PHOENIX – Greg Maddux, a future Hall of Famer who graced the Padres with his pitching and professionalism, gave them a parting gift when he consented to a trade to the Dodgers that was approved yesterday by the commissioner's office.
The Padres will get two minor leaguers and salary savings for the 42-year-old Maddux, who was 6-9 with a 3.99 ERA this season.
That's not a king's ransom. Nor is the return nearly as hefty as what the Padres said they would have obtained from the Phillies if Maddux hadn't ruled out a trade to any club outside the West Coast.
But Maddux did the Padres a favor, based on the account of General Manager Kevin Towers.
“Greg was more than willing to stay,” Towers said. “He said if you're happy with the players you're getting back, move me. I kind of pushed him. He was willing to stay.”
For his part, Maddux joined a Dodgers club that is vying for a playoff berth, something the last-place Padres will not do. Maddux, who said three weeks ago he was happy to stay in San Diego partly because it kept him closer to his family, still will be near his homes in Orange County and Las Vegas.
Towers said the Padres will pay a “significant amount” of Maddux's remaining $2.3 million in salary. That commitment gave the Padres access to a better grade of prospect.
By Oct. 15, the Padres will choose two Dodgers minor leaguers from a list of five already agreed upon by the clubs.
“For us, it really wasn't about money as much as making a baseball deal,” Towers said. “There's a couple of names on the list we're excited about.”
In the clubs' press releases, cash considerations were described as an option, but Towers said they would come into play only if injuries weaken the identified trade list. “Two players will be Padres before October 15,” Towers said.
The October deadline will give the Padres extra time to scout the Dodgers' minors leaguers, Towers said. The Padres sought two of the Dodgers' advanced pitching prospects – James McDonald and Scott Elbert – but had to settle for lower-level minor leaguers.
Towers said it was unlikely the Padres could have obtained draft-pick compensation for Maddux by losing him in free agency. One obstacle is Maddux's potential retirement; Maddux had told friends in spring training that this probably would be his last season.
“Everything we talked about points to him retiring,” pitcher Jake Peavy said yesterday.
Towers and Peavy said it saddened them that Maddux won't be part of the team.
“But I'm excited for him that he'll be on a team that has a chance to win,” Peavy said.
Said Towers: “From a selfish standpoint, we'd have loved to have kept him around. From a business standpoint, we did the best deal we could.”
Manager Bud Black called Maddux “a great representative of the San Diego Padres.”
Maddux is one victory shy of tying Roger Clemens (354) for eighth on the major league list.
“It's nice to be back,” Maddux, in Los Angeles, told the Associated Press. Last to first. It's pretty cool. One off day and I make up 16 games, so I'm excited.”
“You never really want to leave your team and your teammates and all that, but it's nice to be back in a pennant race. It was fun playing in San Diego and I loved it there. But I'm looking forward to the last month and a half here.”
Notes
Towers said the club will choose from among three Triple-A pitchers – Dirk Hayhurst, Josh Geer and Cesar Ramos – to assume Maddux's start on Saturday against the Giants.
Towers declined all comment when asked if he is interested in signing closer Trevor Hoffman, who can be a free agent in November.
Earlier this month, Maddux was asked about Hoffman.
“They're going to miss him when he's gone,” he said. “You don't realize how much better he makes the guys in front of him. I saw it with Lee Smith after he left the Cubs. Hoffy's a good teammate, a good leader, a good dude. He likes baseball. He's a baseball player. He's not a closer or a pitcher or a Padre – he's a baseball player.”
Tom Krasovic: (619) 293-2207; tom.krasovic@uniontrib.com
