It's been a big day for the San Diego Padres' roster-management specialist (and yes, there's an accredited master's program in roster management at Plainfield Teachers College, highly recommended for all you up-and-comers out there, looking to get your foot in the baseball door).
Brad Hawpe Hits DL Among Flurry Of Padres Roster Moves
Among the moves (there might be more, but one has only so many fingers and toes):
- Brad Hawpe placed on DL with strained finger;
- Jorge Cantu released;
- Wade LeBlanc sent to triple-A Tucson;
- C Kyle Phillips recalled from Tucscon;
- Lefty reliever Josh Spence summoned from double-A San Antonio; and
- CF Luis Durango designated for assignment.
Durango hadn’t played for the big club this season, and has struggled with Tucson this season. A colleague reports that among Durango’s 18 hits as a major leaguer, 12 didn’t leave the infield.
Cantu was DFA’d last week, and now it’s a done deal. Still only 29, Cantu was a pretty good hitter as recently as 2009, but he was bad last season and beyond bad this season. We probably haven’t seen the last of Cantu, but something’s gotta give.
LeBlanc pitched decently in the Padres' rotation last year, but this year he's failed a three-start audition. We'll see him again, too. Assuming he's not stricken with serious shoulderitis or something. At the moment, his exit probably opens the way for rookie reliever Cory Luebke to join the rotation, a chance he's earned.
Does the addition of Phillips mean the subtraction of .196 career-hitting Rob Johnson? Padres fans can only hope so, while National League pitchers pray not.
Josh Spence is a surprise, as the 2010 draftee wasn’t considered a top prospect for the simple reason that he’s 6’1” (in serious spikes) and doesn’t throw hard. But he pitched well last summer as a first-year pro and he’s been outstanding with San Antonio this season. He’s probably not quite ready for the majors, but the Padres don’t have anything to lose.
And finally, the Padres don’t figure to miss Hawpe a lot. He got off to an atrocious start this spring, and has been better since the middle of May but still hasn’t hit anything like you expect your first baseman to hit.
For much more about the Padres, please visit Gaslamp Ball.
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