By Jim Callis
April 24, 2003

Mike Nicolas is one of the hardest-throwing relievers in the minor leagues. But the Padres needed a 40-man roster spot in order to promote Matt Herges and they tired of Nicolas' off-field behavior, which included being charged with inflicting corporal injury on his wife in January. After Nicolas was placed on waivers, the Brewers claimed him on Wednesday and traded him to the Red Sox on Thursday. Milwaukee will receive either a player to be named later or cash.

Nicolas, a 23-year-old righthander, signed with the Padres out of the Dominican Republic in March 2000, when current Red Sox GM Theo Epstein was San Diego's director of baseball operations. Nicolas led minor league relievers with an average of 14.1 strikeouts per nine innings in 2002, when he went 3-2, 2.91 and limited high Class A California League hitters to a .181 average. He consistently throws in the mid-90s and has reached 100 mph. His slider also can be overpowering, though it, like his command (42 walks in 77 innings last year), can be inconsistent. Nicolas sometimes overthrows, which doesn't make throwing strikes any easier, and needs to get his life in order. In five games at Double-A Mobile this year, he had 11 strikeouts in seven innings, but also had seven walks and an 8.10 ERA.

May 15 update: The Brewers received lefthander Brian Adams today to complete the trade. Adams, 25, was an eighth-round pick out of Liberty in 2000. He throws an 83-88 mph fastball, a low-70s curveball and a changeup. In seven games at Double-A Portland, he had a 0-1, 4.76 record. Adams has struggled with his command, walking 15 in 11 innings while striking out seven and allowing eight hits.