I guess we really can't rule out the San Diego Padres regarding ANY trade rumor. According to MLB sources, general manager A.J. Preller tried to acquire another All-Star outfielder in recent weeks.
That was former AL MVP Josh Hamilton. The 33-year-old was recently dealt to the Texas Rangers, which was the only club he said he would waive his no-trade clause for.
Although the outfielder was surrounded by controversy after admitting to suffering a relapse with drugs and alcohol, he was an attractive trade candidate because the Angels were paying for an overwhelming majority of the money on his contract. Texas is only on the hook for about $6 million through the 2017 season.
"According to my sources, the San Diego Padres attempted to trade for Josh Hamilton before he was dealt to the Rangers," writes ESPN Insider Jim Bowden.
At a glance, such a trade for the Padres is puzzling. They already have a stacked outfield that consists of Justin Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers, so Hamilton would have further created a logjam, which was what the team was dealing with before they got rid of a couple in a trade with the Atlanta Braves just before Opening Day.
However, Hamilton isn't expected to be back until the end of May as he continues to recover and rehab after undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason. This could have given the Padres time to work in Myers a bit at first base, which has been discussed for quite a while now. That may have been part of Preller's thought process, but Bowden suggests something else.
"Upton is a free agent at season's end and if Hamilton were able to make a comeback, with the Angels paying most of the freight, it would have been a worthwhile insurance gamble."
Upton said he was open to signing a contract extension with San Diego, but only as long as it happened before spring training. That didn't happen, and although he's having a good season and the Padres are doing well, there's no guarantee he'll remain with the team beyond 2015.
Nonetheless, Hamilton is now with the Rangers while the Padres will continue with their current cast of outfielders as they have nothing to complain about. This rumor just provides some insight into the mind of Preller and how he may continue to further revamp the club prior to the trade deadline.
