The Padres have claimed right-hander Rowan Wick off waivers from the Cardinals, reports Dennis Lin of The Athletic (on Twitter). Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had first reported that Wick, who was designated for assignment when the Cards signed Bud Norris, had been claimed by an unknown team (Twitter link).
Wick, 25, was drafted as a catcher and moved to the outfield before ultimately transitioning to the mound on a full-time basis in 2016. As one might expect, then, his body of work as a reliever in the minors is rather limited, but he’s shown some positive trends. This past season he split the year between the Gulf Coast League, Double-A and Triple-A, working to a combined 3.19 ERA with 42 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings. Wick also issued 19 walks, hit two batters, balked twice and uncorked a pair of wild pitches, so he still seems somewhat raw on the mound.
The Padres aren’t strangers to the notion of trying to convert a position player into a pitcher, though, having gone through the process (albeit unsuccessfully) with former top catching prospect Christian Bethancourt in recent years. San Diego had an open spot on the 40-man roster, so a corresponding move from the Friars won’t be necessary to accommodate the addition of Wick.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
PRINT THE WORLD SERIES TICKETS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CompanyAssassin
padres in 4
bigcubsfan
Sorry to inform you, but it is likelier the Padres are last in their division this year.
GareBear
That went further over your head than a fly ball headed towards Kyle Schwarber
iverbure
How many wins did he have in the minors last year?
bleacherbum
Lol I love when people can’t detect sarcasm.
baseballisok
You do? That’s a weird thing to love.
lowtalker1
4th above the giants
victor_264k
You’re terrible at recognising jokes
davep-3
But did he then kick afterwards like “The Schwarb”?
timyanks
didn’t get a chance to kick it,
after it fell through his WICKet
Polymath
Now he loves you too.
buddhablessed
I love all of you
msjrn509
2028
dynamite drop in monty
Remember Robert Fick?
outinleftfield
25 years old. Throws 95-96 with good sink and touches 98. Sounds like the kind of pitcher a team like the Padres can take a chance on developing. Might just stick in their pen with Torres gone.
brucewayne
Perfect example of a Lottery Ticket!
Rob B
Settle down skippy … maybe a scratch off.
mattman0087
I wonder if the cards front office includes a plane ticket to San Diego as a parting gift to every player who loses their spot on the 40 man
SixFlagsMagicPadres
Padres scouts now have their very own VIP seat in each of the Cardinal’s minor league team’s stadiums.
spudchukar
Yeah my thoughts exactly. Develop your own players damnit!
spudchukar
Hard to believe Mayers wouldn’t have made it through waivers. However, payback would be in spades with a Hosmer signing.
Neotwism
It seems like the Padres always claim former Cardinals.
JohnnyMcStickySubstance
I’m still bitter about the Jim Edmonds trade. LOL.
EndinStealth
I’m not. Without Freese they don’t win the WS.
JohnnyMcStickySubstance
Yeah, but I’m a Padre fan. 🙂
Mbutler88
And you wonder why the padres are brutal every single year. Let’s claim a guy because he throws hard. Doesn’t matter these guys have no idea how to pitch. As long as they light up the radar gun well give them a job.
TheIncident
What’s the harm in signing a guy when you have an open spot on your 40-man roster? Did I miss where they anointed this guy their new closer? He probably won’t even make opening day roster.
Mbutler88
40 man roster spots are for guys that are big league ready or proven. This guy is neither. And their entire team is full of these players every year. Throw hard. No idea how to pitch. That’s why they LOSE every year. 15 year rebuild. It’s a joke. Non competitive. Attendance is at an all time low in San Diego because of moves like this.
Mbutler88
Claiming this guy and giving him a roster spot instead of signing a MLB veteran to a minor league deal and putting him on the roster is beyond. Did you forget how many big league proven free agents are still out there ?
davep-3
Fact check = Padres attendance is not at an all-time low. Drew 2.1M last year.
matanzas1962
Not necessarily. The 40-man roster includes players who may not be ready for 2-4 years. Beyond the top 25, it is mostly based on Talent and Projection.
Mbutler88
Oh congrats on your google search Dave. Didn’t see you in the stands every game with less than 16k there a game though. Just because the owners buy the tickets of empty seats themselves doesn’t mean there’s that many bodies at the games.
Mbutler88
If you honestly think more people are showing up to watch the padres play than the pirates or mariners you should throw your computer out the nearest window bud.
