Adrian Gonzalez is not on the block. The Padres aren't contenders, but they want to keep their All-Star first baseman and they have many reasons to hold onto Gonzalez:
- He's their best hitter, with 24 homers and a massive walk total (67).
- He adds value on defense, according to FanGraphs.
- He's just 27, playing in his prime.
- They only have to pay him $3MM this year, $4.75MM next year and $5.6MM the year after that.
- They let Trevor Hoffman walk and publicly tried to deal Jake Peavy, so their fans need to see the team commit to one of its stars.
But some of those same points would make Gonzalez incredibly appealing to other clubs. Here are some reasons the Padres could consider dealing him:
- Their team isn't about to win now, or in the near future.
- Gonzalez could command a Mark Teixeira-esque haul.
- His slugging percentage is 115 points higher on the road this year.
- He hinted that he'd like to play for a winner.
So what are your thoughts? Should the Padres entertain offers for their best player?
