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Quick Hits: Villone, Moorad, Lidge, White Sox

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Links for Saturday night, as Alex Gordon continues to enjoy a productive spring….

  • The contract Ron Villone signed with the Nationals is non-guaranteed and worth $750K, tweets SI.com's Jon Heyman.
  • Padres chief executive Jeff Moorad has officially vested himself of the portion of the Diamondbacks he owned, reports MLB.com's Barry M. Bloom.
  • Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com profiles a handful of prospects, including a pair of Royals, who could have an impact for subpar teams this year.
  • One scout discussed Brad Lidge with ESPN's Jayson Stark: "If I were the Phillies, I'd be worried. He's having a tough time getting his arm strength this spring." 2011 is the last guaranteed year of Lidge's contract, with the Phillies holding a $12.5MM club option ($1.5MM buyout) on 2012.
  • Ozzie Guillen says he doesn't care who emerges as the White Sox closer, since he has full confidence in both Chris Sale and the recently extended Matt Thornton, writes Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
  • For the latest updates on the closer situations in Philadelphia, Chicago, and everywhere else, be sure to follow @closernews on Twitter.

Heyman On Phillies, Davis, Molina, Mets

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The Phillies are concerned about Chase Utley's injured right knee but, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com they hadn't called the Rangers about Michael Young as of this morning. Here's the latest on the Phillies and notes from around the league:

  • Phillies scout Charley Kerfeld had been watching the Rangers and may have been scouting Young.
  • Chris Davis has an option left, so the Rangers are expected to send him down to start the season in the minors, despite his strong spring performance so far.
  • 22-year-old Dodgers prospect Rubby De La Rosa is impressing with his upper-90s fastball and command.
  • Though the Padres would like Bengie Molina to return to action at a bargain price, they're under the impression that the backstop is in "retirement mode." The Padres expressed interest in Molina earlier in the week, after Gregg Zaun retired, but they don't have much left in their budget.
  • It remains unlikely that Oliver Perez or Luis Castillo will break camp with the Mets, even though the team doesn't have tremendous depth from the left side out of the bullpen or at second base.

Padres Seek Utility Player

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The Padres are looking for utility help - preferably someone who can play shortstop – tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock.  New shortstop Jason Bartlett has been held out of a few games with a sore knee, and has never played more than 140 games in a season.

Bobby Crosby is still out of work; he was drawing interest from a few clubs in January.  The Indians' Adam Everett could make sense if he doesn't make the team, or the Cubs could part with Augie Ojeda, but overall I don't see many teams with a surplus.

Padres Express Interest In Bengie Molina

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7:24pm: Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News spoke with Molina today and heard that he's definitely not retired (Twitter link). However, he won't play unless he gets a guaranteed deal at a respectable salary.

6:55pm: The Padres inquired on Molina and heard that he is retired, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (on Twitter).

6:23pm: Gregg Zaun retired mere hours ago, and the Padres are already after a former platoon partner of his. The San Diego front office reached out to Bengie Molina, according to Marty Caswell of XX 1090 in San Diego (on Twitter). However, Molina said he's not inclined to play and sounds retired. 

Molina was talking to a couple of teams a month ago, though at the time he was unsure whether to accept their offers. “They're not offering what we want, for sure. I don’t know right now what’s going to happen," Molina told Newsday's Ken Davidoff. Molina is looking for significant playing time and $4MM or so in salary, which could be problematic since the Padres intend to make Nick Hundley their primary catcher and have less financial might than most teams.

The Astros just lost Jason Castro to injury so Molina has had a couple of potential destinations emerge this spring. MLBTR's Mark Polishuk took a close look at the Astros' catching options last week.

Gregg Zaun Retires

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9:59am: Zaun told MLB.com's Corey Brock his shoulder isn't where it needs to be, and he didn't want to leave the team hanging.  Padres GM Jed Hoyer told Brock they'll consider both internal and external options.  As we discussed with the Astros, there isn't a lot out there.

12:43am: Catcher Gregg Zaun is "set to retire from Major League Baseball," reports Sportsnet.ca.  The report says to expect an announcement Monday.  Zaun has served as an analyst for Sportsnet during the playoffs since 2006.

Zaun's decision comes as a surprise, as his first Spring Training start yesterday was deemed a success.  He'd signed a minor league deal with the Padres and was attempting to win the backup catcher job.  Zaun, 40 next month, saw his 2010 season end with June surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder.  Zaun contemplated retirement at that point, but told MLB.com's Corey Brock his shoulder responded well to treatment.

