Padres lukewarm on Hillenbrand

By: BRIAN HIRO - Staff Writer | Thursday, July 20, 2006 11:13 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Shea Hillenbrand doesn't appear to be an option, for now. Adrian Beltre could be, if the price is right. One day after releasing veteran Vinny Castilla, the Padres continued to survey the landscape for third basemen.

A club source scoffed at a report that the Padres are the favorites to land Toronto corner infielder Shea Hillenbrand, who was designated for assignment Wednesday. The Blue Jays have 10 days to trade or release him.

Hillenbrand was a productive hitter for Toronto, batting .301 with 12 home runs, but he would be a below-average fielder on a Padres team that's built on pitching and defense. He's also due about $2 million of his $5.8 million contract and is eligible for free agency after the season. Padres general manager Kevin Towers said Wednesday that he would prefer to acquire a third baseman whom the Padres would control beyond this year.

The Padres are concerned about disrupting their excellent clubhouse chemistry by adding Hillenbrand, whose exit from Toronto was marked by a nasty feud with manager John Gibbons.

The Padres have also talked with the Seattle Mariners about trading for third baseman Adrian Beltre, who has floundered since signing a five-year, $64 million contract two years ago. The Padres would be counting on a return to the National League West translating into a return to his form of 2004, when Beltre hit .334 with 48 homers and 121 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Padres' interest, however, is dependent on how much of Beltre's bloated deal Seattle would be willing to pick up. The Mariners, who are in last place in the AL West but only five games behind Oakland, might not even make Beltre available if they remain in the race.

Bard to sit; help on the way?

Regardless of what happens on the trade front, the Padres are expected to add a third baseman today.

With an already-thin bench due to shrink to three players tonight when backup catcher Josh Bard serves a one-game suspension, look for the team to call up Triple-A infielder Justin Leone and demote pitcher Mike Thompson, who started in place of the injured Chris Young on Wednesday. Leone was batting .280 with 14 homers and 54 RBIs for Portland entering Thursday.

After hearing Bard's appeal, Major League Baseball upheld his suspension for what it termed his "aggressive actions" while arguing balls and strikes during a June 25 loss to Seattle.

"I'm a little frustrated that they made that decision," Bard said. "But you can cry in your milk or deal with it."

Also suspended for tonight's game is bench coach Tony Muser, who was punished for leaving the dugout to argue with plate umpire Bruce Dreckman in a loss to Atlanta on Sunday.

Short hops

The Padres are so pleased by the recent play of C Mike Piazza ---- he's batting .346 with seven homers and 25 RBIs since June 1 ---- that they're considering bringing him back next season, though not at his option price of $8 million. ... OF Ben Johnson (shoulder) today will begin a rehab assignment of unspecified length with Triple-A Portland. ... 3B Vinny Castilla has told teammates that he plans to take the rest of the season off before attempting a comeback next year. ... Triple-A RHP Dewon Brazelton threw four scoreless innings Thursday in his first start since coming off the disabled list.