Padres give up on Edmonds
Jim Edmonds’ batting average had fallen to .178 – more than 100 points lower than his lifetime mark – and he clearly had lost a step or two while chasing fly balls in center field.
The 37-year-old Edmonds was hardly the only struggling player on the team with the worst record in the big leagues. His struggles were glaring enough, though, that San Diego released him on Friday, a move that will cost the Padres approximately $4.7 million.
“If we would have been 10-11 games over .500, we might have been able to ride this thing out a little bit longer and wait for him to hopefully better his numbers,” said general manager Kevin Towers. “But with the struggles with the ballclub and him struggling offensively and probably not the same defender we’re used to seeing as well, we felt it was time to make a change.”
An eight-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star, Edmonds strained his right calf in a spring game on March 6 and started the season on the disabled list before being activated on April 5. A lifetime .286 hitter, he was 16 for 90 in 26 games, with one homer and six RBIs.
Clearing the bases
Alex Rodriguez took 57 swings in batting practice and fielded 31 grounders at third base during his first injury rehabilitation workout from a quadriceps injury at the Yankees’ minor league complex in Tampa, Fla. … Yankees pitcher Kyle Farnsworth‘s suspension for throwing a fastball behind the neck of Boston Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez on April 19 was reduced from three games to one in an appeal to Major League Baseball. … Los Angeles Angels right-hander John Lackey threw 88 pitches in an extended spring training game at St. Petersburg, Fla., as he recovers from a triceps injury. … Milwaukee Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo confirmed that he’ll have surgery on the torn ligament in his right knee, likely ending his season. … Pittsburgh acquired outfielder Jason Michaels and cash from Cleveland for a player to be named. … Former All-Star closer Derrick Turnbow accepted a minor league assignment from the Brewers to Triple-A Nashville. … Toronto acquired Kevin Mench in a trade with Texas and signed free agent Brad Wilkerson.