Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Padres Rumors

Padres Exercise Option On Adrian Gonzalez

By | at

The Padres announced today they've exercised their $6.2MM club option for 2011 on first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.  The option reached that amount due to incentives, tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock.  Given Gonzalez's production, this was an obvious decision.

Gonzalez, 28, hit .298/.393/.511 with 31 home runs this year in 692 plate appearances.  He'll earn over $100MM as a free agent after the 2011 season, but the Padres' willingness to trade him this winter might be affected by their unexpected success in 2010.

Torrealba Declines Mutual Option

By | at

Catcher Yorvit Torrealba has declined his side of his mutual option with the Padres, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  The option, which was for $3.5MM, still pays a $500K buyout to Torrealba.

Torrealba, 32, hit .271/.343/.378 this year in 363 plate appearances for the Padres.  He caught 795.6 innings, with Nick Hundley taking the rest.  Torrealba threw out 37% of baserunners, his best mark since '06.  He's a solid regular in a free agent market with about eight of them.  Torrealba is a Type B free agent, so the Padres could get a draft pick if they offer arbitration and he turns it down and signs elsewhere.

D’Backs Rumors: Konerko, LaRoche, Padres

By | at

As soon as he took over in Arizona, GM Kevin Towers said he intended to improve the team's bullpen and bench. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic hears that the D’Backs still plan to spend on those areas. Here are the details on the club's offseason plans:

  • Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago reported over the weekend that the D’Backs will pursue Paul Konerko, but Piecoro suggests a deal with Konerko “probably won’t happen.” The first baseman is in position to demand a lot of money and D’Backs people aren’t sure he can provide enough defense at first base.
  • Piecoro says it sounds like the D’Backs won’t pick up their part of the $7.5MM mutual option for Adam LaRoche this winter. That suggests that Towers is willing to pay a $1.5MM buyout instead.
  • Expect the D’Backs to add Padres executive Bill Bryk, who worked with Towers in San Diego.

Heyman On Mets, Valentine, Yankees, Padres

By | at

New Mets GM Sandy Alderson is going into his new position with an open mind and the understanding that he has a lot of work ahead of him, writes Jon Heyman of Sports Illustrated.  While we've already heard that J.P. Ricciardi and Paul DePodesta could join Alderson in Queens, Heyman suggests that another one of the GM's former co-workers could make the trip as well.  A's executive Grady Fuson could possibly join the Mets front office, though Alderson has suggested to some friends that he'll remain in Oakland.  Even Omar Minaya could return to the club in some capacity as he has a relationship with Alderson and "a fondness" for owner Fred Wilpon.  Let's see what else Heyman has for us..

  • Earlier this week Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wondered if the Brewers could afford Bobby Valentine, a fair concern considering the team's limited budget and the ex-manager's rumored seven-figure salary at ESPN.  However, owner Mark Attanasio could be willing to shell out the big bucks to land Bobby V as he is said to be concerned about ticket sales slumping following two losing seasons.  Valentine would certainly qualify as a dynamic hire and could make enough of a splash to boost attendance and TV revenues.
  • Former Diamondbacks GM Josh Byrnes is believed to have several opportunities after winning the silver medal in the Mets' GM search.  We learned earlier this week that Byrnes could wind up in San Diego due to his ties to the club's front office and most notably owner Jeff Moorad.  Heyman says that Byrnes could land with the Padres even if DePodesta doesn't head east for a gig with the Mets.
  • After firing pitching coach Dave Eiland, the Yankees are in the market for a replacement.  One possibility for the job is Rick Kranitz, who was the pitching coach for Joe Girardi in Florida.

Adrian Gonzalez’s Trade Suitors

By | at

The Padres' surprising 2010 campaign might ensure that Adrian Gonzalez at least starts next season in San Diego, since the club will want to see if they can capture the same lightning in a bottle in 2011.  But if the Padres fall out of contention early (as they were expected to do last year), the simmering Gonzalez trade market will again catch fire.

