Padres Rumors

Heyman On Eckstein, Peavy, Pedro

By Tim Dierkes | April 15, 2009 at 1:23pm CDT

SI.com's Jon Heyman has a new column up…

The Mets apparently had interest last winter in signing David Eckstein as a backup for $1-2MM, but he preferred to take $850K to start at second base for the Padres.
Heyman looks at the Jake Peavy situation. He learned that new CEO Jeff Moorad "didn't believe the economic downturn and slumping late-winter market would inhibit suitors for Peavy, who has $63 million and four years left on his contract." That said, we know Moorad is willing to keep Peavy this year. And Peavy may be happiest in San Diego, according to Heyman.
Pedro Martinez has fielded calls from several teams since the season began. Heyman speculates on the Dodgers, Indians, Phillies, Brewers, Pirates, D'Backs, and Mets as possibilities. And what about the Cardinals, who just lost Chris Carpenter for a while?

Padres Have Payroll Flexibility

By Tim Dierkes | April 15, 2009 at 12:47pm CDT

How about those first-place Padres? At 6-2, San Diego sits atop the NL West. Of course, 95% of the season remains. What if the Padres can somehow remain in contention this summer? Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune talked to new CEO Jeff Moorad about it:

Whether the Padres can contend for a playoff berth remains to be seen. If they do, the club has the financial flexibility, Moorad said, to increase its payroll should General Manager Kevin Towers find a suitable player. The CEO added that the club also is comfortable with paying the $11 million salary due this year to ace Jake Peavy, who, according to people close to him, expects the Padres to try to trade him if the team falls out of contention. Peavy's salary is to rise to $15 million in 2010, the first year of the three-year, $52 million extension brokered in December 2007.

It's a shame that the Padres didn't bring in any big names during the offseason, as 2009 represents a nice window of opportunity. Keeping the positive vibe going, you may recall that the CHONE projection system predicted 80 wins for the Padres this year. The team is already two wins ahead of that pace.

Red Sox Claim Travis Denker

By Tim Dierkes | April 14, 2009 at 3:20pm CDT

According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Red Sox claimed second baseman Travis Denker off waivers from the Padres today. Denker had been designated for assignment to clear a spot for Luis Perdomo.

Denker, 23, hit .282/.373/.468 at Triple A last year as a member of the Giants organization. Baseball America envisioned him as an offense-first second baseman in their '08 Handbook, writing, "his value lies in his bat and his tenacity."

Odds & Ends: Wells, Gaudin, Projections

By Tim Dierkes | April 13, 2009 at 1:53pm CDT

Links for Monday…

Ken Kadokura, briefly with the Cubs, is headed to Korea according to NPB Tracker.
Jill Painter of the L.A. Daily News has Frank McCourt's unrevealing comments about Ned Colletti's future.
Baseball America's Matt Eddy has the latest minor league transactions, including plenty of releases.
The AP reports that David Wells has signed a multiyear deal as a TBS analyst.
We snagged a mention in ESPN The Magazine, due to our sponsorship of Matt Holliday's Baseball-Reference page.
Chad Gaudin told MLB.com's Sandy Burgin "as many as 11 teams" made inquiries before he signed with the Padres. He signed with San Diego for the opportunity to be a starting pitcher.
Matt Swartz of Statistically Speaking finds the strengths and weaknesses of various projection systems.
Admit it…you're starting to panic about certain members of your fantasy team.

Gaudin, Padres Agree To Minor League Deal

By | April 12, 2009 at 12:44am CDT

Corey Brock of MLB.com reports that the Padres have signed right-hander Chad Gaudin to a minor league deal.

He'll head to San Diego on Sunday for the official signing and a bullpen session. The Padres are only required to pay $400K of the $2MM he's owed for 2009, with the Cubs picking up the rest of the tab. Gaudin went 2-1 with a 10.26 ERA this spring, but he might just find a spot in the Friars' bullpen once he works through whatever was plaguing him during camp.

