The Padres sent second baseman Josh Barfield to the Indians on Wednesday in exchange for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff and relief pitcher Andrew Brown.

Kouzmanoff, a 25-year-old native of Newport Beach, Calif., became the first player in Major League history to hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in his first at-bat on Sept. 2 at Texas.

Finishing the season 0-for-13, Kouzmanoff had a .214 batting average (.279 on-base, .411 slugging) in 56 at-bats, with three homers and 11 RBIs.

Barfield, who turns 24 on Dec. 17, was one of the National League's most accomplished rookies in 2006.

The son of former Major League slugger Jesse Barfield, Josh batted .280 with 13 homers, 58 RBIs and 72 runs scored while spending most of the season batting in the No. 8 slot.

An aggressive, intelligent baserunner, Barfield stole 21 bases in 26 attempts. Blessed with uncommon range, he committed only nine errors in 684 chances for a .987 fielding percentage, highest among NL second basemen with at least 600 chances.

Padres general manager Kevin Towers said he felt compelled to make the move when he became aware of another club closing in on Kouzmanoff, available because the Indians have Andy Marte ahead of him at third base on the depth chart.

"If we didn't pull the trigger [Tuesday night], he was going to be gone," Towers said. "He's our third baseman. We like him at third, and we're hoping he's going to be our third baseman for a long time."

Towers said he feels he can more easily acquire a second baseman to replace Barfield than a third baseman of Kouzmanoff's potential.

"We have had conversations with at least two to three [free agent] second basemen," Towers said, "and one of star quality."

Towers would neither confirm nor deny that the player was Alfonso Soriano.

Barfield admittedly was stunned when he was given the news by a club official early Wednesday.

"I was told [the Padres] had a void at third they needed to fill and they thought they'd be able to get a free agent to play second easier than one to play third," Barfield said.

"I'm a little shocked -- and disappointed. I had no idea this was coming. I like playing in San Diego. I felt comfortable, and I love the guys. It got to the point where I could see myself playing here for a long time. I thought I had a good year to build on -- only now I'll have to do that in Cleveland."

Among the free agents at second base are former Padre Mark Loretta, Adam Kennedy, Ray Durham, Kaz Matsui, Ronnie Belliard, Jose Valentin and Todd Walker. Walker spent the last two months of the 2006 season platooning with Barfield.

During the Arizona Fall League, Kouzmanoff has been playing first base, but that spot belongs to Adrian Gonzalez in San Diego. In Cleveland, it will likely go to some combination of Ryan Garko, Casey Blake and Victor Martinez in '07.

Kouzmanoff tore up Minor League pitching this past season, batting .379 between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Buffalo with 22 homers and 75 RBIs in 94 games.

"Moving Josh Barfield was not an easy decision," Towers said. "He's a guy we signed and developed and he had a good rookie year. We like Kouzmanoff an awful lot. We think, given an opportunity, he could be a threat in the middle of the order."

Towers compared Kouzmanoff's power to that of Russell Branyan, the left-handed hitter who could share third with the newcomer. Branyan also came up through the Cleveland system.

The Padres will continue to pursue a corner outfielder with power, possibly leading to the exit of free agent Dave Roberts, in addition to finding a second baseman to replace Barfield either in free agency or on the trade front.

"Kouz is going to be a very good Major League hitter and Major League player," Indians general manager Mark Shapiro said. "We like him, and we're going to miss him."

Brown was the player to be named in the 2004 trade that sent Milton Bradley to the Dodgers. The Indians turned him into a reliever in the Minor Leagues, and he went 5-4 with five saves and a 2.60 ERA in 39 appearances for the Bisons.

With the Indians, he was 0-0 in nine games with a 3.60 ERA, walking eight and striking out seven in 10 innings. He held batters to a .171 average.

"I had a feeling, because of the situation, with the Indians having a lot of young arms and me being out of options, that something might happen," Brown said. "I'm pretty pumped up. [San Diego is] a good organization and city. It's a nice opportunity for me."

Though the Indians received an everyday player for two unproven commodities, Shapiro wasn't quick to call the trade a no-brainer. Still, he was no doubt excited about the acquisition.

"We gave up a lot," Shapiro said. "We gave up players we liked. No trade is an easy trade, but it's a player we're very happy to get."

With Bud Black named as the team's new manager and Brown joining the bullpen, it was a colorful Wednesday for the Padres.

"He throws 95, 96 [mph] with a good slider," Towers said of Brown. "We plan on him being part of our bullpen."

Brown felt he performed better than his record suggested with the Indians.

"I pitched well [in 2006], but the numbers didn't always show it," Brown said. "I walked some people. I felt I had a successful year. I pitched well and got people out. It was frustrating not to get called up earlier, but I'm not upset, by any means."

Kouzmanoff, who attended Nevada Reno and has a history of back problems, is regarded as an average Major League defender at third base. Getting most of his at-bats as a DH, he played only two games in the field for the Indians in 2006, committing one error in seven chances.

"I played with Kevin in the Arizona Fall League a couple of years ago," Barfield said. "He can hit."

Kouzmanoff has been a hot hitter in the Arizona Fall League, batting .419 with two homers and nine RBIs while hitting safely in nine of 10 starts. He left a game last Wednesday with a strained left hamstring.