Despite a heartbreaking end, the 2010 season should be considering nothing but a smashing success for the Padres. They sat atop the NL West for the majority of the season and were in contention for a playoff spot until Game 162 even though almost everyone considered them to be one of the worst teams in the league coming out of Spring Training. They did all that with a payroll approaching just $38MM (according to Cot's), less than the Yankees pay the left side of their infield.
That said, the team can not afford to spend $8.5MM on an injury prone Chris Young next season, and Dan Hayes of The North County Times reports that the team will decline his 2011 option (Twitter links). The Padres are open to bringing him back, but it would have to be at a lesser price. Young has thrown just 198.1 innings (4.13 ERA) over the last three seasons due to back and shoulder issues, not to mention facial fractures suffered when he was hit by a line drive.
With that out of the way, the focus will inevitably turn to homegrown megastar Adrian Gonzalez, who will become a free agent 12 months from now once the team picks up his $6.2MM no-brainer option for 2011. It's been assumed for two years now that Gonzalez would be traded at some point, simply because the team is unlikely to be able to afford him in the future and they could certainly fetch more value than two draft picks on the trade market.
GM Jed Hoyer told MLB.com's Corey Brock that he obviously wants to keep Gonzalez on the team going into next season, but he would not guarantee that it will happen (Twitter link). Hoyer also said that he will meet with Gonzalez's agent John Boggs at some point in the coming weeks, and indicated that payroll will increase an undisclosed amount next season (Hayes Twitter link). Unless they're expanding the payroll considerably, it's tough to imagine a new contract with Gonzalez being hammered out.
Amazingly, the Padres only have $1.1MM in salary obligation for next season, and that's broken down into a $600K buyout of Jon Garland's $6.75MM option and a $500K buyout of Yorvit Torrealba's $3.5MM option. Everyone else on the roster is either due to become a free agent in a few weeks or is still in their pre-arbitration or arbitration-eligible seasons when contracts are not guaranteed. There's certainly no albatross contracts hanging over their heads that are preventing them from signing Gonzalez.
During the summer we heard rumors that Adrian could seek an eight-year deal when he hits free agency, likely meaning that he's looking for Mark Teixeira money. The 28-year-old has hit .288/.374/.514 with an average of just over 32 homers per season in his five years as a Padre, but outside of Petco Park those numbers jump to .303/.376/.568. He's also considered to be one of the game's best defenders, so the Teixeira comparisons are appropriate. About the only thing Gonzalez doesn't do is switch hit.
Interesting. Young might be the only pitcher taller than 6-2 to actually throw uphill, and he is 6-10. He also throws 85 MPH which is crazy. But I think he’ll have a healthy season next year hopefully but glad to see the Padres move on from him.
Gonzalez needs to remain a Padre for life. Like Mauer, Gonzo means as much to the Padres as Mauer means to the Twins.
Right with you on Gonzo. the one impending FA fo 2012 that would/should stay with his team, or most would think want him to stay for obvious reasons nobody needs to repeat.
Please ownership and Jed..Find a way and the money to get this guy signed.
Here are some facts.
No team has won the WS with any one player making more than 16% of payroll.
No team has made it to WS with one player making more than 20% of payroll.
Paying Gonzalez $20+ million would = more than 1/3 of probable payroll for Padres in 2012.
That is a pretty argument to not give one of the top positional players in the game 18M per season or so, with the padres checking in the 2010 season as 37M total payroll, easily near the bottom of the league and also.. How many teams exactly have won as many games as SD with such a low payroll and been able to sustain near that amount of wins? Florida? maybe the Rays, only TB even has been forced to bump theirs up the last 2 years to 20M+ more than SD to sustain 90 win seasons.Also, AGone is the Padres offense, losing him means pretty much go into rebuilding mode once again and how many fans will want to see the hometown boy moved for either minor league prospects (top of course) or even 1-2 still under team control player that have yet to reach full potential and may never do that?The Padres already moved 1 highly popular player this past off season in Kouz, moving the other top hitter the very next season? that might be asking a bit too much of Padre fans that fell 1 game short of a DC.Understand your point and ownership and Hoyer are maybe in a lose-lose situation.If he is traded, getting back top, or “can’t miss” prospects will be risky, look no further than the Fish who looked like the reamed Detroit well in the Cabrerra/Willis deal when Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin were acquired, they have been major busts with Miller a non tender candidate even.All superstar deals with prospects don’t return a Hanley Ramirez and once again, with AGone being a SD native, this one would take years perhaps for the fans to get over if it went sour.