Mbutler88
San Diego wouldn’t sell out of general admission was free. Know why? Because people can’t name 5 players on the team. Because we claim Rowan wick instead of signing a real player.
davep-3
I see you are a conspiracy theory > facts guy. Explains a lot
saavedra
Isn’t that super low for petco park standards?
darkstar61
@Mbutler88,
12 teams drew a smaller attendance than SD last year, including playoff teams in Cle, Min and Arz
So while we get that you are clearly desperate to be all outragey and all, couldn’t you at least pick a topic that didn’t make you look like a straight fool?
darkstar61
@saavedra
It’s more than they drew in 2010 when the team went 90-72 (drew 2,131,774 that year compared to 2,138,491 in 2017)
Overall, its pretty much an average PETCO number post the new-stadium boost one would expect its first couple years.
Mbutler88
The only fool here is you for actually believing those numbers are accurate. I attended 64 home games last year and not a single one was sold out. There’s absolutely zero chance 2 million people showed up to padres games. Countless season ticket holder seats where nobody shows up.
Mbutler88
I went to the extent of asking who the season ticket holders were once someone actually showed up, which was 20% of the time, and the response I got was “some business owner who doesn’t like baseball” do you understand that his tickets were already sold? Even though nobody is showing up ? Not that complicated guy.
cxcx
Maybe they can bring back James Shields. Doesn’t get more proven than him.
FriendOfBoras
Your a nut job.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
His a nut job what?
Mbutler88
Have any of you clowns took a look at how wick is doing ???! Good call idiots. Waste of a roster spot.
keepinthafaithsd1
Two words for you bud….. Darren Balsley.
pads fan1980
Padres turn a lot of relievers that are designated for assignment into great relievers aka Brad Hand.
lowtalker1
Hand was a failed starter
dvmwitt
Actually Hand started 16 and relieved in 16 games for Miami in 2015 and started 12 and relieved in 26 games for Miami in 2016, so he was a reliever as well that flourished in San Diego’s bullpen
Birdwatcher
If Birds don’t get a closer either via internal or pick one up, there will be plenty of seats for Padres scouts to choose from! They definitely pick Cards scraps up every time.
bleacherbum
Oh really? That’s a pretty ignorant comment by you Birdwatcher, if you were watching your birds a little more carefully you’d realize the Padres scraps on your 25 man roster. A chubby third/second baseman and a soft tossing middle reliever that you are turning into a closer who posted a 4.57 era last year.
DFAed in Gaffa
That’s not true. Gyorko, who had a very nice year in 2017 after hitting 30 HRs in 2016, was acquired via trade. Remember? And the temporary closer Gregerson, who last pitched for SD in 2013, was signed as a free agent. Neither are similar “scraps” as players who are DFA’ed or Rule 5 pick-ups. You’re just being belligerent.
cxcx
Gyorko, despite being good the past couple of years, was indeed a scrap from the Padres. The Padres had to pay down a good amount of his contract for the Cardinals to even take him.
DFAed in Gaffa
Not scrap like a rule 5 or DFA. Cards traded John Jay for him. Jay, in addition to being a useful player, is also a former Chief Justice of the United States.
Rob B
Also, Gregerson came up in the Cardinals org. That guy should really think things through before he posts them. If not he runs the risk of looking dumb … oops!
JFactor
Padres love filling their roster with the discarded Cards (rule v)
lowtalker1
Cardinals love using former padres on their teams
lowtalker1
Burnnn
DFAed in Gaffa
How is it a burn? Obviously, many players have played for both teams. through trade and free agency. The Padres have picked up some Rule 5s and DFAs from the Cards over the years, but so what? They haven’t been major additions. Good grief. Everybody please just grow up.
Rob B
Thanks for Ozzie’s Smith!
JFactor
Wonder if the Padres will let him try to play two way like Bethancourt?
davep-3
Betancourt didn’t really play much in field after the conversion. He mostly focused on pitching (or at least trying to learn how to pitch).
lowtalker1
Just seems like a stupid move
JayKay
Heard the guy has wicked stuff
bleacherbum
Gotta love when the cardinal fans want to chime in and start jaw jacking against padre fans.
Short term memory loss is all it is, if it wasn’t for the Padres taking Jim Edmonds off their hands and giving them David Freese in return then the 2007 World Series champions would have been the Texas Rangers.
So instead of hating, they should thank padre fans.
lowtalker1
Long term a guy named Ozzie Smith
Rob B
No! You should thank us b/c it it the closest you are gonna get to being part of a WS Champ! You’re welcome.
bleacherbum
Oh and hey Cardinal fans everywhere that want to talk crap about the Padres for supposedly collecting your “scraps”? Why not protect Perdomo and Córdoba from the rule V in the first place?
