01/03/2014 Padres Rumor Roundup

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

OK, so maybe they aren’t all Padres related but, they are NL West related, which relates them to the Padres. Here’s what’s going on around baseball since the New Year began.

A half dozen teams have apparently spoken to the Padres about Chris Denorfia. According to Peter Gammons, the Rangers, Red Sox and Rockies (before acquiring Drew Stubbs) had inquired about Denorfia. Josh Byrnes is not willing to deal him until he knows the Padres aren’t going to contend. So, now that Guzman is gone, don’t plan on seeing anymore outfielders leave unless the trade deadline comes and the Padres are well out of it. I don’t see that happening, though.

It appears that the outfielders will be Quentin, Maybin, Venable, Denorfia and Smith. Amarista could be another outfielder if he makes the roster as the utility infielder. If that is the case, Venable and Denorfia are the only outfielders who reasonably could expect to be traded. Venable is 31 and Denorfia is 33. Age would probably be the deciding factor while the Padres wait for Rymer Liriano or Reymond Fuentes to get to the show.

The Diamondbacks are apparently all in on Japanese Pitcher Masahiro Tanaka. Just like any other situation where multiple teams are in pursuit, the Yankees are involved. If the Yankees are involved, do the D-Backs really stand a chance? Let’s all hope he and these nasty pitches end up in the American League.

Speaking of the Yankees, a lot of teams have been inquiring about Centerfielder Brett Gardner, according to Peter Gammons. The Giants are one of these teams. They have been told, like the others, that Garnder will not be traded unless he needs to be traded for starting pitching. So, Tanaka signing with the Yankees could be a win-win for the Friars.

The Dodgers signed 39-year-old lefty Jamey Wright to a 1-year/$1.8 mil deal. Wright’s numbers have been steadily improving since age 35 thanks to some mechanical and pitch selection tweaks. Mike Petriello has a great article up at Fangraphs detailing all of the changes.

How long will the Padres keep 5 or 6 outfielders on the 25-man roster? Do you see anything happening before the season starts, despite what Josh Byrnes is saying? What if someone offered a very good reliever for Denorfia? Would Byrnes have to pull the trigger?