Randa sent to Padres
SAN DIEGO – The slumping San Diego Padres acquired third baseman Joe Randa from Cincinnati for two minor league pitchers Saturday and demoted struggling Sean Burroughs to Triple-A.
The Padres also were discussing a trade that would send first baseman Phil Nevin to Baltimore for pitcher Sidney Ponson, but had yet to ask the slugger to waive his limited no-trade clause. The Orioles are one of eight teams Nevin can block a trade to.
“The Padres have not even asked our approval yet,” agent Barry Axelrod told the Associated Press. “If they were to ask for our approval, for Phil to even consider it I’m sure there would have to be some discussion. He and/or I would want to talk with the Orioles and find out what his role would be there.”
Nevin went 1 for 3 with a walk during a 2-0 loss Saturday in Philadelphia. San Diego’s sixth straight loss cut its lead in the weak N.L. West to three games over Arizona.
“Obviously, it’s not going to happen without our approval,” Axelrod said. “So obviously, it’s not close to being done.”
General manager Kevin Towers also said the Padres had yet to seek Nevin’s approval.
The Padres have wanted to trade Nevin for some time, because of his big salary and volatile temper. But they’ve come up against the no-trade provisions they included in a $34 million contract extension they gave him in November 2001 after he had a career year.
In December 2002, Nevin blocked a deal that would have sent him to the Reds for Ken Griffey Jr.
“It kind of goes back to what happened in the Cincinnati deal,” Axelrod said. “Kevin had a deal made, then called and asked if Phil would accept it. I said, ‘No way.’ Phil’s criteria has always been that he would like to play for a West Coast team. He wants to play for San Diego. He doesn’t want to leave here. He’s got a new home being built here.
“But if they’ve arrived at the conclusion that the profile of the team needs to change in some way, then we’ll re-examine the circumstances when we’re asked.”
That could include asking for more money.
“I suppose we could try to exact something out of them, but it hasn’t gotten to that point,” Axelrod said.
The 34-year-old Nevin is the highest-paid Padres player this year at $9 million. He’s due $10 million next season, and is to receive a deferred $2 million signing bonus in 2007.
If the Padres trade Nevin, super-sub Xavier Nady would take over at first.
The Padres are known to have shopped the 24-year-old Burroughs, but ended up having to option him to Triple-A Portland so he can try to regain his batting stroke.
The Padres got Randa for minor league right-handers Justin Germano and Travis Chick.
“It’s been pretty apparent that something was going to happen,” Randa said. “I’m relieved. This has been hanging over my head. You wonder when it’s going to happen and where you’re going.”
Randa is hitting .289 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs.