Monday, June 20, 2011

Trade winds begin to blow through San Diego


Monday June 20, 2011

The Padres get swept by the sad sack Twins & talk of Padres players finding homes in new cities in the next month has turned from an if to a when.

Padres closer Heath Bell and his $7 million salary is a certainty to be moved.
Chad Qualls and his $6 million 2012 option are another certainty to be moved.
Ryan Ludwick is making nearly $7 million and will be a free agent after the season. Waive buh bye to him in the coming weeks also.

Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett are also likely gone with salaries that total $14.5 million in 2012.

Brad Hawpe and his $6 million option for 2012 WOULD be a certainty to be traded, but the Padres would likely have to pay his option buy out of $1 million to get someone to take the bum off the Padres hands.

So ...

Ludwick to the Phillies, Braves, Mariners or maybe the Tigers

Bell to Cardinals, Rangers or ??

Qualls to Rays, Yankees, Rangers or Cardinals.

Harang to the Cubs, Tigers or ??

Bartlett to Red Sox

Hudson to ??

Hawpe to AAA. Ok, maybe the Angels would take a flyer on him for a PTBNL or a little better if Padres pick up buyout. Maybe the Orioles. D Lee is not exactly tearing it up there and the ballpark is built for Hawpe's swing.

Adams likely will stay a Padre because even a win in arbitration will likely not net him more than $4 million for 2012 and that is a cheap price for the closer he would become in Bell's absence.

Now the question becomes, what will the Padres get in return for the 5-6 veteran players that will likely be traded away in the coming weeks.

What do you think Padres fans? Who will go and what will the Padres get in return. Will it be enough to help make the Padres a contender in the next few years?