Padres Boost Lineup with Newly Acquired Carlos Quentin

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Padres Boost Lineup with Newly Acquired Carlos Quentin | MLB Baseball

Padres Boost Lineup with Newly Acquired Carlos Quentin
Kareem Shaker

San Diego, CA

Carlos Quentin is expected to provide some sock in the Padres lineup after it was officially announced Saturday that San Diego acquired the White Sox slugger in exchange for minor two minor league pitchers.

The Padres sent prospects Simon Castro and Pedro Hernandez to Chicago for All-Star outfielder Quentin, who has belted at least 21 home runs in each of the last four seasons.

The Padres, who finished last in the NL West in 2011 at 71-9, are bringing the 29-year-old home to San Diego, to bolster their dreadful offense.

The Friars' anemic offense registered the lowest batting average in the NL (237). San Diego also posted the second-highest strikeout total in the majors (1,320), the fewest homers in the majors (91) and scored the fewest runs in the NL with 593.

Quentin has posted four consecutive 20-homer seasons, including 36 in 2008. He hit .254 with 24 home runs, a career-high 31 doubles and 77 RBI in 118 games for the White Sox in 2011, when he made his second All-Star team.

Quentin, who grew up in San Diego, made his first All-Star team in 2008, when he was also recognized with the Silver Slugger award and finished in the top five of AL Most Valuable Player voting.

The right-handed Quentin, who will be a free agent following this season, will instantly add some power to the Padres' lineup, but he is expected to make some tough adjustments.

In the NL West, one will have to deal with some of the best pitching and best pitcher's parks in all of baseball, including PETCO, where very few hitters have found success since the park opened in 2004.

It will mark as a reunion for Quentin and Padres GM Josh Byrnes, who was the Diamondbacks GM when Quentin was traded from Arizona to the ChiSox in 2007. .

For his career, Quentin has hit .252 with 121 home runs and 383 RBI in 616 games with Arizona and the White Sox.

Castro, a 23-year-old right-hander, went a combined 7-8 with a 5.63 ERA and 94 strikeouts in 22 starts between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Tucson in 2011.

The 22-year-old left-hander Hernandez posted a combined 10-3 record and a 3.49 ERA in 28 games (18 starts) last season between Class A Lake Elsinore, Tucson and San Antonio.