Padres GM Josh Byrnes says his club is prepared to enter 2014 with third baseman Chase Headley on a one-year contract, Bill Center of U-T San Deigo reports. Headley enters his final year of arbitration in 2014 and will become a free agent after the end of the season unless he's signed to an extension. He's projected to earn $10MM through the arbitration process by MLBTR's Matt Swartz.
Speaking with Center on Saturday, Headley said he's still open to discussing a long-term deal with the Padres, the only Major League organization he's ever known. "I don’t want to draw a line in the sand," he said. "We have time. I’m not saying something will get done, but I’m saying it can happen." While the subject has been broached between player and team, Headley reports that talks "haven’t gone very far."
Headley, 29, appeared to establish himself as one of the game's premier players in 2012, compiling a .286/.376/.498 line despite half of his plate appearances coming in one of baseball's most pitching-friendly parks. However, he reverted to a .250/.347/.400 triple-slash in 2013, numbers that are largely in line with his career performance. Agents who spoke with CBSSports.com's Jon Heyman all the way back in May suggested Ryan Zimmerman's six-year, $100MM contract with the Nationals was a starting point for Headley extension discussions. The benchmark has presumably fallen after the third baseman's disappointing 2013, however.
If the Padres can't agree to terms with Headley, Peter Gammons of MLB Network reported last month that the team won't consider trading him until June at the earliest. The White Sox have been linked with Headley recently, and the Yankees, among other clubs, have been cited as a potential suitor in the past.
Headley should’ve signed an extension after 2012.. It was obviously a career year considering all of his other years were mediocre at best
The Padres should have tried moving him last offseason. His value was as high as it ever was. Can’t see Headley’s value ever coming close to what it was last offseason.
yep. and with gyorko in the wings they could have afforded to let him go. i imagine they just weren’t happy with the offers they received.
You have to keep some players that are good don’t you? Otherwise what’s the point of being a fan? Coming on the heels of AGon and Latos, seems to me there’d be a lot of unhappy SD campers if Headley were immediately let go after his breakout year. But the team does look smart now in seeing if he could duplicate it.
A lot of unhappy SD campers? They have an average attendance of five people in the stands!
San Diego was 20th out of 30 in attendance last year. Hardly a Florida team
I’d be ok with a trade, but don’t give him away. Worst case scenario is they let him walk next year after making him a qualifying offer. Hopefully we will compete this year and he will sign an extension. I just don’t feel good about it. It doesn’t really sound like he wants to stay in San Diego. Being a TN boy, I could see him trying to go to Atlanta or somewhere in the South/Midwest
If he has another mediocre season, he maybe would accept the qualifying offer
If he has another mediocre season, he won’t get a qualifying offer.
Big ol’ Mr. Knish!
Red Sox should make the move. Need 3B for one year (Cecchini on way), also have prospects to trade, without giving away farm.
Other than that one year he’s not really any better than middlebrooks. Higher obp, less power.
Owens + ?
I feel in this situation both the Padres and Headley lost. The Padres should have realized that his 2012 season was a fluke with his sky high HR/FB and traded him. Headley should have signed an extension after a platform year.