In a bit of news that pretty much shocked the hell out of me, Jon Heyman of CBS floated out a tidbit that the San Diego Padres aren't going to look to trade Carlos Quentin and Huston Street at the deadline….but in fact, sign the duo to long-term deals.
Quentin is one of the more attractive corner outfield bats on the market, and Street is one of the best relievers. Both have missed substantial time this yeat, but have been great while healthy. So….why in the name of god would the Padres want to bring either player back instead of trading them?
Injuries have absolutely destroyed Quentin's career. He's played in just 38 games this year after being dealt from the White Sox to the Padres, but has eight homers an an .886 OPS this year. He'll turn 30 at the end of August, but has dealt with injuries over his entire career, missing at least 30 games in each of his four full seasons in the majors. Because of his age and fragility, he's not really a great long-term extension option, especially for a Padres team that is years away from contending.
The same thing goes for Street, a reliever. Relievers are an especially fringy commodity in the game, and with this morning's deal of both Francisco Cordero and Brandon Lyon, the market just got a little thinner a week and a half before the deadline. The Padres screwed up last year by hanging on to Heath Bell and not trading him, only to see him sign with the Marlins as a free agent. The soon to be 29 year-old Street has missed time in each of the last three seasons. A team like the Padres doesn't need to devote millions to a closer, and Street could command an eight figure yearly salary. Considering that the Padres have a younger, cheap, potentially dominant closer in Luke Gregerson currently in their pen, an extension for Street would be foolish for this team, at this point.
I really won't know what to make of the Padres if they don't trade Quentin and/or street and continue negotiations on long-term deals for both players. This is a team whose best starter pitcher this year is a guy in Edinson Volquez that is walking five batters per nine innings. They have so many holes especially on the mound, that paying millions for a closer and a corner outfielder that could at least get them a decent enought on the trade market makes absolutely no sense for them.