Remember that fella David Freese that single handedly won you the 2007 World Series? Yeah? Well, you’re welcome. Those Padres scraps seemed to work out for you just fine. Until Perdomo
dynamite drop in monty
Yeah!
DFAed in Gaffa
2007? And Freese, who was acquired via trade, certainly didn’t win the 2011 series single-handedly. No informed person would say that.
bleacherbum
Oh he didn’t? So if David Freese didn’t suit up for the Cardinals in game 6 you think you would have won that series? Get out of here. Freese was a monster in that series and you know it. Pujols had the 3 homer game but Freese put on a clinic and will be remembered forever because of it. The least you could do is recognize that.
DFAed in Gaffa
In game 6, he also dropped a pop-up that led to two unearned runs. So there’s that. He got the two big hits, but really the triple to tie it was misplayed by Nelson Cruz. He was the game 6 hero, but the Cards won three other games.
Rob B
Idiot! Why are you comparing trade acquisitions to DFA and rule 5 pick ups? It was the Padres fans here pointing out that San Diego picks up St Louis scraps in the first place. To answer your stupid question, the Cards seemingly have developed to many prospects to protect them all from the Padres and they know it. Hats off to them!
Nobody wins the WS single handedly, NOBODY! Freese wouldn’t even have had the opportunity if Lance Berkman didn’t tie it up in the 10th and this was after Ryan Theriot got an RBI in the 10th as well. Pujols hit 3 HR in game 3! Not to mention, after Freese walked off Game 6 for us the TEAM had to go back out the next night and win Game 7.
red sox nation
Hey bleacherbum you may wanna get the years right. The cardinals won the World Series because of David Freese in 2011 no 2007 learn your baseball
dynamite drop in monty
Yeah!
bleacherbum
Oh yeah sorry I think I struck a nerve by mentioning the 2007 championship based off your screen name. Apologies.
dvmwitt
I could see Preller DFA this guy and then get through waivers to AAA
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
Most likely outcome. Happens to some reliever every year. Last year was David Rollins.
DFAed in Gaffa
Don’t forget Eric [Harry] Rasmussen!
bighiggy
I know the kid throws hard, but why did they convert him in the first place? He had a monster season in single a, a couple years ago, then struggled a little, and they instantly converted him. Always thought that was strange. Maybe Padres could give his bat another look
juicemane
Padres wont make the playoffs but will only be 5 games out of the WC in August…bank on it. Thats pretty good considering we’re building a team to dominate the nl west for a while
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
Sure hope not. If they aren’t going to make the playoffs they should shoot for the #1 overall pick.
cubsfan2489
Bank on it? That’s hilarious. The Padres won’t even be within 5 games back of the Giants! They’ll be a minimum 30 games out of first, and 20 back in the wild card! Time for a reality check, juicemane!
bleacherbum
Okay big bad Cubs fan, puffing your chest out now? Don’t be that guy. 2 years ago you guys were in the same boat. Just because you have a ring now don’t be like some fan bases, it just makes you look pathetic.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
2 years ago they were actually coming off a NLCS appearance. You should have said 4 years ago.
cubsfan2489
2 years ago the Cubs began their World Series campaign.
bleacherbum
Yeah, you guys knew what I meant. Remain humble, because it wasn’t too long ago you were being roasted about similar things. Now that you’ve reached the pinnacle it’s not time to hate on those who are on the journey.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
As a Cubs fan you should know all too well that being that far back is a blessing in disguise. Draft higher and don’t give anyone any false hope. Regular season record is, after all, only a means of determining who makes the playoffs and who plays who in the playoffs.
cubsfan2489
Agreed
SixFlagsMagicPadres
That’s fine if they’re that many games back of a playoff spot since they’re not expected to contend this year anyway. Another rebuilding year can only help them. Bring on the 2018 Quest for the First Pick.
bitterpadresfan
I would rather just have our current prospects pan out and start winning now.
bleacherbum
When they do will you change your screen name or nah?
bitterpadresfan
I’ll piss and moan until we win a championship so probably not.
JeremyR
Somewhat ironically, the Cardinals also signed Jason Motte, who had a similar career arc as Wick, only went directly from catcher to P, not going to OF first.
jimmertee
It is years before this guy will pitch anywhere with success. Great arm. If he stays on the 40 man and not Dfa’d then the negative comments about a 15 year rebuild are probably true. However, this guy can probably slide through waivers and would be a great minor league piece to train on the farm. That is probably the plan.