July 23, 2005
Ponson for Nevin?
The San Diego Padres picked up Joe Randa today for a couple of minor leaguers and appear to be ready to trade Nevin for Ponson if Nevin approves the deal. I understand the Randa deal; Sean Burroughs just hasn't hit. He's slugging .302, which is just unacceptable for a third baseman.
I don't understand the Nevin for Ponson deal, however. I understand the Padres need for a starting pitcher, but is Ponson really going to help? You can't even argue that Petco Park is going to help, because Sidney has a 7+ ERA on the road. Nevin is coming off an injury, but he's had a poor year overall. Like Ponson, he can't blame his home park, because he's playing worse on the road as well. I just don't see it as a trade that helps either team at this point.
Posted by David Pinto at
07:22 PM
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For the Orioles it helps them immensley - getting Ponson out of the rotation automatically makes them a better team.
Kevin Towers has made no secret of his disdain for Phil Nevin - he's been trying to get rid of him all season. Getting Nevin off the team and rearranging payroll is a bigger priority for Towers than getting value for Nevin is at this point.
Trading Nevin is a positive in that it forces Padres manager Bruce Bochy to play Xavier Nady and Mark Sweeney both of whom are much better than Nevin at this time.
Nevin, for his time at SD, WAS a force to be reckoned with in the lineup. I've believed for the last couple of season's that it was time for him to move on and use the $$ to add to the team where we were deficient. He was clearly not the player he was, and with the no trade clause, was an albatross around the neck of the Padres.
Ponson is no Cy Young, probably nothing more than a stopgap while we attempt to make the post season, but having the "clause" out of the way, along with a non productive player, clears the way for possible additions to help the cause.
Nady will fill the hole Nevin leaves quite admirably.
As of this post...it's up to Phil whether to accept or deny this trade...it's been reported that the Orioles have accepted the trade and are ready to through with it pending Nevin's decision
For the Padres, this deal has very little to do with Ponson and everything to do with getting Nevin off the payroll and giving Xavier Nady a chance to play every day. Redistribution of expensive mistakes. Think along the lines of Terrence Long for Darrell May, only on a larger scale, and you begin to get the idea.
With the Pads a strike away from dropping their seventh straight I think that Geoff has it right. This is about getting rid of Nevin, not adding to the rotation. Can we redeal Ponson? Maybe. And maybe even in August. He is likely to make it through waivers unclaimed. At least he will not have full no-trade powers in 2006 as Nevin will....
