A's, Precursor to Matt Holliday Trade?

Scott Hairston has been one of the Padres' best offensive players this season. Thus, naturally, the Padres have decided to trade him for some prospects. Via Twitter, the Padres announced Sunday night that they traded Hairston to the Oakland Athletics. In return, the Padres received minor league pitchers Ryan Webb and Craig Italiano in additon to a player to be named later. Hairston is expected to join the A's Monday in Boston.

Hairston, 29, is in the midst of easily the best offensive season in his career. Through 55 games played, he's hitting .299 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI. His 2009 OPS is about 100 points higher than his career mark.

For the Padres, it's pretty clear they are looking to the future, and they'll now get a look at a trio that could be the outfield for the foreseeable future in Kyle Blanks, Tony Gwynn, Jr. and Chase Headley. As for the two players they received, Webb is 7-1 with a 4.34 ERA in the Pacific Coast League -- a notoriously hitter-friendly Triple-A league. Italiano is 5-6 with a 5.63 ERA for the Advanced Single-A Stockton Ports. He is only 22 years old and has struck out 75 batters in 76 2/3 innings.

For the A's, they already have Ryan Sweeney and Matt Holliday in the outfield. Hairston gives them the ability to play Sweeney in right field instead of either Travis Buck or Jack Cust. Digging deeper, though, the A's could easily be preparing to trade Holliday, who is in his walk year, certainly won't be re-signing in Oakland and would likely be a hot commodity in the trade market. According to a source close to the A's, Hairston will initially play mostly in center field, but they are looking at him as a corner outfielder in the long term. There's no real word from Oakland about Holliday specifically, but it certainly looks like a precursor-type move -- especially with the news that Hairston will begin in center and eventually shift to a corner.

With just over 26 days left on the clock until the non-waiver trade deadline, the general managers looking for an outfield bat should be officially put on notice.