closer-like stuff with the fastball and the slider," said Krivsky, who was among those who were asked this week to look back on the 2003 trade. "He threw an occasional breaking ball, but the fastball and slider were his bread and butter."

With all those factors in play, the trade happened on Nov. 14, when the Giants sent Nathan and pitchers Boof Bonser and Francisco Liriano to the Twins for Pierzynski. The trade was made right at the end of the General Managers Meetings in Phoenix.

"We made that deal at the last minute," said Ned Colletti, the Giants' assistant general manager at the time. "In the cab to the airport, we were calling players."

Trades obviously have huge impacts on players' careers. For Nathan, it was the turning point ofhis career. For Pierzynski, it was a one-year stop before moving on to the city where he enjoyed the best years of his career.

Now two players who were once headed in opposite directions are together as teammates. The Rangers signed Nathan in 2011 and brought Pierzynski in this offseason to be their catcher after Mike Napoli signed with the Red Sox.

"We've come full circle ... it's pretty cool," Nathan said. "I knew with [Napoli] leaving we had a need at catcher, and A.J. was the best one available this offseason. We were all happy to get him over here."

They were both with their original teams at the time of the 2003 trade. Pierzynski had been a third-round pick by the Twins out of Dr. Phillips High School in