San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - The San Diego Padres announced that they have
come to terms with five players on one-year contracts for the upcoming season
prior to Friday's deadline to sign those eligible for salary arbitration.
Not included on the list, however, was third baseman Chase Headley, with the
2012 National League RBI champ failing to reach an agreement with the team by
the deadline.
The Padres did sign pitchers Edinson Volquez and Joe Thatcher, shortstop
Everth Cabrera, outfielder Will Venable and catcher John Baker.
Volquez went 11-11 with a 4.14 earned run average and a team-leading 174
strikeouts this past season, his first with San Diego after being acquired in
a trade with Cincinnati in December of 2011. The right-hander was a 17-game
winner with the Reds in 2008.
Cabrera led the NL with 44 stolen bases in 2012 while batting .246 with two
home runs and 24 RBI over a career-high 115 games. The switch-hitter owns a
.240 average with 14 triples and 81 steals over parts of four seasons with the
Padres.
Venable hit .264 with nine homers, 45 RBI and 24 stolen bases as San Diego's
primary right fielder last season, and has compiled 79 steals over the past
three years.
Thatcher finished 1-4 with a 3.41 ERA and one save over 55 relief appearances
as a left-handed specialist in 2012, with the 31-year-old limiting lefty
hitters to a .175 average over 31 2/3 innings of work.
Baker saw action in 63 games as a backup catcher last season and batted .238
with 14 RBI. The left-handed hitter is a career .263 hitter over five big
league campaigns, the first four of which were spent with the Marlins.
The Padres will now exchange salary figures with Headley, who swatted a
career-best 31 homers while knocking in 115 runs and batting .286 along with
winning a Gold Glove during a breakthrough 2012 season, prior to an
arbitration hearing that will take place sometime in February. The team and
the 28-year-old are still able to reach an agreement before then, however.
Starting pitcher Clayton Richard and reliever Luke Gregerson could also be
headed to arbitration after not accepting San Diego's contract offer by
Friday's deadline.
The Sports Network