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Padres in need of starting pitching

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said Monday that the team can’t afford to take a flyer on a health-risk in its pursuit of landing two starting pitchers to bolster the rotation for 2013.

The Padres have few glaring holes to attend to this winter, though the rotation is a big one the team will seek to address before the start of Spring Training.

The Padres had only two starters — Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez — make 16 or more starts in 2012, as the rotation was ravaged by injuries to several key pitchers. Cory Luebke and Joe Wieland each had Tommy John surgery last season and won’t return until mid-2013 at the earliest.

So the Padres singular focus is starting pitching and are open to trades or free agency to tend to this need. Byrnes said Monday the team has had more talks on the trade front.

“We have focused most of our energy on starting pitching … with more of our energy on trades than free agency,” Byrnes said. “Now we have to bide our time and find the ones who fit.”

The Padres are looking for innings-eaters and pitchers like Joe Blanton and Shaun Marcum could be at or near the top of their wish list.

– Corey Brock

Padres ‘focused on conversations that make sense for us’ …

On Friday, Padres general manager Josh Byrnes huddled with several front office types — with professional scouts on a conference call as well — to ‘compare notes’ as Byrnes put it, as the team ramps up for what could be a busy time leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.

Or, of course, it could be pretty quiet as well.

“I don’t think we’ll be quiet as busy as everyone thinks,” Byrnes said.

That said, the Padres hold what might be one of the more interesting trade pieces in third baseman Chase Headley, a player they won’t part with unless the return haul is satisfactory — and, by all accounts, pretty steep.

Most of the conversations Byrnes has had to date involves Headley.

“For the last several weeks, we’ve been pretty busy spending time on it,” Byrnes said. “… But at the same time, we’re focused on the four or five conversations with clubs that makes the most sense for us.”

The Padres have taken outfielder Carlos Quentin off the trade market by signing him to an extension. There seems to be momentum that the team will do the same with closer Huston Street.

If the Padres don’t deal Headley, they could part with reliever Luke Gregerson in a deal. If they don’t, then it could end up being a quiet weekend as Byrnes predicted.

– Corey Brock

Padres extend Quentin, could do same for Street

So go ahead and scratch outfielder Carlos Quentin off your list of viable/available options that could be had before the July 31 trade deadline.

The Padres on Sunday gave Quentin a three-year extension worth $27 million that will keep him in his native San Diego through the 2015 and possibly through 2016 (mutual option).

There seems to be momentum internally that the Padres could do the same with closer Huston Street, the Padres lone All-Star representative, giving him a contract extension as well as the team looks toward 2013 and beyond.

It’s worth noting that majority owner John Moores and the new ownership group (O’Malley family, though nothing has been officially announced) signed off on the Quentin deal. Could they do the same for Street?

General manager Josh Byrnes continues to field calls about players, no more so than third baseman Chase Headley, who is about as coveted a player as you’ll find this month. If the Padres aren’t blown away from a haul of players, they’ll likely retain Headley, who is under team control through 2015.

Is any of this surprising, that the Padres haven’t sold off any significant pieces? Not at all, as Byrnes said earlier this month that the team didn’t need to trade anyone.

The Padres, who have made noise in the past at or near the trade deadline — see Jake Peavy, Heath Bell — might just stand pat this month.

– Corey Brock

Not so fast on those Padres players …

The Padres enter the All-Star break with a 34-53 record, which has them 13 games out of first place in the National League West.

So that means they’ll be sellers at or before the July 31 trade deadline, right?

Not so fast.

While the Padres certainly have some interesting pieces they could move — and, as you might expect, they’re getting plenty of hits on third baseman Chase Headley — general manager Josh Byrnes might not be inclined to make many deals if any at all.

Why? Because the Padres like Headley just like they like outfielder Carlos Quentin, closer Huston Street as well as starting pitchers Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez.

The popular thought is a team would have to blow the Padres away for them to part with Headley, who is still under team control for two more years, is durable, a good defender and a switch-hitter.

Quentin, the San Diego native, has struggled in July after a torrid start. He could be a nice piece for a team looking for a right-handed bat with pop.

Street, the Padres lone All-Star representative, has converted all 13 of his save opportunities and might make the most sense to move in a deal.

Richard and Volquez? They’re under team control through 2013 (or 2014 in Richard’s case) and they have  been durable. In a strange season that has seen the Padres make 19 disabled list moves and with seven — yes, seven, starting pitchers currently on the disabled list, it doesn’t make sense to move them.

Hey, it could be an interesting few weeks for the Padres, who are playing better — 15-13 over their last 28 games. Or it could be downright quiet.

Stay tuned.

– Corey Brock, MLB.com

@FollowThePadres on Twitter

Padres nearly done with roster construction

Few general managers have been as busy this offseason as Padres GM Josh Byrnes, who on Saturday pulled off his sixth trade of the winter when he traded for White Sox outfielder Carlos Quentin.

