By Jim Callis
August 28, 2003

After growing up in Massachusetts, playing collegiately at Providence and spending the first nine years of his pro career in the Red Sox organization (except for a brief 2000 stint in Japan), Lou Merloni left New England in March when the Padres claimed him on waivers. But he returned on Thursday, when San Diego traded him to Boston for Double-A righthander Rene Miniel.

Merloni, 32, likely will platoon with Todd Walker at second base and fill in at shortstop and third, relegating Damian Jackson to more of a pinch-running/defensive role. He doesn't do anything in spectacular fashion, but he hits line drives, has improved his eye at the plate and is a versatile defender. In 65 games (151 at-bats) with the Padres, he hit .272-1-17, missing four weeks with a bruised right knee. He's a career .271-10-84 hitter in 323 big league games and 841 at-bats. Merloni, who makes $560,000, will be arbitration-eligible in the offseason.

Miniel, 24, ranked as Boston's third-best prospect entering the 2002 season. Since then, his age has been revised upward two years and he lost the zip on a fastball once clocked as hard as 96 mph. He has moved to the bullpen, where his velocity has creeped back into the low 90s, but he projects as a middle reliever—if he improves the consistency of his curveball and command. In 34 games (seven starts) this year between high Class A Sarasota and Portland, Miniel has a 3-5 record and deceptive 3.09 ERA. Opponents are batting .264 against him, and his strikeout-walk ratio is just 67-39 in 90 innings.