Towers: no trade talks now on rotation
By Tom Krasovic
STAFF WRITER
June 4, 2005
Down the road, the Padres could explore the trade market for starting pitching, but General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday all is "very quiet" on the trade front and that the successful return of pitcher Woody Williams could keep it quiet.
"We don't have any trade discussions going on," Towers said. "I'm waiting to get Woody back. Once we get Woody back, if Woody is healthy, I feel pretty comfortable with Woody, (Adam) Eaton, (Jake) Peavy, (Brian) Lawrence and (Tim) Stauffer. We're just trying to get healthy."
Williams, who last pitched on May 1, could start tomorrow's game if Peavy needs more time to recover from an upper respiratory infection.
Manager Bruce Bochy said Peavy, who is on antibiotics, has progressed more slowly than hoped and that there's a 50 percent chance the staff ace's start will be pushed back.
Trainer Todd Hutcheson said Williams, though recovered from an oblique strain, hasn't swung a bat since he said a batting-practice swing caused the injury on May 2. Williams has batted .308 this season, going 4-for-13.
Towers on Drew
Padres scouts rated shortstop Stephen Drew the best talent in last year's amateur draft, and several of them said Drew would've been the best talent in this year's draft had he not signed this week with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Padres, who had the No. 1 pick overall, passed on Drew because they had doubts about signing him. Arizona drafted the Florida State athlete 15th overall, then signed him to a major league contract this week. The Padres were prepared to offer Drew a $4 million signing bonus, with room to grow to a $5 million total guarantee. Arizona guaranteed Drew $5.5 million and included $2 million in incentives.
"They got a good ballplayer," Towers said. "Evidently, they didn't have any problem giving him a major league contract. That's just something we weren't prepared to do. And we wanted our player to be out and playing. We didn't want to have to wait a year."
The Padres used the No. 1 pick on Mission Bay High shortstop Matt Bush, who quickly signed for $3.15 million.
Miscellany
In Towers' 10-year tenure, Xavier Nady is the only amateur to get a major league contract from the Padres. Padres scouts rated Nady a top-10 talent, and the club gambled the 49th pick overall on him in 2000, then got him signed for a $2.95 million guarantee. Nady's "adviser," Scott Boras, also negotiated roster bonuses that boosted Nady's major league income far beyond that of many players in his work-service class. Nady has received $275,000 in roster bonuses this year.
Third baseman Sean Burroughs returned to the lineup after an eight-game hiatus caused by hamstring and quadriceps strains in his left leg. Earlier, Burroughs had been slowed by soreness in his surgically repaired right knee. "I believe he's 100 percent now," Bochy said. Unprompted, Bochy said he should have rested Burroughs more when the 24-year-old was fighting hamstring tightness but still playing well defensively. "I blame myself a little bit," Bochy said.
By Tom Krasovic
STAFF WRITER
June 4, 2005
Down the road, the Padres could explore the trade market for starting pitching, but General Manager Kevin Towers said yesterday all is "very quiet" on the trade front and that the successful return of pitcher Woody Williams could keep it quiet.
"We don't have any trade discussions going on," Towers said. "I'm waiting to get Woody back. Once we get Woody back, if Woody is healthy, I feel pretty comfortable with Woody, (Adam) Eaton, (Jake) Peavy, (Brian) Lawrence and (Tim) Stauffer. We're just trying to get healthy."
Williams, who last pitched on May 1, could start tomorrow's game if Peavy needs more time to recover from an upper respiratory infection.
Manager Bruce Bochy said Peavy, who is on antibiotics, has progressed more slowly than hoped and that there's a 50 percent chance the staff ace's start will be pushed back.
Trainer Todd Hutcheson said Williams, though recovered from an oblique strain, hasn't swung a bat since he said a batting-practice swing caused the injury on May 2. Williams has batted .308 this season, going 4-for-13.
Towers on Drew
Padres scouts rated shortstop Stephen Drew the best talent in last year's amateur draft, and several of them said Drew would've been the best talent in this year's draft had he not signed this week with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Padres, who had the No. 1 pick overall, passed on Drew because they had doubts about signing him. Arizona drafted the Florida State athlete 15th overall, then signed him to a major league contract this week. The Padres were prepared to offer Drew a $4 million signing bonus, with room to grow to a $5 million total guarantee. Arizona guaranteed Drew $5.5 million and included $2 million in incentives.
"They got a good ballplayer," Towers said. "Evidently, they didn't have any problem giving him a major league contract. That's just something we weren't prepared to do. And we wanted our player to be out and playing. We didn't want to have to wait a year."
The Padres used the No. 1 pick on Mission Bay High shortstop Matt Bush, who quickly signed for $3.15 million.
Miscellany
In Towers' 10-year tenure, Xavier Nady is the only amateur to get a major league contract from the Padres. Padres scouts rated Nady a top-10 talent, and the club gambled the 49th pick overall on him in 2000, then got him signed for a $2.95 million guarantee. Nady's "adviser," Scott Boras, also negotiated roster bonuses that boosted Nady's major league income far beyond that of many players in his work-service class. Nady has received $275,000 in roster bonuses this year.
Third baseman Sean Burroughs returned to the lineup after an eight-game hiatus caused by hamstring and quadriceps strains in his left leg. Earlier, Burroughs had been slowed by soreness in his surgically repaired right knee. "I believe he's 100 percent now," Bochy said. Unprompted, Bochy said he should have rested Burroughs more when the 24-year-old was fighting hamstring tightness but still playing well defensively. "I blame myself a little bit," Bochy said.
~RG
