Padres Rumors

Padres Still Eyeing Hart, May Need Arms Too

By Steve Adams | July 18, 2010 at 4:04pm CDT

Much has been made of the surprising first-place Padres' needs as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. It's a known fact that they've relied on tremendous pitching to win in spite of an offense that ranks 27th in the Majors with a .701 team OPS and 21st with 396 runs scored.

The San Diego Union Tribune's Tim Sullivan says that manager Bud Black made a subtle pitch to Corey Hart, a known Padres target, at the Home Run Derby, opining to the Milwaukee right fielder that a lot of his home runs would also have gone out in Petco Park to gauge a reaction. While Hart kept an even keel and simply replied, "Yeah, they would have," Black says he wanted Hart to know that the Padres were interested.

Padres closer Heath Bell also spoke with Hart, and relayed that Hart isn't happy to be on the trading block. If he does get moved, he would like to train in Arizona near his newly-purchased house.

While Hart's 22 home runs would look nice in the middle of the Padres lineup and add some much needed support for Adrian Gonzalez, it's worth noting that the offense may no longer be the club's main focus.

Both Mike Adams and Mat Latos have landed on the disabled list in the past week. While Latos is expected to recover quickly, the Padres will likely be limiting his second half innings.

Padres general manager Jed Hoyer did acknowledge that they have the resources to improve both the offense and the defense, but said that the odds of a significant improvement to both seemed "remote." Any trades that send away cost-controlled young players will require a return that's controlled beyond 2010 for the Padres as well, according to Hoyer, who stressed that financial limitations make cost-control important to San Diego.

Sullivan asked Bell about his personal wish list for acquisitions, and Bell named Hart, Cody Ross, Miguel Tejada, and Milton Bradley before floating a unique idea: acquire Lance Berkman and put him back in the outfield. It's unlikely that Berkman would play a respectable outfield at this point, but the scenario suggests that Bell clearly would like to see a proven, veteran bat added to the lineup.

Cafardo On Gonzalez, Oswalt, Lilly, Ramos

By Zachary Links | July 18, 2010 at 11:52am CDT

Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez will eventually end up with another club, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. The reality of a seven- or eight-year deal at more than $20MM per season in a market as small as San Diego remains a long shot. If Gonzalez, who is under contract through 2011, reaches free agency, he'll be preferred over fellow slugger Prince Fielder, who is also in that free agent class. Let's see what else Cafardo has for us..

Orioles infielder Ty Wigginton's right-handed bat and versatility make him attractive to the Yankees, Reds, Rays, and Angels. Wigginton likes playing in Baltimore but wouldn't mind being in a playoff race.
A major league source wonders if Roy Oswalt will get too picky about to which teams he would approve a trade. We've already heard that Oswalt won't approve a trade to the White Sox or Tigers. One talent evaluator says that Oswalt can succeed in the American League.
That same talent evaluator told Cafardo that Ted Lilly will encounter problems with a move to the American League. Therefore, he would make more sense for a team like the Mets, who are said to have interest.
Twins catcher Joe Mauer has been playing through a few undisclosed injuries, in part because he feels the need to live up to his enormous contact. The club has been dangling catcher Wilson Ramos in a trade for a prime pitcher but they're now less inclined to deal him due to concerns about their franchise player.
The Red Sox watched Mark Prior throw in Arizona, but a team source says that they won't sign him.

Odds & Ends: Sheets, Padres, Scutaro, Nationals

By Mike Axisa | July 16, 2010 at 10:54pm CDT

A few links to check out while the Yankees play their first game without George Steinbrenner at the helm since 1972…

Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Phillies have had a "top scout" on hand for the A's last four series, though Oakland isn't going to move Mark Ellis and Ben Sheets isn't scheduled to pitch this weekend.
James Schmehl of MLive.com says that Sheets could be a "rather inexpensive" trade option for the Tigers if they're looking to add a starting pitcher.
MLB.com's Corey Brock reports that Padres' GM Jed Hoyer told reporters he would like to make a move to improve the team, not just a cosmetic one (all Twitter links). He says the prices must first come down, and that he has the resources to add multiple pieces.
WEEI.com's Rob Bradford says (via Twitter) that the Braves did not talk to the Red Sox about a potential Yunel Escobar–Marco Scutaro deal. He says that the Blue Jays were the only team Atlanta spoke to about an Escobar trade.
Nationals' GM Mike Rizzo ranked the team's international free agent signings for MASNSports.com's Ben Goessling.
Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times tweets that the Tokyo Giants have a scout attending tonight's Dodgers-Cardinals game. If nothing else, it shows that Japanese teams scour the U.S. for talent just like MLB teams do in Japan.

