Padres Close to Signing Skip Schumacher

As the San Diego Padres continue to add depth to their roster – Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com indicated late Monday night that the Padres were close to signing veteran infielder and World Series winner Skip Schumacher to a minor league contract. He would also fill a valuable late game pinch hitter role for the Padres.

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With youngster Cory Spangenberg set to handle the second base job full time, Schumacher could also act as a backup in addition to Jose Pirela and others. The Padres also had signed Adam Rosales to a minor league contract earlier this offseason who seems to fit a similar role as Schumacher.

Schumacher is 36 and could be a good mentor on the team as well after winning a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011 and played for the Reds last year. He did lead the major leagues in pinch hits last year with 15.

For Schumacher – the move might be a little puzzling – as the Padres appear nowhere close to making a World Series run which I’m sure certainly a player of his veteran presence would be hoping for this late in his career for one more chance. He would be reunited with former teammate Jon Jay and it would be a chance to help lead younger players, just like former Padres and Cardinals second baseman David Eckstein did late in his career.

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Of course, those kind of opportunities just to pinch hit on the Dodgers or Red Sox don’t often come up, and no doubt the Padres would find use in his leadership. He is just a couple of years younger than new Padres manager Andy Green, and seems to be a player that might be a manager or coach himself soon after his playing days are done.

With spring training inching closer, the Padres are finalizing their roster positions and setting up some interesting spring training battles. Who fills out the bench for the Padres among a slew of veterans and youngsters will be an interesting one to watch.