Zaun's retirement would clear a path for Rob Johnson to win the Padres' backup job.  Johnson was acquired from the Mariners in December for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Zaun always had a knack for drawing a walk, leading to a .252/.344/.388 line in over 4,000 plate appearances for the Orioles, Marlins, Rangers, Royals, Astros, Rockies, Blue Jays, Rays, and Brewers.  He picked up a World Series ring with the '97 Marlins and earned almost $18MM in his career.

Padres Sign Jon Leicester

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The Padres have signed right-handed reliever Jon Leicester to a minor league contract according to the transactions page of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He is not in big league camp as a non-roster invitee according to the team's official site.

Leicester, 31, appeared in 48 games (six starts) with the Cubs and Orioles from 2004 through 2007, pitching to a 5.88 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 in 82 2/3 innings. He's spent the last two years in Japan, making 55 relief appearances for the Orix Buffaloes. In 62 2/3 innings on the other side of the pond, Leicester owns a 4.88 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9.

Quick Hits: Abreu, Uribe, Rendon, Sanches

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This day in baseball history saw the birth of the Blue Jays in 1943…the Philadelphia Blue Jays, that is.  The Phillies adopted the 'Blue Jays' nickname in what new team president Bob Carpenter saw as a break from the club's largely mediocre history.  The nickname didn't stick, however, and it wasn't until the Toronto expansion franchise came into being that the Blue Jays name returned to Major League Baseball.

Some news items to take us into the weekend…

  • Bobby Abreu's $9MM option for 2012 will vest if he makes 433 plate appearances this season.  As Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com points out, the Angels could face a tough playing-time decision since the veteran is coming off his worst full season, yet can still be productive.  MLBTR's Mike Axisa recently profiled Abreu as a make-or-break year player, though given Abreu's durability, his status for 2012 shouldn't be in question as long as the Halos play him.
  • Juan Uribe tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that the Dodgers contacted his agent almost every day before finally signing him to a three-year, $21MM contract.
  • Stephen Goff of the Houston Examiner profiles Anthony Rendon, who may be the first overall pick in June's amateur draft.
  • Right-hander Brian Sanches is out of options and is battling for the last spot in the Marlins' bullpen, writes Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  Sanches has a 2.40 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 120 innings for Florida over the last two seasons, so he'll definitely draw interest if the Marlins put him on waivers or try to trade him.
  • Steve Slowinski of Fangraphs.com looks at the 10 completed and about-to-be-completed $100MM contracts in baseball history.  Of those 10 players, only four played consistently well enough to make those contracts a wise investment — Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez.  (Rangers fans may argue that last one, but Slowinski is strictly looking at player performance.)
  • The Orioles agreed to terms with all of their pre-arbitration players except for right-hander Jason Berken, whose contract was renewed, reports Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.  Berken also had his deal renewed last season.
  • Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com lists the top 10 prospects in the Padres' system.  Mayo puts three pitchers (Casey Kelly, Simon Castro, Cory Luebke) in San Diego's top four, as he notes the emphasis the team puts on developing young arms.   
  • In a chat with fans on ESPNChicago.com, Bruce Levine notes that scouts were in attendance to see Carlos Silva during his six-run first inning and subsequent dugout altercation with Aramis Ramirez on Wednesday.  Levine says that the Cubs would probably be able to trade Silva, not release him, if they wanted to part ways.  There's also the $11.5MM salary Silva is owed for this season that the Cubs would have to swallow if they released the right-hander.

NL West Notes: Zito, Byrnes, Kershaw, Roberts

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There's a lot going on in Giants camp and their division rivals are making headlines, too. Here's the latest…

  • Bruce Jenkins of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote today that Barry Zito is "walking a thin line" within the organization and that there's "exasperation" with Zito. Jenkins reported that Zito doesn't have a guaranteed rotation spot and wrote that Zito would not be wearing a Giants uniform by 2013, the last guaranteed year on his contract.
  • As Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports, Zito was stunned by the report. Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the left-hander that the Chronicle report was the first he'd heard of the team's frustration. Zito walked five of the 13 hitters he faced in his spring debut.
  • Ever gone on vacation only to keep checking out what's going on around MLB? I certainly have and, as MLB.com's Corey Brock explains in this must-read piece, so has Padres executive Josh Byrnes.
  • The Dodgers agreed to terms with Clayton Kershaw on a one-year, $500K deal, according to MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. That's more than usual for a pre-arbitration eligible player, but the 22-year-old has a 3.17 ERA and 9.3 K/9 in 483 innings of work, so he's not your average pre-arb player.
  • D'Backs GM Kevin Towers told MLB.com's Steve Gilbert that he has been most impressed with utility player Ryan Roberts this spring (Twitter link).