Here are some facts.
1. Websoulsurfer is always wrong.
2. Alex Rodriguez made 16.4% of the 2009 Yankees payroll.
Young will likely be back in 2011 at a lower salary than $8.5 million option if Hoyer’s comments today are any indication and unless Gonzalez gives the Padres a HUGE San Diego discount into the $12-15 million per season range he will not be a Padre in 2012.
I would rather the Yankee’s sign him to a 200mm contract to DH or bench him. That is how much I don’t want to Red Sox to get him.
Padres would be best off trading Adrian rather than letting him go for draft picks, they need to get young talented bats. They also should trade Bell who with out bullpen depth is absolutely not worth 6-8 million he will make
Bell isnt worth having unless you have the offense to get the game to a spot where you can use him. But you cant really trade him for offense to not have him. Catch 22,
You don’t have to use him as a closer. Many people think a set up guy is more valuable than a closer
The Padres have an abundance of good relievers. Trade Bell to help the offense and hand the ball to one of the kids. Finding a closer isn’t that hard.
I agree with you that they should try and trade Gonzo this off season, but if the offers they are receiving aren’t great then they have to hold onto him in my opinion. The offers the Padres were getting last off season for 2 years of Gonzo apparently weren’t that great and I would rather Hoyer have 2 1st round picks in back to back drafts to restock the farm system with guys he really wants then “B” prospects from another team. As for Bell, he must be dealt. His stock will never be higher and there are quite a few teams who could either have him close or be a set up man. As good as the Phillies are I don’t know why they haven’t been beating down the Padres door to try and acquire him with Lidge and his on again off again command issues.
“About the only thing Gonzalez doesn’t do is switch hit.”
Also, he sucks as a base runner! That will deduct him of about 2.8505 million per year.
the only thing gonzalez dosent do is switch hit? well he hits over .360 against lefties so its really not holding him back haha
I can’t think of another power hitter that is so good left on left. Anyone know?
Ha-if they switched him, he’d probably start hitting bombs right on right too!
I’d love to see him extend a contract with the Pads. Good for baseball. Pujols stay with the Cards, Votto stay with the Reds, etc.
Gonzalez might not switch hit, but he hit over .330 vs. LHP this year.
He may be a megastar, but he ain’t homegrown…
Gonzalez was a twice stalled and traded prospect before becoming a “megastar.”
Gonzalez was a Marlin first – traded for Ugeth Urbina.
Then he was with Texas – traded to SD for Adam Eaton and change.
Adrian Gonzalez is undoubtedly worth 10 years about 200 million. Is this ridiculous? Of Course. Us small market fans can all thank idiot franchises like seattle and san francisco who perpetually raise the value of average players by giving large contracts to names such like edgar renteria and aaron rowand. Of course we can blame the yankees too, but at least they win.
My selfish side says a dream come true would be for the Red Sox to sign Carlos Pena to a one year rebuild-your-value deal, see the Padres compete wire to wire next year and have Gonzalez hit the free agent market. I would give him Teixeira money in a heart beat.
Yes, I know, it’s better for baseball for him to stay in San Diego, but does anyone REALLY think that’s going to happen?
Total bummer that the Pads didn’t make the playoffs–the ownership should’ve stepped up and gotten more offensive help than Tejada. Anyways, the Padres are in EXCELLENT position to sign their big star and be solid in the NL West for years to come.
are in EXCELLENT position”———– Like how? Both Brew’s and Padre’s are boxed in. When is the best time to deal their LHH 1B? Is it this winter or do they keep AGon and Prince around to July ’11? You might get the best return over the winter but you hurt ticket sales. Obviously AGon is the more desirable player but Fielder may cost considerably less due to his arbit –pending– and leverage he’ll have before going unrestricted in Nov.’11(with Boras).
Both teams are in poor position.
Would you Padre fans trade AGon for Carlos Quentin and Carlos Torres from the White Sox for starters?
no.
AGon needs to stay in San Diego. They need to build a winning team, they have pitching, they just need to build a good farm system with hitters to complement AGon. Donovan Tate and Simon Castro are a good starting point