Padres go for bargain signings

January 4, 5:49 PMSan Diego Padres ExaminerJudson Green

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Jody Gerut is the Padres' big-time signing.

The free agent signing period isn't very exciting when your team is cutting their payroll by 40%. It just doesn't have the same pizzazz as for a team that can shell out over $400 million to three guys in the offseason. But if the Padres' bargain hunting yields any fruit, they and their fans should experience their own kind of thrill. We can't feel anything about what the team has done yet; all we can do is hope that delight awaits us in the future.

Jody Gerut signed a one-year deal worth $1,775,000 to resume his place in center for the Padres. In 356 plate appearances last year, Gerut racked up a .296/.351/.494 line, with 14 HR, 46 R, and 43 RBI. Gerut also played a fine center field, posting a 5.3 UZR, according to Fan Graphs in his 80 games manning the position.

Gerut went for the one-year contract because he needs to prove that his comeback year was not a fluke, and his health problems are behind him. He played only sparingly in 2005, and missed the entire 2006 and 2007 seasons as he worked his way back to the majors after tearing his ACL in 2004. He'll be 32 when the season ends, and if he turns in another solid year, could set himself up nicely as a free agent.

The Padres also signed Luis Rodriguez and Kevin Correia to one-year contracts worth $675,000 and $750,000 respectively. If the Padres do not land an established shortstop through trade or free agency, they will have to rely on Rodriguez, who has yet to complete half a season in the majors. Rodriguez is a low OBP, no power guy who really can't make up for his hitting deficiencies with his glove. In 64 games at shortstop during his career, he has racked up a -2.6 UZR according to Fan Graphs. Rodriguez will likely split time with prospect Sean Kazmar, a good-field, no-hit shortstop. Neither seems likely to take over the job on a full-time basis, unless Kazmar breaks out enough as a hitter. But the more likely prospect is that shortstop will be a dead position until the team can find a true starter there.

Correia, meanwhile, is a 28 year-old right-hander who had spent his entire career with the Giants until signing with the Padres. His contract is contingent on his making the club, which should happen barring any unforeseen disaster. Correia's numbers with the Giants last year were horrid, a 3-8 W-L record and a 6.05 ERA, but also misleading. Correia's .340 BABIP against was well out of line with his typical figures in the .290 range, and Baseball Prospectus has him as receiving poor bullpen support, with his 2.286 Pen Support number ranking 21st worst in baseball. Correia could be an asset in the bullpen and as a spot starter, and at $750,000 would be a great bargain. This is a nice move by the Padres front office.

And to top it off, they signed right-handed pitchers Oneli Perez and Chris Britton, and catcher Eliezer Alfonzo to minor league contracts. Perez is a career minor leaguer; Britton and Alfonzo have some major league experience. Should those three get called up, the pitchers would be used as relievers, and Alfonzo would serve as a backup catcher who can provide some pop at the position.

The Padres aren't going after All-Stars. They're hunting for bargains, giving low salaries to players in the hopes that they become reliable major leaguers. They don't have high expectations, and neither do we. If any of them becomes an All-Star, fantastic. But if the Padres get nothing more than reliable contributions from all these players for little more than a few million dollars spent, we should be thrilled. The more likely result, though, is that it will be a mixed bag. More importantly, none of these players will reverse the Padres fortunes. The best thing we can say is that the Padres front office has been working hard at making the most of the budget cutbacks.