[Note: This post has been updated since originally published to include analysis and reaction to the trade from around the blogosphere. Be sure to check out the updates.]
It’s finally happened. The Padres have dealt Phil Nevin to the Texas Rangers for Chan Ho Park. I just heard Nevin on Mighty 1090, saying goodbye to the guys in the booth. He’s headed off to Toronto first thing Saturday morning to catch up with his new team.
Updates and analysis to follow…
[Update]: The deal is still pending approval from MLB. Check out Rich Campbell’s take at San Diego Spotlight. Also, Kevin Brewer has posted a tribute to Nevin at Padres Nation.
Nevin’s career line as a Padre (Day by Day Database):
G AB HR BA OBP SLG AB/HR XB/H ISO 806 2928 156 .288 .359 .503 18.77 .376 .215
Nevin came to the Padres prior to the 1999 season for infielder Andy Sheets. Despite Nevin’s recent struggles and often volatile personality, the trade that brought him down the I-5 to San Diego remains one of the best in Padres history.
Back in the day, Park was considered a better prospect than Nevin. From John Sickels’ 1996 Minor League Scouting Notebook:
Nevin has some power and his defense is okay, but he doesn’t show much else. I really don’t think Nevin is going to amount to much, but the Tigers apparently intend to give him a job, perhaps in the outfield.
Sickels gave Nevin a grade of C. As regular readers know, I am a great fan of Sickels’ work, but he missed badly in his assessment of Nevin.
And of Park, Sickels said (among other things):
Arms like his are very rare. If he can stay healthy, his intelligence, the Los Angeles pitching coaches, and Dodger Stadium should take care of the rest.
Sickels gave Park a grade of B+.
Park had some very good years in LA but has been a disaster since signing a big contract with the Rangers before the 2002 season. His pre- and post-LA numbers:
G IP ERA H/9 HR/9 BB/9 SO/9
LA 221 1183.2 3.80 7.61 0.94 4.26 8.35
Tex 68 381.0 5.79 9.99 1.30 4.49 6.61
No rocket science here. Maybe a spacious home ballpark and a return to the familiar NL West will revive Park’s career. Or maybe we’ll all just have to settle for innings.
Reaction from Around the Blogosphere
- DePodesta For President. He didn’t get it the first time, and he still doesn’t get it. As I’ve said elsewhere, think of this as Terrence Long for Darrell May on a larger scale: Our guy is killing us, your guy is killing you; let’s swap ‘em and see if we can turn lemons into lemonade.
- Carpe Datum. Rangers fans are as enthusiastic about getting rid of Park as Orioles fans were about getting rid of Sidney Ponson.
- 26 Miles. Another Rangers fan questions the need for a “power hitter.”
- Thoughts from a Regular Guy. Self-proclaimed regular guy shares an anecdote about the time he saw Nevin catching for the Double-A Jacksonville Suns.
- Newberg Report. Jamey Newberg checks in with his thoughts on the deal. Apparently Park wasn’t the most popular guy in the Rangers clubhouse. Newberg also expresses surprise at the Padres’ inability to land a prospect in the trade (which goes against my surprise at their ability to land anything for Nevin).
- Joe Siegler’s Texas Rangers Site. Excited that Nevin can back up at catcher and third base. Hasn’t seen him play either position.
- Baseball Musings. David Pinto doesn’t understand this deal from the Rangers standpoint.
- Beyond the Box Score. Marc Normandin says that “this could be a move that helps both teams, although not in great amounts.” Probably the most sensible statement I’ve read about the trade.
- Rangers Angst. John Vittas thinks Nevin could play right field for Texas, which is more hilarious than third base.
- Statistically Speaking. David Gassko calls Nevin a “pretty good hitter” and thinks this deal slightly favors the Rangers.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Texas Rangers plan to trade pitcher Chan Ho Park to the San Diego Padres for slugger Phil Nevin, a deal that awaited approval from the commissioner’s office.
“If the league OKs it, then it’s a done deal,” Padres manager Bruce Bochy said Friday before his team played the Cincinnati Reds. “Obviously, we’ve talked to Texas. There’s nothing official yet. Nev’s aware of it. Chan Ho’s aware of it.”
