SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Padres -- Roberts follows Bochy to S.F.
Left fielder Dave Roberts departed the Padres yesterday and it appears catcher Mike Piazza might follow him to the Bay Area.
Along with these moves the Padres risk financial disaster by offering arbitration to Ryan Klesko and Chan Ho Park. Those 2 made a lot of money and via arbitration are guaranteed at least 80% of their 2006 salary. If they accept then the Padres are out of money for filling real holes.
So far the Padres do not have a 2nd baseman or a left fielder. Their right fielder is paid like a power hitter but has become a walk specialist. I think the Padres are expecting that Klesko will accept arbitration and will be the left fielder and that they'll retain Todd Walker for 2nd. That will be the off-season.
If it were me I'd quite spending all my time trying to find middle relief pitchers and sign Aubrey Huff to get a real hitter. I'd have kept Roberts and trade Giles to a park that won't freak him out. They should not have made the Barfield trade at all and I'd have kept Piazza.
There's a strange mentality in the Padres front office. San Diego fans aren't following at all and don't get it. They are getting pretty darn pissed. Every year the expectation is that they'll have money to spend and that a big time player will be brought in. It hasn't happened yet.
UPDATE: Mark Loretta was not offered arbitration by the Red Sox. The Padres should sign him now.
Posted by Tim at December 2, 2006 07:49 AMBrilliant re Loretta! I agree.
Posted by: Doug Kyle at December 3, 2006 10:03 PMThis is scary. Also, on Drudge Report, there was an article that said the U.S. failed a missile defense test on Thursday. Why is North Korea being ignored? Iraq, Iran, and North Korea were listed as members of the axis of evil and therefore our attention should remain focused on them and preventing a missile from reaching the U.S.
Posted by: Carter at December 8, 2006 08:30 PM
