Greene an S.D. Heartthrob, More Like a Heartbreaker

Yesterday saw the mandatory report date for Spring Training Camp of the San Diego Padres along with the other 29 teams of Major League Baseball. As a fan of the friars, I am cautiously content with the off-season work that General Manager Kevin Towers and his staff produced for the dog days of summer.

Bringing in an aged Jim Edmonds to roam the vast centerfield of Petco Park is a questionable move but Towers has proven he can still find talent in older players with something to prove, hello Mike Piazza, Woddy Williams, and Greg Maddux. The acquisitions of two pitchers coming off arm surgery in Randy Wolfe and Mark Prior for chump change could prove to pay dividends. Finally the quick pick up of San Diego area native Tony Clark for just under a million bucks to be steady bat off the bench is the best pick up so far. Trust me, he will produce because it’s his 4th season in the National League West and the man is a true athlete. The key for all four of these players is one word: HEALTH. Can these four stay off the training table? Your guess is as good as mine.

Ok, I know what you’re thinking, “Eric so when are you going to tell me something I don’t know.” Well, the thing that gives me an aneurysm is what a Padres player did this off-season with his contract talks. The San Diego city favorite Khalil Greene turned down a four-year contract extension with the Padres in early February and decided to only make it a two-year contract. Khalil: You do know that MLB contracts are guaranteed, don’t you?

Here’s what I am thinking about you Khalil, two more years with the Padres and you are “gone baby gone.” The blond bombshell had a career year in 2007 (AVG .254, HR 27, RBI 97) and thinks he can do more in 2008 and 2009. Then he can move on to more money from another team because if he thinks he is getting a huge payday from the Padres he’s wrong. The Padres still have that sour taste of the Nevin and Klesko big money deals form early 2000’s that blew up in their face.

Friars Faithful: Khalil, no matter what he says does not want to be here after 2009 or else he would have signed the long-term deal. The good news is, Khalil should be playing his tail off this season and especially next season for his big payday. Bad news, add another player to the list of Padres that will be an outstanding player for another team.