Padres Send White to Royals

After getting Giles, the San Diego Padres shipped Rondell White to Kansas City for a pair of minor league pitchers, Brian Sanches and Chris Tierney.

Rondell White provided the Padres with leadership on the field and in the clubhouse, but became expendable when Brian Giles was added earlier today. White was the club's lone All-Star representative in Chicago in July. It was also White's first appearance as an All-Star in his 11 seasons as a Major Leaguer. White was hitting .279 with 18 home runs and 66 RBIs.

Acquired late in Spring Training, White came to the Padres in March in a trade that sent outfielder Bubba Trammell and left-handed pitching prospect Mark Phillips to the Yankees. White provided the Padres with an immediate solution when he took over in left for Phil Nevin, who went down with a dislocated left shoulder. That allowed rookie Xavier Nady to move back to right field.

The right-handed Brian Sanches appeared in 38 games for Double-A Wichita, going 1-5 with a 3.16 ERA. The 25-year old, who was originally selected in the second round of the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, will join the Padres' Double-A affiliate in Mobile.

Sanches went 10-6 with a 4.40 ERA in 2002. In 116.2 IP he allowed 111 hits and 43 walks while striking out 101.

Chris Tierney, a left-hander, went 5-11 with a 4.38 ERA in 26 starts for Single-A Wilmington. The 19-year old was a seventh-round pick in 2001 and will report to Single-A Lake Elsinore.

Tierney was 9-14 with a 3.25 ERA in 2002 pitching for Burlington. In 166 IP he allowed 179 hits.