The Padres are looking for utility help - preferably someone who can play shortstop – tweets MLB.com's Corey Brock. New shortstop Jason Bartlett has been held out of a few games with a sore knee, and has never played more than 140 games in a season.
Bobby Crosby is still out of work; he was drawing interest from a few clubs in January. The Indians' Adam Everett could make sense if he doesn't make the team, or the Cubs could part with Augie Ojeda, but overall I don't see many teams with a surplus.
BS 2
Mets’ Luis Hernandez or Chin-Lung Hu. Out-of-options and only room for (at most) 1 of them.
Tom
Maybe the Red Sox flip Jed Lowrie to the Padres to reclaim some of the prospects they gave up in the Gonzalez deal? Scutaro is their SS this year, and Iglesias is 2012, Lowrie’s the odd man out.
unanamous
If you want Eric Patterson, go for it. Everyone else should be untouchable. especially for a utility player that cannot play SS all year
Mickey Koke
No.
woadude
Yeah a trade of Scutaro for Kelly seems fair
RAYS7
Jed Lowrie is a bench kind of player . You won’t get any of those prospects you traded to the Padres .
disgruntledreader
If you don’t think Jed Lowrie is an everyday up-the-middle player, you’re just not paying attention.
(That’s not to say that I’d trade Rizzo, Casey or Fuentes for him, but Drew Cumberland is the only middle infielder in the system who has even a remote chance of someday being a better big league player than Lowrie.)
Kristopher Watson
What’s wrong with Everth Cabrera. I think with more at bats he can add a lot to a team. He’s got Plus defense and Plus Plus speed.
padreshobo
He needs a lot more at bats in AAA, then just the occasional start at SS or coming off the bench.
Matt A.
They’re going to stick him in AAA to get the at bats. He was rushed to the bigs a little too quickly, struggled with the bat, and battled injuries last year. AAA this year will be good for him.
myk13
He wasn’t “rushed’ per se, he was a Rule 5 pick so he had to play the full season in the majors.
YanksBlogger96
What about Ramiro Pena? BC it looks like Nunez and Chavez are making the team
Slopeboy
Exactly what I was thinking. Pena’s bat is a bit light, but the guy can play SS, 2B and 3B smoothly. In addition, he does the little things that help win games, even if they don’t show up in the scorecard.
CJ Montiel
If the Cardinals are done with Tyler Greene then that would be a great fit. He’s a former first rounder, can play every infield position and has tremendous tools. Hasn’t found much traction in the Bigs yet so maybe a change in scenery will be good for him. Not likely though since the only player on the 40-man who can play short besides Theriot is Kozma and he’s still a ways away from being called up.
rfffr
Diamondbacks trade Abreu for lefty reliever.
rayking
Eckstein? Unemployed currently, although his SS days may be behind him. I also have an insider source that says he is gritty.
damnitsderek
That 2005 Topps card is one hell of a source.
rayking
No, the 2005 card says he is “scrappy”; it is the 2004 card that says he is “gritty.”
Camden P
Padres should look to bring back Eckstein.
notsureifsrs
god no
cards2WS
Why not?
briankoke
He can’t handle SS anymore.
disgruntledreader
On the other hand, he’s atrocious offensively, so at least he’s got that going for him.
Casey Morgan
Luis Valbuena may be a option and could be had for most likely a Low A guy if not just for future considerations.
He had a horrid 2010 but you really have to look at what he has done as a whole and he can play all infield and the indians used him in LF some last spring and he handled that well. With Nix / Cord Philps and it even looks like they will keep Adam Everett because he is a better SS option as a utility guy than Valbuena.
Mickey Koke
It will be a player that is most likely out of options. I doubt the Padres make another trade. However, they may have to if Kevin Frandsen keeps stinking it up.
It would be nice if Elliot Johnson (Rays) was the PTBNL in the Bartlett trade.
iheartyourfart
i like eckstein too. he’s never put up the stats to be a statistically great guy, but he’s scrappy blah blah blah. the truth of the matter is that he’s still an excellent situational player. bat control, working the count, hitting behind runners, etc. could make for a good pinch hitter in a sick, twisted way. i don’t know how much value he could provide as a backup shortstop though.
Patrick Radkowski
khalil greene!
iheartyourfart
the all-important teenage girl demographic will flock back to the ballpark en masse
Patrick Radkowski
and i will have a padres jersey that isn’t outdated! friggin greene, peavy, and gonzalez… not a good jersey buying stretch for me.
Cards_Fan_93
Why not sign Julio Lugo to be a utility player he didnt do terrible last year with the O’s and hes stil lookin for a job
damnitsderek
Which Julio Lugo were you watching? Present-day Julio Lugo or 2004 Julio Lugo?
heliosphan
The AL Central is a good place to look. Minnesota has Matt Tolbert, he’s versatile and he plays the game the right way. Detroit would probably give up Don Kelly. He’s versatile (can play all three OF spots, 3B, 2B and 1st), and contributes plus defense, though his OPS+ is pathetic. Lastings Millege would be had for cheap. Although he is not a utility player, he is athletic enough to learn.
cookmeister
Izturis, Callaspo, and Wood come to mind.
richmond20657
The O’s are loaded with them and probably would move Harris,Green or Andino for a PTBNL.