First Jon Garland and now Miguel Tejada.
I asked another Padre friend of mine, via Twitter, if the San Diego Padres were planning on bringing anyone back for the 2011 season.
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Garland just before Thanksgiving and now another NL West team has signed another former Padre.
This time, it was the San Francisco Giants who signed Tejada to a one-year $6.5 million deal after losing their own shortstop, Juan Uribe, also to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
What makes me question this move is the defensive liability in not only Tejada, but also with Pablo Sandoval over at third base. Tejada doesn’t have the range he once had and, playing on the same side of the infield as Sandoval, it might create a problem.
Maybe the Giants aren’t after defense, it looks as if they are trying to upgrade their offense for next season. Though I can’t say I blame them.
As for the Padres, it seems a lot of fans aren’t all that surprised by the move since the front office was not keen on the idea of paying Tejada nearly the amount of money the Giants gave him. Even on a one-year deal.
While I do agree with the sentiment, I can’t help but wonder if they are sitting on their hands and watching free agency pass them by. Or perhaps they plan to make a splash at next week’s winter meetings.
The team does have holes to fill in their rotation, as well as shortstop and second base, as David Eckstein was also not offered arbitration by the team.
It’s still early in the off season and there are a lot of changes to be made in quite a few teams.
The Dodgers made their move, the Rockies re-signed their star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and the Giants bring over Tejada.
The Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks are the two teams yet to make any kind of a splash. Maybe next week will surprise everyone.
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