Padres Have Not Had Contract Talks With Gonzalez

By Mike Axisa | July 16, 2010 at 8:50pm CDT

The Padres are perhaps the biggest surprise contender in baseball this season, sporting the best run differential and second best overall record in the National League coming out of the break. That doesn't mean they're any closer to locking up franchise cornerstone Adrian Gonzalez though, as Dan Hayes of The North County Times tweets that the two sides have yet to discuss a contract extension.

Earlier this week we heard that Gonzalez was seeking an eight-year contract, which suggests that he and his agent might be using Mark Teixeira's eight-year, $180MM contract as a guideline for his next deal. Unsurprisingly, many teams are still interested in trading for Gonzalez, but San Diego has him under contract through next season for slightly more than $7.5MM. They don't have any motivation to move him at this point.

In fact, the Padres are looking to add offense right now, not subtract it. Gonzalez is the only legitimate power threat on the team, and while he may be looking for a Teixeira kind of contract, the team would be looking for a Teixeira kind of return if they were to trade him, referring of course to the haul Texas received when they sent the current Yankee first baseman to Atlanta.

Odds & Ends: Marlins, Wigginton, Rockies, Wood

By Mark Polishuk | July 15, 2010 at 9:12pm CDT

It was on this day in 1905 that Shirley Povich, one of the great sportswriters of all time, was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. Povich, who passed away in 1998, would've been 105 today and no doubt still would've been keeping an eye on Stephen Strasburg for the Washington Post.

Some news items….

The Palm Beach Post's Joe Capozzi wonders if Edwin Rodriguez's planned lineup changes in Florida are a hint towards a possible trade of Cody Ross or Jorge Cantu.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun adds the Padres and Rangers to the list of "potential fits" for Ty Wigginton.
Troy Renck of the Denver Post tweeted a few follow-up points to his story about Colorado's interest in Dan Uggla. Renck mentions right-hander Esmil Rogers and outfielder Matt Miller as possibilities for a trade package with Florida, but "there's no way" that Jhoulys Chacin would be dealt. Renck also thinks the Rockies "will listen" to offers for Franklin Morales, though those offers might not be related to any Uggla deal.
MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince shares some Cleveland hot stove talk in a reader mailbag. Castrovince says that Kerry Wood has drawn "minimal, at best" trade interest, but he notes that Wood could be dealt in late August to a team that didn't want to pay an extra month of Wood's contract.
In another MLB.com mailbag, Bill Ladson "would be shocked" by a Matt Capps trade. The Nationals still have Capps under control for 2011, and with Drew Storen still a rookie and Tyler Clippard not pitching well lately, Ladson doesn't think Washington will want to risk dealing their closer.
It's "all quiet on [the] Ben Sheets trade front," tweets FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal, though Sheets' recent success "should change" that.
Aroldis Chapman's inconsistent control means that Chapman probably won't be promoted to the majors until September, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
We already know that the Giants have shown some interest in acquiring David DeJesus, and now Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that a "top Royals talent evaluator" was on hand for the Mets/Giants game at AT & T Park tonight.
Steve Kornacki of Mlive.com looks at what the Tigers need to do in the second half and weighs in on some trade options. Kornacki says that trading for Jack Wilson wouldn't cost much for Detroit, whereas acquiring Dan Haren isn't worth the cost since he doesn't think "the Tigers are good enough to get past the first round of the playoffs. And that’s the only reason to gamble that much for somebody like Haren."
Rice's Anthony Rendon, thought to be a potential first overall pick in the 2011 Amateur Draft, is undergoing ankle surgery on Friday, reports MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo.
Fangraphs' Dave Cameron has the latest installment of his ranking of the players with the most trade value. As he goes from #20 to #16, Cameron cites a defending Cy Young Award winner and two potential Cy winners for this season.

Padres Rumors: Westbrook, Guthrie, Gonzalez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 15, 2010 at 3:13pm CDT

The Padres are looking at at least one short-term option for their rotation, and their first baseman may be thinking much longer-term. Tom Krasovic of AOL FanHouse has the details:

The Padres, who are looking to add a starter, but would prefer to avoid rental players, have discussed Jake Westbrook (a free agent after 2010) and Jeremy Guthrie (a free agent after 2012), among others. Guthrie would like to play for the Padres.
Krasovic hears that Adrian Gonzalez will seek an eight-year deal when he becomes a free agent after the 2011 season. It sounds like a lot, but it’s not surprising. After all, Mark Teixeira signed an eight-year $180MM deal, so Gonzalez’s representatives could easily use that deal as a starting point.