With that trade, the Padres are already close to being a finished product — well before heading to Arizona for the start of Spring Training next month.

“We’re getting close,” Byrnes said on Tuesday.

The Padres could still add a late-inning reliever and have to decide if they’re going to hang onto first base prospect Anthony Rizzo or move him before Spring Training.

In their deal with the Reds last month and pitcher Mat Latos, the Padres acquired first baseman Yonder Alonso, who will get first crack at winning the first base job.

– Corey Brock

Padres land Street, might not be done

The Padres nearly-singular focus during these Winter Meetings have been finding a closer to replace Heath Bell, who signed a three-year deal worth $27 million with the Marlins on Monday.

General manager Josh Byrnes believes he filled that role Wednesday after trading for former Rockies closer Huston Street, sending a Minor League player to be named later to Colorado in exchange for the 28-year-old Street and cash.

But just because the Padres have scratched the top item off their winter to-do list doesn’t mean they’re finished with business here in Dallas.

Byrnes indicated that something could be in the works later Wednesday or possibly Thursday, even as he heads back to San Diego and later Phoenix.

The Padres still needed something that resembles an eighth-inning specialist, though Byrnes said talks in that regards had made “adequate progress but not substantial [progress].”

Could the Padres be looking for a position player? An option for the bench? Stayed tuned, business continues after these Winter Meetings and the Padres still have work to do on the roster before Spring Training.

– Corey Brock

Padres set to acquire Street from Rockies

On Monday, the Padres official lost closer Heath Bell, as the three-time All-Star completed his deal with the Marlins.

It didn’t take the Padres long to find a replacement.

On Wednesday morning, the Padres were putting the finishing touches on a deal with the Rockies for closer Huston Street.

The deal is believed to be for a player to be named with the Rockies picking up a good chunk of the $7.5 million he’s owed for 2012.

Oddly enough, Bell made $7.5 million last season, though he was due for a raise after the Padres offered him arbitration. Instead, he received a three-year deal (with a fourth year vesting) for $27 million.

More later at Padres.com.

– Corey Brock

Padres GM: No three-year contracts

On Monday, Heath Bell’s three-year deal for $27 million with the Marlins became official.

The Padres, in their search for not only his replacement but an eighth-inning specialist, pressed on with their offseason agenda, knowing they now have a little more financial wiggle room after Bell signed (remember, they had offered him arbitration and would have been on the hook for $9-10 million had he accepted).

But the Padres and general manager Josh Byrnes won’t be frivolous with their extra loot, as Byrnes indicated that the team will not offer a free agent starting pitcher or reliever a deal with terms covering three years. In short, the Padres don’t want to be tied to any long-term deals, deals that often look pretty ugly for the club as far as bang for buck at the end of the deal.

Could that mean the Padres will look for a closer through trade? The team engaged more teams than agents on Monday and talks on several fronts. Could Tuesday be the day Byrnes and his team find a closer? Stayed tuned.

– Corey Brock

Bell headed to Marlins … who closes for the Padres?

The Padres finally got the clarity to the Heath Bell situation that they needed/wanted late Thursday, when reports came out that Bell had agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal with the Marlins.

Bell had until Dec. 7 to accept or decline the Padres arbitration offer (or, of course, sign elsewhere). That he has done so (though not officially) before the Winter Meetings could help the Padres in their pursuit of …

You guessed it, a closer. Not just a closer to replace Bell, but the Padres would love to find an eighth-inning specialist to set-up their to-be-named closer.

Look for the Padres to acquire relief help instead of spending big in free agency. They don’t want to — and with a projected payroll of around $53-55 million — get stuck with a long, hefty contract.

The Padres were linked to A’s closer Andrew Bailey on Friday, though the A’s want offense in return. The Padres don’t have much to move, unless they part with third baseman Chase Headley and/or outfielder Kyle Blanks, who could be moved in the right deal.

Stayed tuned, things could get interesting.

– Corey Brock

 

Padres still waiting on Bell

New Padres general manager Josh Byrnes has made his first trade (catcher John Baker) and signed his first free agent (outfielder Mark Kotsay).

What will his next move be?

That likely depends a lot on whether closer Heath Bell accepts or declines the Padres arbitration offer. Here’s an in-depth look at the particulars, but it comes down to this:

– If Bell accepts the Padres offer, the team won’t have as much financial flexibility this winter.

– If Bell declines the offer and signs elsewhere, the team not only gets the two Draft picks it covets but also will have more financial wiggle room this winter.

For now, look for the Padres to sign a Minor League free agent starting pitcher (or two), look for help for the bullpen (even if Bell returns) and help for the bench in the days leading up to the start of the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Dec. 5-8.

– Corey Brock

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