--With SS Khalil Greene going to the Cardinals, who plays short for the Padres? The position might be the weakest in the Padres' farm system. When Luis Rodriguez and Sean Kazmar were promoted to the Padres last August to replace the injured Greene, Class AAA Portland played the remainder of the season with second basemen at short. The Padres don't have a shortstop prospect above Class A. Could Omar Vizquel or Cesar Izturis be the short-term answers? Or will a shortstop come from the Cubs in any Peavy trade?
--The trade options for the Padres and RHP Jake Peavy seem to have narrowed to the Cubs. Padres general manager Kevin Towers said talks with the Atlanta Braves have broken off. Meanwhile, the Cubs and Padres are still apart on a package. With the trade of Greene, the Padres could be looking for Ronny Cedeno or Mike Fontenot (or both) from the Cubs in a trade that could be as big as a 5-for-1 deal. One sticking point with the Braves apparently was picking up Peavy's no-trade clause. --RHP Trevor Hoffman was not offered salary arbitration, meaning the Padres will not get any additional draft picks for the all-time saves leader if he signs with another team as a free agent. Meantime, the Padres and Hoffman still haven't talked about the possibility of a new contract.
--Greene is not the first notable shortstop to be traded by the Padres to the Cardinals. Ozzie Smith was traded by San Diego to St. Louis in 1983. In return, the Padres received SS Garry Templeton, who became the Padres' captain and a key member of the 1984 National League champions.
--The Padres have blueprints for moving in the right field wall at Petco Park, with the re-design extending all the way to the "beachers" grandstands in right center. But the construction will not be done until after the 2009 season at the earliest. Padres CEO Sandy Alderson said the delay is for "architectural reasons," but budget restrictions could be playing a role.
--Jimmy Jones, the Padres' first-round pick in 1982, has been named pitching coach of the team's rookie-level affiliate in Peoria, Ariz. Jones, 44,
pitched for the Padres from 1986 to 1988 and a total of eight years in the major leagues (43-39, 4.46 ERA in 118 starts).
BY THE NUMBERS: $40 million -- Padres' projected payroll budget for 2009.
$30.5 million -- Amount already committed to five players (RHPs Jake Peavy and Chris Young, RF Brian Giles, 1B Adrian Gonzalez and SS Khalil Greene).
$24 million -- Amount committed following trade of SS Khalil Greene to St. Louis.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Hopefully Kevin Kouzmanoff will be ready to start the season. But if not, you are looking at Chase Headley going to third and Scott Hairston in the outfield." -- Padres general manager Kevin Towers on what the Padres would do if 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, who underwent right shoulder surgery, is not ready by the start of the season.
