Catcher Yorvit Torrealba has declined his side of his mutual option with the Padres, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The option, which was for $3.5MM, still pays a $500K buyout to Torrealba.
Torrealba, 32, hit .271/.343/.378 this year in 363 plate appearances for the Padres. He caught 795.6 innings, with Nick Hundley taking the rest. Torrealba threw out 37% of baserunners, his best mark since '06. He's a solid regular in a free agent market with about eight of them. Torrealba is a Type B free agent, so the Padres could get a draft pick if they offer arbitration and he turns it down and signs elsewhere.
the thin catching market makes this the smart move
Especially accounting for the deep pocketed suitors looking for catching. A thin catching market is one thing, but when you’ve got two teams with big payrolls (Tigers and Red Sox) who need a starting catcher, this is a wise move.
Agreed.
Playing in a pennant race 2 straight years was apparently not enough for good old Yorvit. This doesn’t mean that SD wont re-sign him though.
He’s got a chance to make more money on the open market, why should he show any loyalty to the Padres?
San Diego also hoping somebody else does sign a wrong side of 30 catcher with poor history of throwing out runners does decide to decline arbitration and leave.
If your team needs a catcher, who would you rather acquire Torrealba or Mike Napoli? Torrealba far superior defensivley, but Napoli has lots of pop in his bat for a catcher.
catching is a defense first position.. I’ll always take the best defensive catcher available.. Realistically if a poor hitting catcher is your teams downfall, chances are they’re not a good team anyways.
Torrealba costs you nothing but money now, Napoli will cost a likely decent haul in prospects.
If I’m a GM, I’d inquire on Napoli and settle on Torrealba unless I can get the former for $0.75 on the dollar.
I was thinking Napoli can be had for hardly anything because he is no in good favor with LAA
I never heard that, but if it’s actually true, I’ll take two catchers, shopkeep.
That said, the Angels would be senseless to not get value for Napoli. He’s not elite, but he’s worth a couple decent prospects in a thin catching market.
Any idea what Torrealba would get in Arbitration? I am thinking $5-$8 million.