The Padre Post

As expected, the San Diego Padres offered arbitration to closer Heath Bell and starting pitcher Aaron Harang.  With Bell, my guess is the closer goes elsewhere and the Padres get a compensation pick.  Worst case, he takes arbitration and we have him for another year.  The compensation rules have changed though because instead of getting a regular first round pick from the team that signs him, the Padres will get a sandwich pick.

The Padres could have gotten Harang for $5 million but they choose to not pick up his option.  Harang is a Type B free agent so if he signs elsewhere, the Padres will get another pick.  And like Bell, I like Harang enough to where if he accepts, we just get him for another year.  Sounds like a win/win in both cases.

The Padres made one of their first deals of the offseason when they sent pitcher Wade LeBlanc to the Marlins for catcher Scott Baker.  Baker is coming off of elbow surgery so he’s kind of a wild card but the Padres needed a backup for Nick Hundley.  He’s only played in 39 games the past two season.

LeBlanc was the Padres second round pick back in 2006 and while he’s been decent, he hasn’t quite lived up to his billing.  The Padres had some arms coming up through the system so they must have thought LeBlanc was expendable.

Baker is arbitration eligible this year but it’s first year so his price tag shouldn’t be so high. It’ll be interesting to see if they lock him up but my guess is, they’ll wait to see if he’s got the goods and can come back from the injury.