On the heels of the Adrian Gonzalez trade, the Padres found themselves with both some holes to fill and a little flexibility. They filled one hole by signing Orlando Hudson, and on Friday, they've filled another, signing free agent Brad Hawpe to a one-year contract.
Brad Hawpe Signs One-Year Contract With Padres
Terms of the contract aren’t known, but Hawpe will be taking a substantial pay cut from the $7.5 million he earned in 2010. The Padres and Hawpe had been in contact for a while, and the 31-year-old veteran will be expected to take over at first base now that Gonzalez is gone.
Hawpe struggled last season, batting .245 with nine home runs as a member of the Rockies and Rays. However, he posted a .903 OPS the year before and, between 2006-2009, batted .288 with 99 home runs and a .518 slugging percentage. He's a left-handed bat with a fair bit of power, and if he's able to rediscover some of the ability that went missing in 2010, he could prove to be a bargain in San Diego.
The deal is not yet official, but is only pending a physical. Read more over at Gaslamp Ball.
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