Don Norcross of the San Diego Union-Tribune recapped the difficulty — or impossibility — that the Padres will have in signing Gonzalez to the expensive, long-term contract that he'll no doubt command when he reaches free agency after the 2011 season.  Norcross named three "favorites" and two dark horses as possible homes for Gonzalez come Opening Day 2012, so let's take a closer look at these options…

  • The Red Sox.  Boston has been at the forefront of Gonzalez rumors for over a year, and there's no question the Sox will be involved in trade talks for the slugger right down to the wire.
  • The Giants.  Norcross somewhat surprisingly adds them to his favorites list, pointing out that Aubrey Huff could be moved to the outfield (if he's re-signed at all) to accommodate Gonzalez at first base.  It's hard to picture San Diego dealing Gonzalez to a division rival, plus San Francisco isn't the kind of big market that could afford A-Gon's future contract.  That said, the Giants are rewriting their own history right now in the World Series.  They might decide to just go for broke and acquire Gonzalez while their window of contention is open.
  • The Angels.  As Norcross notes, L.A. is close to home for the San Diego-born Gonzalez, and the Halos will pay the money for top talent.  Kendry Morales is relegated to the outfield or the DH spot in Norcross' scenario, but Morales could also be the centerpiece of the Angels' trade package to San Diego.
  • The Dodgers.  One of the darkhorse contenders depending on if a new owner takes control of the team and wants to make an instant impact.  Gonzalez could be in a new uniform well before the Dodgers' ownership situation is settled, so we can probably write off at least one L.A. team.
  • The Cubs.  Gonzalez himself has shown some interest in playing in Chicago, but the Cubs might be looking to add Adam Dunn to play first base this winter.

Besides these five teams, a number of other clubs can and will arise in the market depending on how this offseason pans out.  The White Sox might need first base help if Paul Konerko departs, and could be interested in a long-term answer at first anyway given Konerko's age.  Texas might try to undo their infamous Gonzalez/Chris Young for Adam Eaton/Akinori Otsuka swap in 2006 and make a play for the first baseman.  Teams like Toronto, Baltimore, Washington or Seattle don't seem like candidates now, but could dive into the free agent market next winter if they think they're close to contention.  Even St. Louis could be considered a possibility if they're unable to come to terms on an extension for Albert Pujols.

Padres Sign Edwin Moreno

By | at

The Padres have signed 17-year-old Dominican outfielder Edwin Moreno, reports Baseball America's Ben Badler.  The contract is worth $500K.

Moreno was described as a "left-handed outfielder with pop and a strong body" by Blake Bentley on his list of the top 10 Dominican prospects leading up to the opening of the international signing deadline last July 2.  Moreno wasn't signed, however, due to failing a drug test administered to 40 prospects who registered with Major League Baseball last May.  As Badler notes, Moreno won't face a 50-game suspension since he wasn't signed to a contract when he failed his test.

 

Odds & Ends: Daniels, Takahashi, Byrnes, Lee, Gray

By | at

Links for Wednesday, as Cliff Lee and Tim Lincecum duel in Game One of the World Series…

  • Jon Daniels called a report indicating that he asked the Mets (through back channels) to hold off on their GM announcement until after the World Series "complete bull," according to CBSSports.com's Scott Miller. Daniels can opt out of his contract after the season since the Rangers were sold this year.
  • Hisanori Takahashi switched agents from Peter Greenberg to Arn Tellem, tweets Newday's David Lennon. We learned that Takashi and the Mets were discussing an extension just a few days ago, but it appears that the lefty is positioning himself to test the free agent waters.
  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post says the "belief in the sport" is that Josh Byrnes will join the Padres' front office after losing out on the Mets GM gig. Byrnes has strong ties to San Diego's front office, most notably owner Jeff Moorad.
  • Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe wonders if the Tigers and Red Sox are getting ready to battle for the same free agents in a few weeks.
  • The Yankees have had internal discussions about how much money they'd be willing to offer Cliff Lee, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network.
  • The Cubs outrighted Jeff Gray to Triple A, so he’s no longer on the team’s 40-man roster. The 28-year-old righty struggled through 9.1 big league innings this year.
  • Alex Speier of WEEI.com explains that the Red Sox will have trouble finding another pitching coach like John Farrell, the new Blue Jays manager.
  • Omar Minaya isn't sure whether he'll stay with the Mets, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). Heyman says there's a decent chance Minaya returns, since he gets along well with owner Fred Wilpon and incoming GM Sandy Alderson.

