bye bye Matt Bush

PADRES AGREE TO TERMS ON A ONE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH OUTFIELDER CLIFF FLOYD ― Club designates right-handed pitcher Matt Bush for assignment ―       San Diego, CA – The San Diego Padres announced today that they have agreed to terms on a one-year contract with outfielder Cliff Floyd.  Additionally, the club has designated right-handed pitcher Matt Bush for assignment.  Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Towers made the announcements.       “I am thrilled to add a veteran player like Cliff, who has been a proven offensive force over his career,” said Towers. “As a former World Series champion who has been to the postseason each of the past three years, his experience and leadership will be invaluable on our young team.  We are fortunate to sign a player who is as excited to be here as we are to have him.”       Floyd, 36, made 72 starts with the Tampa Bay Rays last season, all as designated hitter.  In 80 games overall, he hit .268 (66-for-246) with 13 doubles, 11 home runs, 39 RBI and 32 runs scored.  Floyd appeared in seven postseason games with Tampa Bay, going 4-for-18 (.222) with one double, one home run, two RBI and three runs scored.  Previously, he appeared in the postseason on the World Series champion Florida Marlins in 1997 and with the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs in 2006 and 2007 respectively.       The left-handed hitter is a veteran of 16 seasons in Major League Baseball.  Since making his debut with Montreal in 1993, he has hit .279 (1,477-for-5,303) with 340 doubles, 23 triples, 233 home runs, 865 RBI and 824 runs scored in 1,611 games with the Expos (1993-96, 2002), Florida Marlins (1997-2002), Boston Red Sox (2002), New York Mets (2003-06), Chicago Cubs (2007) and Rays (2008).       Floyd has posted a .976 fielding percentage as an outfielder, appearing in 1,252 games.  He ranks ninth among active players with 1,226 outfield games in the National League.  Additionally, Floyd ranks tied for 10th among active players with 75 outfield assists in the NL (76 overall).       Bush, who turns 23 on February 8, did not play in 2008 after undergoing reconstructive surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow (Tommy John surgery) in August of 2007.  A native of San Diego, Bush was selected by the Padres first overall in the 2004 First-Year Player Draft.  He began his minor league career as a shortstop, batting .219 (158-for-722) with 22 doubles, five triples, three home runs, 70 RBI, 86 runs scored, 71 walks and 15 stolen bases in 206 games over parts of four seasons (2004-07) at the Rookie, Short-A and Single-A levels.  Converted to pitcher during the 2007 campaign, Bush went 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA (1 ER/7.2 IP), 16 strikeouts and two walks in seven relief appearances between Rookie-level Peoria and Single-A Fort Wayne.