Padres Rumors: Hoffman, Giles
Padres GM Kevin Towers has more on his plate than just Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene – he also has to deal with Trevor Hoffman and Brian Giles.
Towers talked to Hoffman’s agent about a week ago; he submitted an offer two weeks ago. ESPN’s Buster Olney said the offer was $4MM for ’09 and a club option for ’10.
The Padres have until Saturday to make a decision on Giles’ $9MM option (it has a $3MM buyout). Towers says he’s leaning toward exercising it before the weekend.
Padres Waiting To Hear From Hoffman
SATURDAY: ESPN’s Buster Olney says the Padres offered Hoffman a $4MM salary for ’09, plus an option for ’10 that includes a buyout. Tough call for Hoffman.
THURSDAY: Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune talked to Padres GM Kevin Towers about the Hoffman situation. Towers says he made an offer to Hoffman on Friday and has yet to receive a response.
TUESDAY: Trevor Hoffman wants to continue pitching. The Padres would like to retain his services. It sounds like a perfect match. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, the two sides could get something done soon. The Padres will offer their long-time closer a deal this week, in hopes to sign him before the beginning of free agency.
Hoffman made $7.5 million in his age-40 season, posting a 3.77 ERA and recording 30 saves for the last-place Friars. Despite his highest ERA since 1995 and the fewest innings since his injury-shortened 2003 campaign, he thinks he’s got plenty of innings left in his arm:
"Well, I think I have more than one [season left]. My body feels good. My arm feels a heck of a lot better than it has the last few years. The competitive juices are still there."
Brock speculates that Hoffman could be in line for a one-year deal with incentives, possibly with a team option for 2010. That sounds reasonable enough. Will it be enough for Hoffman, though?
Padres Rumors: Bell, Hensley, Giles
A couple of Padres rumors this morning from Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune…
- Reliever Heath Bell says talks on a multiyear deal didn’t get very far and he’s content using the arbitration process for the first time. Bell stands to earn a million or two in ’09.
- The Reds are interested in Padres pitcher Clay Hensley. Hensley, 29, posted a 5.31 ERA in 39 big league innings. He pitched another 48 innings in Triple A. His strong groundball rate could make a nice fit for the Reds. Jeff from Cot’s Baseball Contracts told me Hensley has enough service time to qualify as a Super Two, meaning he’ll be arbitration-eligible this winter.
- Tim Sullivan of the U-T says Brian Giles is the Padres’ primary offseason issue. In my opinion, it’d be embarrassingly cheap for the Padres to choose the $3MM buyout over the $9MM option.
- Nothing imminent on the Trevor Hoffman front.
Padres Rumors: Moores, Giles, Hoffman
MLB.com’s Barry Bloom talked to Padres owner John Moores recently. Highlights:
- Moores doesn’t expect to be out of the picture next year despite his divorce. Word was his wife Becky wanted to gain control of the Padres.
- Moores expects Sandy Alderson and Kevin Towers back in 2009, and Paul DePodesta was recently extended for three more years.
- Moores says it’s "more likely than not" that the Padres exercise Brian Giles‘ $9MM option as opposed to the $3MM buyout. Moores acknowledges that the Padres probably cannot find a player like Giles for $6MM.
- Trevor Hoffman may be the tougher call, as the Padres love him but he may require a multiyear deal.
Padres Meet With Hoffman
MLB.com’s Barry Bloom spoke to Padres closer Trevor Hoffman yesterday. Hoffman revealed that he met with GM Kevin Towers on Saturday, and came away with positive feelings about re-signing for ’09. First, however, the Padres need to determine their payroll for next year.
Hoffman mentioned a desire for a multiyear deal, which could complicate the situation. The Padres surely want him back, but would they lock the 41 year-old in for two years? Perhaps one year with a vesting option would satisfy both parties. Hoffman will only explore the open market if the Padres don’t want him back.
Padres To Talk To Hoffman Soon
MLB.com’s Corey Brock talked to Padres GM Kevin Towers, who said he plans to talk to closer Trevor Hoffman about a contract for next year before season’s end. The interest is mutual.
