Day three of baseball's winter meetings has seen a lot more action within just about every team in either league.
Things have even started to pick up for the San Diego Padres. There was talk yesterday that they'd had conversations with both the Giants and the Twins about a trade involving third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.
According to several sources, the Giants were willing to give up Fred Lewis and Kevin Frandsen but the Padres weren't interested in either of those players. On the Twins side of things, the name Glen Perkins had been offered. But, again, it wasn't going to be enough for San Diego to part with their third baseman.
Those rumors seemed to have died off early last night but have apparently picked back up today according to ESPN's Jayson Stark.
Stark reportedly says that the Padres are willing to take Lewis and Frandsen in return for Kouzmanoff but Padres' beat writer Corey Brock, via Twitter, is still of the mind that the aforementioned players aren't going to cut it.
As far as the Twins go, the Padres will accept Perkins but want another player as well, although there have been no other names mentioned.
Could the Padres be talking to pitcher Kevin Correia again about bringing the right hander back to San Diego? After reports surfaced that the Padres intended to non-tender him by Saturday's deadline, the two sides apparently met again today to try to get a deal done. But, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, Correia declined the Padres' latest offer.
The Padres could try to trade him. But what kind of value will he really have when teams know that they can obtain him for nothing when he's non-tendered on Saturday?
All has been quiet since the Padres were reportedly shopping their closer, Heath Bell. Not to say there hasn't been interest in Bell, who finished the 2009 season with 42 saves, but surprisingly there's been more interest in Kouzmanoff.
Now onto the rumors surrounding a player who could become the bargain of the winter meetings. Cubs' outfielder Milton Bradley, a guy who played well for the Padres in 2007, hitting .313 with 11 home runs and 30 runs batted in, has been the most talked about player so far next to Blue Jays' pitcher Roy Halladay.
Bradley has been the talk of the rumor sites since the winter meetings began this past Monday. Only problem is, none of the rumors have become truths and the Cubs are still working on unloading him.
Could the Padres possibly get involved if they are able to unload Kevin Kouzmanoff? There had been talk that the Padres were involved in another former Padre, Mike Cameron, so could they have interest in Bradley as well?
Everyone knows about Bradley's attitude and anger problem that has followed him just about everywhere. There's no question this guy can help a ballclub if he can stay healthy.
Most fans would tell you that this young team doesn't need this kind of guy on their roster. But if the Padres really want to compete, Bradley would be an acquisition that would add another power element to their lineup with Gonzalez, Kyle Blanks, Will Venable and Chase Headley.
Say what you want about his attitude, he is a good athlete and a good patient hitter which fits the San Diego style of thinking. Whether or not the Padres will get involved is yet to be seen, but I don't expect they will until they find out what the Cubs will want in return.
With another day to come, the rumors will continue and we could see some big moves come down before the end of the week. It's a wait and see game with the Padres to find out which direction they're going to take.
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