"Preller drives everyone nuts!" said an AL executive. "He basically kept multiple teams on the hook as he shopped De Vries. He was a buyer, but kind of operated like a seller in terms of auctioning off De Vries to the highest bidder."

In the time between breakfast and lunch on the West Coast, Preller, the San Diego Padres' frenetic general manager, acquired eight players and parted with 14 others. He landed ano