Gonzalez option a no-brainer for Padres

Consider the Padres decision on Tuesday to pick-up the option on Adrian Gonzalez’s 2011 contract the easiest decision they will ever make in regards to their All-Star first baseman.

The next decision — as in when and where to trade Gonzalez, who will be a free agent after 2011 — figures to be much tougher. But let’s save that for another day.

Gonzalez, as part of a contract he signed before the 2007 season, before he won the first of his two Gold Gloves and before he appeared in the first of three All-Star Games, called for him to make $5.5 million this season.

The deal was a good one at the time for Gonzalez and for the team. The deal was made by former general manager Kevin Towers, who last month was hired to do the same job in Arizona.

Anyway, Gonzalez’s option is now $6.2 after he reached incentives. It’s still a very, very good bargain and, perhaps, the best deal in the game considering his worth.

– Corey Brock, Padres.com and Twitter: FollowThePadres