Adrian Gonzalez's Agent Believes His Client Will Be Traded

San Diego Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is one of the best in the game at his position. Not only can he hit 40-plus home runs in a place like Petco Park, but he's also won two Gold Gloves for his defensive work at first base. He's also pretty cheap, as he's scheduled to make only $4.75 million in 2010.

Which is likely the only reason the former No. 1 pick is still playing in his hometown of San Diego. Gonzalez has a club option on his contract for $5.5 million in 2011, but once he hits free agency he's likely to command a contract similar to what Mark Teixeira got in 2009, which is why his agent, John Boggs, seems confident the Padres will trade Gonzalez before then.

"I don't ever want to speak for ownership because I have no knowledge of what they have and what they don't," Boggs said. "[But] the feeling we're getting is more than likely [the Padres] are going to have to trade Adrian Gonzalez because [they] can't afford him."

It's not exactly earth-shattering news, as the Padres were believed to be shopping Gonzalez last season at the deadline, with rumors surfacing that he was headed everywhere from Boston to Chicago. Still, it's not all that often you hear a player's agent just come out and say he expects his player is going to be traded.

Odds are that if the Padres are out of contention again this summer, Gonzalez's name will be brought up in trade conversations. The Padres may have the option of bringing Gonzalez back in 2011 for a relatively cheap cost, but his contract makes him even more valuable on the trade market.

For an organization that is as dependent on cheap, young talent as San Diego is, that's important. They can bring in a larger haul if the team they trade Gonzalez to is guaranteed to control him for an additional season, not just for a three-month rental before he hits free agency.

So Gonzalez's agent won't be the only one who isn't surprised if Gonzalez is in a different uniform come August.