Odds And Ends: Hudson, Alvarez, Anderson

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | April 11, 2009 at 9:34am CDT

Links for Saturday…

The Astros claimed 25-year-old pitcher Wilton Lopez off waivers from the Padres and assigned him to Double-A, according to this AP article.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic relays some recent Orlando Hudson comments. O-Dog said the D'Backs made him an offer this offseason, it just didn't appeal to him.
Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog suggests that we could see the Mets release Marlon Anderson today to make room for Livan Hernandez.
Richard Justice of the Houston Chronicle sounds confident about the Astros' chances this year.
John Perrotto of Pirates Report anticipates a 2009 MLB debut for Pedro Alvarez.
Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald discusses Scott Boras in light of the Nick Adenhart tragedy.
MLB.com's Scott Merkin reports that the White Sox still haven't found a fit for their leadoff spot.

Padres Claim Luis Perdomo

By Tim Dierkes | April 10, 2009 at 5:27pm CDT

According to MLB.com's Corey Brock and Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, the Padres claimed pitcher Luis Perdomo off waivers from the Giants today. Perdomo, a Rule 5 pick from the Cardinals, was designated for assignment by the Giants a few days ago. Perdomo will turn 25 soon; he'll try to make the jump from Double A to the Majors.

Perdomo was the Cardinals' return from the Indians for Anthony Reyes last summer. Baseball America says he throws 93-95 with an "average-to-plus slider."

Stark On Olsen, Willingham, Millwood, Peavy

By Tim Dierkes | April 9, 2009 at 4:05pm CDT

ESPN's Jayson Stark has a new column up.

Stark looks at a few trades that didn't happen. Aside from the Angels' run at Aaron Harang at the end of Spring Training, they also talked to the Nationals about Scott Olsen. Stark says Dustin Moseley, Shane Loux, and Jason Bulger were three names kicked around in the Olsen talks.
Earlier this spring, the Rays inquired on Washington's Josh Willingham, apparently dangling Jason Hammel. Willingham is currently unhappy about being on the Nationals' bench, a situation that probably would not have improved in Tampa Bay.
Kevin Millwood could be attractive midseason trade bait, if his Opening Day start was any indication. Millwood's contract allows the club to decline his $12MM 2010 option unless he pitches 180 innings this year. He also has a limited no-trade clause.
Stark talked to an executive of a team that has Jake Peavy on its radar. This exec noted that teams did not overpay in deals for Rich Harden and Johan Santana, so the Padres may not be able to demand a ridiculous bounty for Peavy.

Odds & Ends: Lackey, Sheffield, Luis Gonzalez

By Tim Dierkes | April 9, 2009 at 9:37am CDT

Links for Thursday…

Scot Gregor of the Daily Herald learned that while White Sox GM Ken Williams seeks a leadoff hitter, he does not have interest in Juan Pierre or Gary Matthews Jr.
In an article yesterday, MLB.com's Lyle Spencer said all is quiet on the John Lackey extension front. Angels GM Tony Reagins said Lackey's initial Opening Day deadline was never a factor for the team.
Murray Chass says Gary Sheffield's clubhouse presence is a positive.
Luis Gonzalez, a free agent, hopes to play in 2009. But when he retires, he'll do so as a Diamondback according to MLB.com's Steve Gilbert.
MLB.com's Joe Frisaro wrote in praise of Florida starter Josh Johnson.
MLB.com's Corey Brock says the Padres introduced Tom Garfinkel as the new president and chief operating officer in charge of non-baseball operations.
I wrote about Blue Jays starter David Purcey over at RotoAuthority.

Odds And Ends: Alvarez, DePodesta, Strasburg

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | April 4, 2009 at 9:47am CDT

A few links for Saturday…

Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette heard from a talent evaluator who says Pedro Alvarez is the most talented Pirates prospect since Barry Bonds.
Amalie Benjamin of the Boston Globe looks at some of Chris Carter's quirks.
Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press believes the Tigers need a top-notch closer.
According to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune Padres executive Paul DePodesta now reports to GM Kevin Towers, not CEO Sandy Alderson.
ESPN.com's Buster Olney expects Gary Sheffield to help the Mets.
MLB.com's Lisa Winston notes that only eight of the 21 Rule 5 draftees are still with their new teams.
MLB.com's Jennifer Langosch has some minor Pirates transactions.
And Stephen Strasburg improved to 6-0 last night with six strikeouts in as many innings. The prospect is averaging almost two punchouts per inning, so this is nothing for him.
Kevin Baxter of the LA Times reports that Torii Hunter thought Strasburg looked sharp.

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