San Diego Padres Rumors: Chris Denorfia likely to be dealt
By Hayden Kane
Chris Denorfia of the San Diego Padres might not be the biggest name dangled in trade talks this month, but he is a quality player who is reportedly available in a deal.
According to Jon Morosi of Fox Sports:
Chris Denorfia another Padres player likely to be dealt by July 31, sources tell @Ken_Rosenthal and me. He's a free agent after this year.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 19, 2014
With the Padres often playing their west coast games in front of a modest crowd and an even more modest television crowd as fans in the central and east time zones sleep, Denorfia is a solid player who often gets overlooked.
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Granted his numbers are down in 2014, so the Padres might not be picking the ideal time to make him available in that regard. Then again, because his contract is up at season’s end they can still engage potential suitors and try to at least get something for him if he is going to leave anyway.
Through 80 games in 2014, Denorfia is batting .244/.295/.329. By Padres’ standards those numbers make him look like a regular All-Star, but by everybody else’s offensive standards those statistics are pretty atrocious.
Still, Denorifa is a versatile player, a right-handed bat, and a guy who will play solid defense. He could even help certain teams as a reserve or as a part-time player. If a team does trade for Denorfia, it won’t move the needle much in terms of national interest, but in baseball terms it will be a solid move.