The Padres have 3 guys who play first base or third base. Phil Nevin, Xavier Nady and Mark Sweeney. Some of those guys can play outfield, but the Padres best three players are in the outfield (Giles, Klesko and Roberts).
So what do the Padres do? They go get Joe Randa from Cincinnati. I like Randa, but now they've got four corner infielders. Last time I checked, there are only two corner infielder spots per game.
Of course, the Padres wanted Nevin in Baltimore, in return for Sidney Ponson. I guess they thought they could talk Nevin into it. Well guess what? Nevin's family vetoed the deal. Nevin negotiated for that right in his contract, and he had the right to say no. He had a choice between two winning teams, one in San Diego and one in Baltimore. Which would you pick?
The Padres told Nevin he wasn't going to play much anymore. Apparently this was supposed to be incentive for him to okay the trade. A threat. It didn't work. So Randa's at 3b. Nady and Sweeney are going to split time at 1b. Nevin will fill in....somewhere. Catcher? He's not a major league catcher.
Nevin has 8 win shares this year. Nady 7. Sweeney 5. It isn't clear that Nevin's productivity is over. However, Sweeney has the best rate, followed by Nady, followed by Nevin. But Nady and Sweeney are unproven, and Nady has fallen way off his hot start.
All for what? San Diego was going to get Sidney Ponson -- who must have a fantastic arm, because teams seem to want him. But Ponson sucks. He just sucks. Ponson had 7 win shares last year. He's got 1 this year. He's averaged 11 a year for his whole career. He's a below average pitcher! He's not going to help anyone in a pennant race.
So San Diego has created a glut of corner infielders and a divided clubhouse -- exactly what they don't need during their recent swoon. But maybe they are better off. They may have too many players and too few spots, and the clubhouse may be a disaster, but at least they didn't get the anemic Ponson (who incidentally got injured tonight). What a mess.