Rangers spokesman Gregg Elkin also said the trade was pending approval from the commissioner’s office. Park was scratched just before his scheduled start in Toronto on Friday night and left the ballpark.
Approval was needed because the deal involves the Rangers sending cash to San Diego to help offset the money remaining on the $65 million, five-year contract Park signed with Texas before the 2002 season.
Less than an hour after Bochy spoke, Nevin told reporters he expected to be a member of the Rangers by Saturday.
“I’m going to go in and say goodbye to my teammates and start packing and get my stuff ready to go to Toronto,” Nevin said. “I’m excited. I honestly am. It’s an opportunity to play, it’s a great organization, there’s some great people there that I do know from a long time ago. I’m just excited to get over there.”
Nevin blocked a proposed trade to Baltimore for pitcher Sidney Ponson on Monday. But the slugger’s limited no-trade clause did not include the right to refuse a deal to Texas.
Nevin, who mostly played first base for the Padres the past two years, was hitting .256 with nine homers and 47 RBIs. He probably will get a chance to be the regular designated hitter for Texas.
Park is 8-5 with a 5.66 ERA in 20 starts this season. Since signing his big deal three years ago to become the Rangers’ No. 1 starter, the 32-year-old right-hander is 22-23 in 68 starts. He has been on the disabled list five times, plagued primarily by back problems.
John Wasdin started for Texas on Friday night instead of Park.
Phil sounded pretty emotional in the interview with 1090 just before game time.
I still think we got screwed in this deal and despite that, Nevin needed to traded to settle out the clubhouse so they could move forward.
runner in sc oring position, watch giles work a walk..
surprise surprise, he actually took a swing..
klesko drives him in…great..
now if randa can drive ryno in..
I still don’t understand why Padre fans aren’t happy with Giles. He’s been the most productive outfielder in the Majors this year.
I’m happy, Richard. The guy is incredible. He doesn’t just walk because weak guys have been behind him. He walks because his strike zone judgment is great.
Roberts is running. Hudson is real slow to the plate. Take the bag, Davey.
I barely got that off before he did it. For a guy with a .242 OBP in July, that’s what we needed.
C Ramon Hernandez had surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left wrist. He will wear a splint for a week and then begin therapy. … The Padres placed Hernandez and LHP Chris Hammond on the disabled list, activated C David Ross and recalled LHP Craig Breslow from Double-A Mobile.
Can we trade for Adam Dunn? Please?
Why pitch to Dunn there?
bochy is at it again, going to double switch..that means we will be missing a big bat while we are trying to make a comeback.
Ah, yes. The ol’ double switch. Now there’s a managerial tactic you don’t see very often…
bochy cant make a pitching change without it..
its like american express for him..
we need some crooked numbers on the scoreboard
If you’re a Padre fan, you see the double-switch at least 162 times a year.
8-3, and even the friggin’ REDS are kicking our ass.
We are fans of a shitty ballclub.
every year we get our hopes up and every year they dump on us. It sure gets old.
This ball club could be a lot better, but upper level management seems to be indifferent to failure. long as the turnstiles keep turning, they will be banking all that extra money..
now when the doubleswitch is in order, bochy doesnt make it..consequently we have quantril leading off this inning..
Geoff, I have put up a Nevin tribute of sorts on the site. Link to it, if you would like.
I hate this deal but determined to find something to like about Park, I started delving into the stats and found a small silver lining(maybe copper lining)
Parks best starts were against the Red Sox(12.2ip/8h/5r/12k/8bb), Yankees(14ip/9h/2r/11k/8bb), Houston(14ip/11h/2r/8k/0bb) and Atlanta(5ip/8h/1r/3k/3bb).
these are teams we could possibly see IF we make it to the post season.
Geoff, I left the following comment at “DePodesta For President:”
“Perhaps you think Towers is a good GM because your presidential-candidate-led organization is looking up at the Padres in the standings, despite your hugely superior resources.
Just sayin.’”
Perhaps NOW he’ll get it.
LOL, Lance. Represent!
As the guy who runs DePodesta For President, I would like to apologize for my ignorance. I actually decided to look at the numbers, and, it looks like this could turn out well for the Padres.
http://depodestaforpresident.blogspot.com/2005/08/why-im-wrong.html
If you want a full explination.