Padres Seeking Production At The Top Of Lineup

By | at

The Padres are seeking top-of-the-order production this offseason, writes Don Norcross of the San Diego Union Tribune.  The club went through nine players in the leadoff spot in 2010 and got little offense from David Eckstein who batted second.

As it stands now, Adrian Gonzalez and Chase Headley are set to play the corner infield positions while Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick will be the corner outfielders.  Norcross writes that this means that the higher on-base percentage that San Diego is after will have to come from the middle of the field.

While Tony Gwynn turned in another excellent season in center field (32.9 UZR/150), his .204/.304/.287 slash line in 339 plate appearances left much to be desired.  Meanwhile, shortstop Everth Cabrera took a major step back in 2010, hitting just .208/.279/.278.

The Padres' combined on-base percentage for the top two spots in their batting order was .310, third worst in the majors.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Ichiro, Garza, Greinke, Bell

By | at

On this date two years ago, the Mariners named former Brewers vice president Jack Zduriencik as their new general manager. His defense-heavy approach resulted in a 24 win increase in his first season at the helm, though team scoring dropped by 31 runs. The Mariners won just 61 games and scored a mere 513 runs in 2010, the fewest by any team in the DH era. Unsurprisingly, there's already talk that Jack Z. is on the hot seat.

These links don't have to worry about being on the hot seat, they've made this week's edition of BBWI…

If you have a suggestion for this feature, Mike can be reached here.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Kevin Correia

By | at

Like the Padres, Kevin Correia started the season well but slumped down the stretch. There's no question that the 30-year-old's late-season struggles will limit his asking price this winter. Here's a closer look at the right-hander's free agent stock:

The Pros

  • Correia can strike hitters out (7.1 K/9 in 2010).
  • He stayed healthy all year.
  • Teams were showing interest in Correia not long ago; the Brewers and Rays asked about him last offseason. 
  • Despite the righty's 5.40 ERA, defense-independent pitching stats suggest he was unlucky. Nearly 15% of fly balls hit off of Correia left the yard, so homers inflated his ERA.
  • Correia has induced more grounders in the past two seasons (45% ground ball rate in '09, 49% ground ball rate in '10). This suggests he could pitch just as effectively in a considerably smaller park than Petco.
  • He's just a year removed from a season in which he posted a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts.

The Cons

  • He posted a 5.40 ERA last year, allowing more than a hit per inning. Lucky or not, those numbers are ugly.
  • Bud Black took note and removed the right-hander from the Padres' rotation in September. Correia had posted a 6.18 ERA between June and August. That's one long slump.
  • His walk rate jumped from 2.9 BB/9 to 4.0 BB/9 in 2010.

The Verdict 

It doesn't look great for Correia, though he shouldn't have trouble drawing interest. Teams like the Orioles and Brewers will be looking for back-of-the-rotation arms this offseason and Correia's ability to induce grounders would play well in homer-friendly places like Camden Yards and Miller Park. But other free agents (including former Brewer Dave Bush and former Oriole Kevin Millwood) will be vying for rotation spots and Correia doesn't have much leverage given his poor finish. A one-year deal worth $2MM or so seems like a reasonable target for the San Diego native, who may well end up with the Padres again.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top