The Trevor Hoffman Era Ends in San Diego...

The Trevor Hoffman era has officially ended in San Diego.

Hoffman agreed to a one-year contract worth $6 million on Thursday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal hadn’t been announced.

Hoffman can make an additional $1.5 million in performance bonuses, based on games finished.

The 41-year-old right-hander had pitched for the Padres since 1993, becoming the face of the franchise after Tony Gwynn retired. Hoffman converted 30 of 34 chances last season, increasing his saves record to 554.

Hoffman became a free agent but still hoped to hear the gongs of his trademark warmup song — AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” — in San Diego for the rest of his career. Contract talks with the Padres soured, however, and the team pulled its offer of $4 million for 2009 with a club option for $4 million in 2010.

Amazing; however, if John Smoltz could leave Atlanta, then anything can happen.

The Padres' Brian Giles An Alleged Abuser...

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If this is true about Giles, there's a place in hell reserved for him.

Khalil Greene Goes To St. Louis

Another deal in the Hot Stove season, this time in a trade with the Padres dumping salary and also garnering some prospects. It looks like our role in the rumored three team trade with the Cubs and Padres has gone up in smoke with this development.

In a slow-moving market, the Cardinals are acting quickly. St. Louis answered the biggest question in its 2009 lineup on Thursday, trading for Padres shortstop Khalil Greene. A day earlier, the Cards signed reliever Trever Miller to a one-year contract.

The Redbirds announced the trade on Thursday evening after a day of reports and speculation. St. Louis will send relief prospect Mark Worrell and a player to be named later to San Diego.

It's the second deal consummated between the two teams in less than a year -- in December 2007, the Padres acquired Jim Edmonds for Minor League third baseman David Freese.

Greene will make $6.5 million in 2009, and thus far there are no indications as to how much, if any, of that salary the Padres would pick up. If St. Louis pays the entirety of Greene's 2009 salary, it would be left with approximately $10-15 million more in payroll room to find a second baseman and perhaps another starting pitcher and/or another left-handed reliever. Greene will be eligible for free agency after the 2009 season.

I don't know how this move makes the shortstop position for the Cardinals that much better; however, they only have Greene for one year, and if his numbers pick up, he's going to be line for a great pay day.

I'm not so sure he'd be good fit in Baltimore anyway aside from his power, and not much else in my mind to jump and say "sign him".

Meanwhile, the Orioles keep looking -- with Renteria signed with San Francisco and Furcal most likely rumored to sign with Oakland, could Cesar Izturis be our next shortstop?

A Trade In The Works?

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend and recovering from Black Friday -- assuming you partook in it -- however, it looks like the Orioles may now be involved in some trade talk now.

Well, if you have had your pulse on the news, it seems like the Oriole and Cubs are annual trade partners; thus, there may be something in the works -- again.

From the Baltimore Sun: The Orioles have revisited trade talks with the Cubs about outfielder Felix Pie, according to industry sources, and could end up as the third team in a three-way deal that would send marquee right-hander Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres to Chicago.

Pie, once considered one of the best young prospects in the game, was an Orioles target at this time last year when the two teams discussed a trade involving two-time All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts.

Orioles president Andy MacPhail said today that a deal is not imminent but acknowledged that Pie is the kind of player the Orioles are pursuing to broaden the club's position depth.

"We have a lot of different irons in the fire," MacPhail said. "We're in the process of determining who our trading partners might be and which free agents we might have a chance to sign. We're basically in the same position as everybody else, waiting for a couple of big dominoes to fall."

Right now, considering Jones is in the fold in center field and Markakis is in right, I don't know if he's a fit for the team unless someone is moved. However, Pie has promise, and a place like Baltimore -- assuming he can live up to his potential -- could be one where he shines, plus could be another young player to be added to Baltimore's long term plans.

Now this tidbit...

The Padres, who are limited in trade talks for Peavy because of the 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner's no-trade clause, covet Garrett Olson, a Southern California native. This offseason, the Padres asked for Olson in exchange for veteran shortstop Khalil Greene, but the Orioles rejected the offer. Olson, 25, is 10-13 with a 6.87 ERA in 33 starts over two major-league seasons.

The Padres and Cubs have been looking for a third team to get involved in the Peavy trade talks because Chicago reportedly doesn't have all the young, major-league-ready pieces San Diego is seeking.

I'm not sure we should trade Olson -- he's shown flashes of brilliance at times, despite being inconsistent in 2008; however, the Orioles need to yet younger, and a player of Pie's pedigree and potential does not come by too often. The Cubs have their needs, as do the Orioles and Padres -- two teams that will most likely be in the second division in 2009.

Again, Pie seems to be quite inciting. What would he coming to Charm City factor into Luke Scott or Lou Montanez's playing time?

I'm split on doing this move; however, if the Padres add another piece -- primarily an infielder -- it might be move worth making especially if it could perhaps open the door to what could potentially transpire.

Then again, there might be a significant hurdle too on making this deal happen as Peter Schmuck notes:

Don't hold your breath on this. There are some complicating factors, primarily the three-year, $52 million contract extension Peavy signed that guarantees him an average of $16 million per year from 2010 through 2012 (on top of his $11 million for 2009 and including a $4 million buyout if his $22 million option for 2013 doesn't get picked up). Taking on that contract probably is going to require approval from whoever makes the highest bid for the Cubs franchise, which is being sold by the Tribune Company. The deadline for bids is Monday.