If the Padres decline Brian Giles‘ option and trim payroll to $50MM, they’ll have about $7MM left to spend on Hoffman and other free agents.
Odds And Ends: Mets, Embree, Olsen, Hoffman, Izzy, Phillies
A few notes from around the MLBiverse…
- Bill Madden says the Mets may be out of luck for a closer, even if Huston Street and Brian Fuentes have cleared waivers and are available. Madden says the price tags are just too high for the Mets.
- Alan Embree hopes that not being traded is a sign the A’s are going to pick up his $3MM option for next season.
- Scott Olsen said he prefers to be back with the Marlins in ’09 but conceded that the Marlins may prefer to move him due to his arbitration eligibility.
- Kevin Towers would not answer questions when asked if the Padres would bring free agent-to-be, Trevor Hoffman, back in ’09. We had heard previously that Towers wants Hoffman to end his career with the Padres.
- Jason Isringhausen’s agent said that his client’s "desire is to play [next season]," and they will wait to see if he needs surgery before deciding how to make that happen. Isringhausen is a free agent following this season.
- Jimmy Rollins made comments to reporters that suggested free agents may avoid signing with the Phillies because of the fans.
Cork Gaines writes for RaysIndex.com and can be reached here.
Odds and Ends: Kendall, Laird, Giles, Manny
Today’s linkage…
- A friend pointed out to me how strange it is that the Twins were willing to take on Jarrod Washburn‘s salary and give up Boof Bonser but chose to trade Johan Santana before the season. If Bill Smith could go back in time, would he still make that deal?
- A Gary Sheffield acquisition by the Rays is "unlikely but not impossible," according to one Buster Olney source.
- As expected, Jason Kendall‘s option for ’09 vested. He’s off the list!
- The Rangers were willing to trade Gerald Laird and a solid prospect to the Marlins for Chris Volstad.
- The Padres are wavering on Brian Giles‘ 2009 option. Scott Miller also wonders if they’ll be able to take on Trevor Hoffman for another year.
- Miller says the Marlins had a deal for Manny Ramirez worked out, but the commissioner’s office killed it because the Marlins would’ve been getting draft picks rather than a second player. Manny would’ve vetoed it anyway.
- Rob Neyer thinks the Yankees will exceed a $200MM payroll if need be next year.
- There seems a good chance Randy Johnson pitches next year.
- Randy Winn and Bengie Molina may be traded this winter.
- Missed this one from Monday – the White Sox acquired reliever Franklyn German from the Pirates for a player to be named later.
Padres Rumors: Maddux, Hoffman, Kouzmanoff, Greene, Bard
4:32pm: More from Towers – he’s had inquiries on Jake Peavy, Trevor Hoffman, Heath Bell, Kouzmanoff, and Greene. Potential deals will be assessed after the season, though Towers wants Hoffman to stay until the end of his career.
2:43pm: MLB.com’s Corey Brock has the latest on the Padres and Greg Maddux.
Maddux apparently will only accept a trade to a West Coast team, preferably the Dodgers. Padres GM Kevin Towers doesn’t mind trading within the division. The only piece missing is interest from L.A. They’ve got good pitching depth, but if Maddux could be added at a reasonable price, why not? The Professor has a 4.18 ERA this year.
Don’t expect to see younger Padres like Kevin Kouzmanoff, Khalil Greene, or Josh Bard on the move. Towers said a trade of any of those three is "very doubtful."
Hoffman Re-Ups With Padres
The Padres brought back Trevor Hoffman today, getting their customary home-town discount. The deal will pay Hoffman $6.75MM annually and the option on the third year is based on games finished.
There’s nothing wrong with this move, considering the price. Back in late October, Hoffman’s agent was talking about $10MM a year. Hoffman is still a dominant reliever across his 50-60 innings, although Scott Linebrink could easily handle the 9th inning. The poor guy won’t be a free agent until after the 2007 season, at which point he could get Kyle Farnsworth money.