Offseason In Review: San Diego Padres

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The Padres are next in our Offseason In Review series.

Major League/International Signings

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

Trades and Claims

Notable Losses

Summary

Despite nearly making the playoffs in 2010, the Padres cashed in their best player by sending Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox as the first baseman entered his contract year.  Like the Marlins with Dan Uggla and the Rays with Matt Garza, Padres GM Jed Hoyer built a team to win in 2011 despite a major subtraction.

I didn't expect Gonzalez to be traded this offseason, as he is coming off shoulder surgery and the Padres had some goodwill from their surprising 90 win season.  With Gonzalez set to earn just $6.3MM in 2011, the trade was not financially motivated.  Instead, Hoyer must have been bowled over by the haul of prospects offered by Boston.  The Gonzalez trade seems a tough sell to the fan base, as Hoyer could have waited to assess his team at the trade deadline or just resolved to taking two draft picks after the season – similar to what the Brewers chose to do with Prince Fielder.  In Hoyer's defense, Fielder did not have Gonzalez's trade value, and waiting to trade Gonzalez meant risking getting much less in return.

The dropoff in offensive production at first base could be surprisingly small if Hawpe and Cantu are used wisely in a platoon and perform at their 2008-09 levels.  The bar for offense at almost every other position is very low if the Padres just aim to improve on last year's 4.10 runs per game.

Hudson

The Padres' relatively pricey new-look middle infield of Hudson and Bartlett should provide better performance on both sides of the ball for two years.  The Padres haven't gotten even a .325 OBP out of a middle infield spot since Mark Loretta in 2005.  The Padres have Chase Headley and Ryan Ludwick penciled into a couple of offensive-minded positions, and they're looking from big improvements from both.

Hoyer dealt from a position of strength to acquire Bartlett and Maybin, as MLBTR's Mike Axisa explained in December.  The Padres had one of few bullpens that could withstand some losses; they still have Heath Bell, Mike Adams, and Luke Gregerson to turn games into six-inning affairs, and there are positive vibes around bounceback pickup Qualls.

Qualls was just one example illustrating Hoyer's buy-low strategy this offseason.  Harang, Hawpe, Cantu, and Maybin are four other acquisitions who fell to the Padres because of down 2010 seasons.  Maybin, with the biggest upside, cost the most in Webb.  The Padres gave up five seasons of control of the hard-throwing righty. 

With the loss of Gonzalez, few will pick the Padres to win the NL West in 2011.  For Hoyer's revamped team to contend, pitching will again be key.  The Padres have a young, interesting rotation led by 23-year-old Mat Latos and still boast one of the league's top bullpens.  And as questionable as a Padres lineup without Gonzalez sounds, the offense could still top its 2010 output.

Photo courtesy Icon SMI.

NL West Notes: Maybin, Duke, Bichette Jr.

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It's never too soon to begin looking ahead to the First-Year Player Draft. Here's more on a potential first-round pick and a couple other items of note out of the NL West …

  • Padres GM Jed Hoyer inquired several times last season with the Marlins on the availability of center fielder Cameron Maybin, writes Corey Brock of MLB.com. Of course, the Padres eventually got their man in Maybin, whose memorable early-career homer off Rogers Clemens feels like a lifetime ago despite the fact that he's only 23. In acquiring Maybin, Hoyer and the Padres felt like they were getting a guy who is still younger than many minor league prospects and could have room to grow after he was perhaps rushed to the big leagues at just 20 years old. Plus, "His skill-set sets up very well for our style of play, our ballpark and our division," manager Bud Black told Brock.
  • Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers acquired Zach Duke from the Pirates in November because he thought the left-hander could benefit from a change of scenery, blogs Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Towers added that he covets lefties and good athletes, and said that despite Duke's dip in production in 2010, "his stuff didn't really deteriorate over the last couple years." Duke, non-tendered by the Bucs prior to being dealt to Arizona, posted a 5.72 ERA in 29 starts for the Pirates in '10 but has a career ERA of 4.54.
  • The Rockies may have deja vu all over again: Dante Bichette Jr., the son of former Blake Street Bomber Dante Bichette, is a projected first-round draft pick, according to the Denver Post. Bichette Jr., projected as a third baseman in pro ball, has signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Georgia, according to the Post, but if a team is willing to select him in the first round of a draft that is shaping up to be historically deep, there's always the chance he could be lured away by big money. You may remember Bichette Jr. from the 2005 Little League World Series, in which he starred for his team from Maitland, Fla. The Rockies, by the way, have the 20th pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
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