The Padres have traded former “center fielder of the future” Freddy Guzman and right-hander Cesar Rojas to the Rangers. I first saw Guzman play at Lake Elsinore in 2002 when he still was known as Pedro de los Santos — one of the most electric players I’ve seen in the Cal League. Unfortunately he’s 25 years old and his only real tool is speed. Lots and lots of it. Guzman projects as a fourth outfield type. The Padres have plenty of those, so off he goes to Texas.

Coming to San Diego are right-hander John Hudgins and first baseman Vince Sinisi. Both are former top prospects whose stock has fallen. Neither is particularly young or projects to be an impact player, but both could be useful, particuarly Hudgins, who has seen significant action in the high minors and could come up in a support role at some point.

Hudgins was the Rangers’ third round pick in 2003 out of Stanford. Baseball America had him ranked #21 among Texas prospects in 2004, #6 in 2005 (#5 was a guy named Chris Young), and #19 this year. Reports have his fastball in the 87-91 mph range, topping out at 93. His curve is average, and his best pitch is “a sinking changeup that he sells with grunts and late violence in his delivery.” BA calls him a potential #5 starter. Not exciting, but potentially useful. Temper your enthusiasm by recalling that Brett Jodie also was “potentially useful.”

Sinisi was drafted one round ahead of Hudgins in 2003 out of Rice. He has been hurt for much of his pro career and never really developed as expected, particularly in the power department. In their 2004 Prospect Handbook, Baseball America notes that “Sinisi reminds scouting director Grady Fuson of Jason Giambi, who was drafted by the A’s when Fuson was their national crosschecker in 1992, at the same stage.” Sinisi was ranked #5 in 2004, #10 in 2005, and #18 this year. At age 24 and with minimal experience above Class A ball, he’s probably not a future regular.

In this year’s book, BA says that “Sinisi can hit line drives to all fields and knows the strike zone” and that “his smooth lefthanded stroke is tailored to hit doubles in the gaps.” Sinisi played the outfield in college, though it’s not clear how much experience he has there as a pro. Doesn’t sound like a threat for an everyday job in the big leagues anytime soon, but could be a useful bat off the bench in, oh, a Todd Sears kind of way.

Both are potentially more valuable to the Padres than was Guzman, who arrived on the scene with his speed game about 20 years too late. Then again, as a buddy of mine wisely pointed out, this deal could be a whole lot of nothing. We’ll see.