In rejecting 2011 contractual options with the Padres, pitcher Jon Garland and catcher Yorvit Torrealba have left a total of $9.45 million on Jeff Moorad’s table. If you could stack that much money in $1 bills, the pile would span more than six-tenths of a mile.
The San Diego Padres exercised their $6.2 million option on Adrian Gonzalez this past week — likely the best deal in baseball. St. Louis likewise held on to Albert Pujols for $16 million — not a bargain, but a reasonable price. It goes without saying that those salary figures are going to go way up in 2011, but they may ultimately reach monumental heights.
Let the Adrian Gonzalez watch begin.
If you recall, last year at this time there was a lot of heavy breathing about whether the Padres slugger could be traded. It made sense, since San Diego couldn’t afford him long term and new general manager Jed Hoyer seemed anxious to begin the rebuilding process.
Former players Brad Ausmus and Kevin Jarvis are rejoining the Padres in front office positions while former Arizona State head coach Pat Murphy will replace former Padres manager Greg Riddoch as the manager of the club’s short-season Single-A affiliate in Eugene, Ore.
Eight Padres who were a part of a 90-win team in 2009 are now free agents, including pitcher Jon Garland, who won 14 games.
These players join 160-plus free agents on the open market, where negotiations can begin between the players and the 30 clubs looking for help for 2011.