Odds & Ends: Gonzalez, Red Sox, Fielder, Phillies

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 15, 2010 at 2:12pm CDT

Links for Thursday, as the second half begins…

The Mariners released former MLB reliever Mark Worrell, according to the Pacific Coast League's transactions page. They signed the right-hander earlier in the month and assigned him to the minor leagues.
Adrian Gonzalez and Yahoo's Jeff Passan discuss the changed atmosphere in San Diego. GM Jed Hoyer told Passan that the Padres will talk about Adrian Gonzalez's future with the team in the offseason.
Ed Price of AOL FanHouse hears that the Red Sox aren't willing to spend significant amounts of money this July, since they want to avoid the luxury tax.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs continues ranking the MLB players with the most trade value and Carlos Santana just misses the top 20.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney wonders how the Rays would look if they obtained Prince Fielder for a package built around Wade Davis.
As Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains, Hal Steinbrenner is driven to win championships like his father, but he's more analytical and less of a yeller than George.
Phil Sheridan of the Philadelphia Inquirer argues that the Phillies need to improve before the trade deadline, especially since the Braves acquired Alex Gonzalez.
Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor tells Adrian Dater of the Denver Post that he would like another shot at managing in the majors.
The White Sox will fly several of their pro scouts to Chicago at the end of July to evaluate the organization's strengths and areas of need, according to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
The Detroit Free Press points out that National League All-Stars made, on average, $2.8MM less than American League All-Stars.

Odds & Ends: Red Sox, Marlins, Berry, Carroll, Pujols

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 14, 2010 at 7:59pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, on an eerily quiet day for baseball fans…

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein told Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald that there aren't many All-Star caliber players available on the trade market right now.
It's "very likely" that the Marlins make moves between now and July 31st, according to MLB.com's Joe Frisaro (Twitter link).
The Padres claimed 25-year-old outfielder Quintin Berry from the Phillies, according to Dan Hayes of the North County Times (via Twitter). Berry has a .606 OPS at AA so far in 2010.
The Dodgers have fielded multiple calls on Jamey Carroll's availability, as Tim Dierkes noted on Twitter earlier today.
Like everyone else in the baseball world, Albert Pujols' agent expects the Cardinals to pick up the slugger's $16MM option for 2011. Dan Lozano told Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that Pujols is open to talking about an extension in the offseason. Cards GM John Mozeliak confirmed on Twitter that the team won't initiate discussions before then.
Some of Derrek Lee's friends tell Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that they believe the first baseman would waive his no-trade clause for the right deal. The Angels would prefer to pursue someone who isn't under contract next year, so they could be a fit for Lee.
Dave Cameron of FanGraphs ranks Justin Verlander 35th among the MLB players with the most trade value.

Red Sox May Still Covet Adrian Gonzalez

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | July 14, 2010 at 7:02pm CDT

Adrian Gonzalez was supposed to be the biggest trade chip at the 2010 deadline, but the 51-37 Padres aren’t about to sell. That doesn’t mean Boston’s interest in the Padres slugger has faded, however. A baseball source tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that the Red Sox still like Gonzalez.

"If they could get Gonzalez [before next season], that would solve everything," the WEEI source said. "And I think that's their Plan A. But the way things are going that might be pie in the sky type of thinking."

Gonzalez is hitting .301/.397/.533 and no Padres regular has an OPS within 170 points of that, so A-Gon isn't going anywhere yet. The Padres can keep the 28-year-old for $5.5MM next year, before he hits free agency. For now, Gonzalez says he doesn’t want to go anywhere.

"It's just a relief not to be in trade rumors and be in first place, more than anything,” Gonzalez said.

The Red Sox have a club option of their own coming up. Bradford says it “seems very unlikely” that Boston will pick up David Ortiz’s $12.5MM option for 2011 and notes that the sides haven’t made major progress on contract talks about an alternate deal. Big Papi appears to want a multi-year contract and believes he’ll stay in Boston.

Giants, Rays, Padres Eyeing Corey Hart

By Tim Dierkes | July 13, 2010 at 8:54am CDT

Brewers right fielder Corey Hart is "being eyed" by the Rays and Padres, writes John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Two days ago, Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune tweeted that the Rays "appear to be getting serious" about Hart. And don't forget the Giants, whose interest is well-known to MLBTR readers as well as Hart himself.

Hart fits a criteria shared by the Giants and Padres: he's under team control for 2011. He has about $2.16MM remaining on this year's contract, and he'll be arbitration-eligible for 2011. Hart posted an All-Star first half: .288/.349/.569 with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 338 plate appearances. But any suitor has to be concerned that the Brewers are selling high. Just three months ago, I wrote that Hart "stands a good chance of being non-tendered" after the 2010 season. ESPN's Keith Law had this to say on July 8th:

"I wouldn't trade anything of value for Hart. His first half is way over his head, and hitters who can be beaten that easily would scare me if I was looking to acquire them for a playoff run."

The Giants might be wary; Shea says GM Brian Sabean "doesn't appear to be willing to move any of his starting pitchers, which the Brewers would demand." Tommy Rancel of DRaysBay expects the Rays to take a cautionary stance as well. As for the Padres, FOX Sports' Jim Bowden tweeted word from owner Jeff Moorad that adding a bat is secondary to starting pitching. Perhaps the Giants, Rays, and Padres are three teams that wouldn't mind adding Hart but won't overpay to do so.

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