Stay tuned. Something may happen, or it may not.

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San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals, Sep. 21st, 2008

San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals, Sep. 21st, 2008

In Jeremy, We Trust; The Orioles Beat the Padres 7-1 to Snap the Losing Skid, The Rundown...

Finally, we win a game for the first time in two weeks! The amazing rookie, Jeremy Guthrie shut down San Diego on four hits over eight innings and the Black and Orange beat the Friars by a score of 7-1.

At this point, Guthrie should be put on the All-Star team…

More importantly, Dave Trembley picked up his first win, and I’m sure as well the players got a brief respite from the all problems that have besieged the team for at least a moment.

Also, the offense rallied to score seven runs and just about everyone contributed to the win last night.

The rubber match of the series is today as Erik Bedard takes on the ageless David Wells.

There’s more on the game from the Baltimore Examiner, and the Washington Post.

***

There was a scare in last night’s game – Miguel “Miggy” Tejada got hit on the wrist by relief pitcher Doug Brocail while batting in the eighth inning. While nothing was found to be broken initially, there will be more tests to be done to see if he may have to sit out; thus, put his consecutive game streak in jeopardy. Roch Kubatko, in his blog has some more details.

According to Jeff Zrebeic of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles are still in talks with Joe Girardi. At this point, I am not sure if he’ll take the job, but as long as they are still talking, there’s a shot. The team must still interview a minority candidate, but this seems to be Girardi’s job for the taking. The Baltimore Examiner has more news on the development.

Bill Ordine has a recap of last night’s game, and also more on Joe Girardi.

The Orioles MLB site has a profile on new COO, Andy MacPhail. As well, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun has more on the new hire as does the Baltimore Examiner and Washington Post.

Also, ESPN 1300 has Andy MacPhail's press conference at the warehouse yesterday available for download. Baltimore's WNST.net also has some interviews available for download, and also various commentary on the Orioles available via their website.

Peter Schmuck has a commentary on Andy MacPhail. Will he be the knight on the white horse who’ll help bring the Orioles back to relevancy in baseball? We shall see; however, the Black and Orange could have done a lot worse. At this point, anyone who has a decent track record should be given a shot to right the ship.

Meanwhile, Jim Duquette, is unsure of this status. It’s very strange that he has not talked to MacPhail. It might be no big deal, but it does seem very, very unusual. The article also has input from several former Cubs and you hear glowing words about the new boss.

There’s more on the status of Jim Duquette and Mike Flanagan from the Baltimore Examiner. I’m expecting a wind of change with the Baltimore Orioles.

Veteran MLB pitcher Paul Shuey is back in the big leagues, and is just happy to have a job with someone…

With the changes going on in the Orioles’ organization, there are not too many people who should secure in their jobs, from the players to even the front office executives. Most likely, either Mike Flangan or Jim Duquette may be gone, or both. No doubt, things will change and David Steele has a piece in the Sun about it.

The Baltimore Sun has a question with Dave Trembley…

The Ironbirds opened up their season up in Aberdeen last night, and Cal Ripken threw out the first pitch…

The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same … O’s Lose Out West to the Padres, 12-6

The Orioles lost 12-6 out in San Diego last night.

First off all, according to Roch Kubatko, the Orioles have extended an offer for Joe Girardi to manage the team based on an ESPN report. Of course, naturally, a team official denied it.

The way things have been going with the Orioles and the media, the denial sort of sounds like “Baghdad Bob” declaring the Americans were not coming in to take over Baghdad before it fell to the U.S. military and Saddam Hussein was toppled.

The rumor may have a lot of truth in it. Keep in mind; this is the same team that has not officially announced that Andy MacPhail is the COO of the Orioles, even THOUGH HE flew out with the team’s high-level brass to see Girardi.

Oh boy, some days I don’t know what to think anymore.

***

Anyhow, Dave Trembley got to manage the Orioles last night, and sadly, the same scene repeated itself – an Oriole loss; the ninth straight.

There’s more on the game from the Baltimore Examiner, the Washington Post, and the Orioles MLB site.

I am not going to go through the ugly details, but it will be unfortunate that Dave Trembley will only perhaps get his one and perhaps only chance to be a big league manager this week before he is replaced and sent back to his old spot.

Read the thoughts of SC of Camden Chat…

Davis Steele has a great article on Trembley’s first day on the job in today’s edition of the Sun. It’s too late the players finally had an epiphany – they are a large part of the problem.

A culture change is needed, but at this point, rather than going for the sexy name to make waves, it think it would be fair to give Trembley a shot.

As the players realize what has hit them, a lot of them are tired of losing and are distracted due to the events during the past few days.

The Baltimore Examiner has more on the John Kruk comments that had Kevin Millar so angry on Tuesday.

Photo Gallery: San Diego Padres vs. Washington Nationals...

Padres and Nationals - June 3. 2007

I went to the game at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium in Washington D.C. this afternoon, and soaked in a game in conditions that we more conducive for football rather than baseball. The San Diego Padres took on the Washington Nationals on this rainy Sunday on the East Coast.

It was wild, wet and sloppy, but I hope you like the pictures from today.