It was on this day in 1995 when the Padres exploded for 11 runs in the eighth inning to notch an 11-3 win over the Giants. Today, the offensively-challenged Friars would be happy if they scored 11 runs over a three-game series. Here's the latest news from sunny San Diego….
- The Padres have offered Heath Bell a two-year contract worth around $14MM, reports Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link). We've heard that the Padres were willing to offer Bell two years with a third option year, while Bell is looking for three guaranteed years in the neighborhood of $27-30MM. Given that Bell would probably earn as much as $10MM in arbitration next year, San Diego's offer of two years/$14MM doesn't seem like it would be enough, unless it included some easily-reachable incentive clauses and possibly a bonus payment if Bell is traded.
- It will be a while before we can judge if the Padres or the Rangers "won" the Mike Adams trade, though Tom Krasovic of Inside The Padres notes that Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland will benefit the most should they get the chance to pitch at Petco Park. "If there's a better way for a pitcher to get a toehold on a major league career than to go to the Padres, one doesn't come to mind," Krasovic writes.
- A pair of draft signings: ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweets that the Padres signed seventh-rounder Matt Wisler to a contract with a $500K bonus. Wisler, a right-handed pitcher, was committed to Ohio State. San Diego also signed eleventh-rounder Casey McElroy, reports MLB.com's Corey Brock (via Twitter).
