After Failing In Free Agent Market, Rangers Settle For Padilla

By Aaron Fitt
December 14, 2005

After failing to lure free agent pitchers Matt Morris and A.J. Burnett, the Rangers landed a cheaper alternative through a trade. Texas acquired righthander Vicente Padilla from the Phillies for righthander Ricardo Rodriguez.

Padilla, like Burnett, is 28 years old and has a career 51-51, 3.95 record in seven big league seasons. Though he has more career wins than Burnett (who is 49-51 lifetime), Padilla stands to be a much better value for the Rangers than Burnett, who just signed a five-year, $55 million contract with the Blue Jays. Padilla made $3.2 million in 2005 and could earn around $4 million in 2006 after arbitration.

The start of Padilla's 2005 season was delayed a couple of weeks by right triceps tendinitis, and he struggled to a 4-8, 6.27 record before the all-star break. But Padilla was much better in the second half, going 5-4, 3.63 to finish the season 9-12, 4.71 with 103 strikeouts and 74 walks in 147 innings. Acquired by the Phillies in the 2000 Curt Schilling trade, Padilla's best season was 2002, when he went 14-11, 3.28 and made the NL All-Star team. He throws a heavy, sinking fastball that could be well suited for hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field.

Rodriguez, 27, has an unspectacular 10-15, 5.18 record in 208 career innings. He was out of options and likely headed for the waiver wire if he hadn't been traded to the Phillies. The top prospect in the Dodgers system in 2002 before being traded to the Indians that summer and Rangers the next, Rodriguez showed real promise in 2004, going 3-1, 2.03 in 28 innings with the Rangers. But a line drive off the bat of Angels third baseman Robb Quinlan shattered his right elbow and ended his season, and his performance declined as 2005 progressed. Rodriguez went 7-3, 2.91 at Triple-A Oklahoma, earning a promotion to the big leagues, where his ERA jumped every month until he landed on the DL again with a right shoulder bruise. He finished 2-3, 5.53 in 57 innings with Texas last year. When healthy, Rodriguez pitches aggressively with a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a good slider.