Meanwhile on the other side of the country, the San Diego Padres seem to not be too interested in signing their young slugger and hometown All-Star, Adrian Gonzalez. He’s under contract to the almost always underperforming Padregs until after the 2011 season.
It’s been reported in a few places that there is suspicion that the former Boston Red Sox assistant GM and current San Diego Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer is already working with the Sawx Nation to broker a deal.
Here’s what owner Jeff Moorad had to say in a recent interview:
“The reality is that Adrian Gonzalez is a franchise player. I love him as a person. I love him as a player. If there was a way to keep him here for the course of his career, it’d be a great thing. I don’t know if that can happen.”Well if you, as the owner, don’t know if that can happen, then who the hell does?
“Can we afford Adrian if he costs $17 -18 -20 million a year? Probably not, quite frankly.” If it’s worth it for him to play in San Diego for more affordable numbers, then the Padres would be at the front of the line to sign him.That tells you the real story. Moorad is a former high-powered agent; he knows how this stuff all works. In Jeff’s feeble mind, he’s setting the price for Gonzalez at someplace less than $17M in San Diego. Why would it be worth it for Gonzalez to play there for a discount? It’s not like they have a roster full of stars or former MVPs. I really don’t understand that point at all.
Jed Hoyer has open discussions with Adrian’s agent. They decided to keep the discussions out of the media. “You have my word that we will never trade Adrian Gonzalez if there is a realistic chance of signing him.”Paging Uncle Jed – it’s the Clue Fairy on line two. Your dimwitted owner just said that they can’t sign him, so you going out on a limb here with your word rings somewhat hollow, eh? You have my word that if we can sign him we won’t trade him? Is that what you’re saying? That’s what my English teacher in High School used to call Bovine Defecation.
All signs – the owner, the GM, the agent – point to the Padregs dumping Gonzalez, getting less than full trade value and soon Adrian will be leaving for greener pastures.
How can one small town team like the Twins pull out all stops for their guy and the Padregs can’t?
It’s not a question of can’t. It’s a question of won’t.
It’s been reported in a few places that there is suspicion that the former Boston Red Sox assistant GM and current San Diego Padres’ GM Jed Hoyer is already working with the Sawx Nation to broker a deal.
long time padres fan….this organization will not over-extend itself to any player, nor have they really ever….we made a contract with jake peavy only to send him off to avoid the higher salary years. adrian is going to be in the same boat. I’m not sure how the Twins can pay Mauer the money he ‘deserves’…ask the Texas Rangers how making the Alex Rodriguez contract messed up their organization for years. The Padres are not going to ever go down that road…..When Kevin Brown signed with the Dodgers for 15 million a year….we just could not….you need an owner willing to spend more of his/her money just to make ends meet….and most will not….Adrian is going to be somewhere else…it’s our culture to expect when a budding superstar comes here, unless he takes the San Diego Discount (ie Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman) will be looking elsewhere…Adrian is going to get Texiara money…..just not as a Padre.
Comment by paul — Thursday, February 4, 2010 @ 7:03 PM
If Adrian wants to play for the big bucks he will have to sacrifice quality of life for it. If $10 million per year and being the highest paid player in Padres history isn’t enough, he will need to move to the AL East where money and winning is everything. His quality of life will be lower and his bank account (and tax bills) will be bigger. Not an easy choice
Comment by Randy — Friday, February 5, 2010 @ 5:40 AM
PS the Pads could use some more young pitching and a hot position prospect or two- they’ll get it for Adrian if he wants to leave
Comment by Randy — Friday, February 5, 2010 @ 5:43 AM