MLB – San Diego Padres tweak rotation
2011-02-08
After absorbing an early exit last season, the San Diego Padres started wheeling and dealing to solidify their rotation and be more competitive next season.
The Padres acquired Jason Bartlett and a player yet to be determined in a deal that sent Adam Russell and Cesar Ramos, along with minor league prospects Brandon Gomes and infielder Cole Figueroa to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Bartlett, who averaged .254 with four homeruns and 47 RBI’s last season, will replace Miguel Tejada in the rotation after the 36-year-old shortstop signed with the San Francisco Giants.
Bartlett, who was originally drafted by the Padres in the 13th round of the 2001 amateur draft before trading him to Minnesota, expressed his excitement for having been traded in a team where he feels he can shine on.
“I'm excited,” said Bartlett. “I never got to the big leagues over there. I've heard the National League game is a lot different. My wife and I love the beach, so we're excited about that. Coming from Tampa, there's no better place to go than San Diego. Hopefully, I can be there for a while.”
Bartlett, who was an all-star in 2009 after setting career-best average of .320 with 14 homers and 66 RBIs to go with 90 runs scored and 30 stolen bases, had a poor performance last season, but he is hoping that he would get his rhythm back with his new team and help them reach their goal next season.
“Something clicked that year where everything was going right,” Bartlett said. “Hopefully it clicks again.”
Bartlett can become a free agent after the 2011 World Series, but Padres general manager Jed Hoyer is hoping that they could keep him in their fold for a long period of time. “Certainly in making this deal, I'm hopeful we can keep him in a Padres uniform beyond one year,” he said.
Hoyer said that he’s very familiar with Bartlett after spending some time in Boston’s front office and he believes that Bartlett would give them a big boost in their campaign next season.
“He was hard to play against,” Hoyer said. “He's a pest. He gets on base, he has good at-bats. He's a good all-around baseball player. There was always a focus on that breakout year he had, but even before that season you didn't want to see him in the batter's box. He's a player you didn't want to play against.”
Meanwhile, sources also said that the Padres are set to acquire second baseman Orlando Hudson, pending the completion of physical examinations.
According to sources, Hudson, who played with the Minnesota Twins last season where he averaged .268 and had 37 RBIs, will reportedly sign a two-year contract worth $11.5 million, and will replace David Eckstein in the Padres’ rotation.
The 33-year-old second baseman, who also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Toronto Blue Jays, will receive $4 million in 2011, $5.5 million in 2012 with an $8 million option for 2013 with a $2 million buyout clause.
Padres general manager Hoyer has yet to announce the deal officially, but the acquisition of Hudson and the trade deal that they had would make them a team to watch next season. The Baseball Odds for the Padres winning the National League pennant in 2011 is +5000 making them the longest shot to win this coming season? Could be an interesting wager. Get over to sportsbook.com and get into the MLB betting action today.
The Milwaukee Brewers proved that Football Live Betting Odds Online Bingo Online Bingo Rooms NFL Odds they are dead serious in forming a more formidable team next season when they acquired Zack Greinke from the Kansas City Royals.
The Brewers also acquired shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt plus cash considerations, while sending Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jake Odorizzi, and Jeremy Jeffress to the Royals.
Brewers’ general manager Doug Melvin expressed his excitement for successfully acquiring Greinke, despite giving up a lot of talents like prospects Odorizzi and Jeffress. Melvin said that the arrival of Greinke, whom he tagged as one of the top young pitchers today, will give them a big boost next season.
“Zack Greinke is one of the top young pitchers in the game today,” Melvin said in the team’s official statement. “We are very excited to add him to our new rotation. Zack brings great physical skills and athleticism to the team and is an outstanding competitor. This trade is a credit to our scouting and player development staff as their hard work and judgment provided us the talented prospects that Kansas City will be receiving.”
Milwaukee outfielder Corey Hart also expressed his excitement after hearing the news and he declared that the Brewers would be a tough nut to crack next season, especially after acquiring Shaun Marcum earlier this offseason.
“We were getting better with Marcum, now Greinke,” Hart said. “Brewers are for real!”
Royals general manager Dayton Moore, on the other hand, said that Greinke, who was 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA last season, would be a big loss, but the young players they acquired from Milwaukee would fit in their system and their rotation that also features up-and-coming players.
“We expect to be competitive next year,” Moore said. “We're still working to improve our baseball team.”
Moore also revealed that Greinke, who was 60-67 with a 3.82 ERA in his more than six seasons with the Royals, was very cooperative during the trade talks and the veteran pitcher even agreed to waive the no-trade clause in his contract that he signed on January 2009.
“He was very much open to it at the end of the day,” Moore said. “A big part of my heart will always pull for Zack. What he overcame, the success he had here, to the point it's not easy to make these types of deals. You would prefer to have him here and sign him long-term but it just wasn't something we could do.”
Moore reiterated that the decision to deal Greinke was a difficult decision, but they have to make the move in their bid to rebuild for their future. Moore is expecting Greinke to shine in the National League next season.
“This guy's one of the best fielding pitchers in the game,” Moore said. “You can't bunt on him. He holds runners. He's a studier. I think he's going to do terrific.”
With the deal, the Royals prove that they are dead serious in their rebuilding process and adding Odorizzi, who was one of the top minor league pitching prospects, will give them a boost next season, as well as Escobar and Jeffress, who both had decent performances last season. The Brewers are +2000 to win the National League pennant in 2011 according to the Baseball Odds at sportsbook.com the home of MLB betting.