Padres decline $8.5 million option on Chris Young

by jbox on Nov 3, 2010 4:22 PM PDT

Corey Brock and everybody else is reporting that the Padres have declined Chris Young's $8.5 million option ending his tenure with the team.

Hearing the #Padres today have declined the 2011 option for $8.5 million on SP Chris Young. I imagine there's a slim chance he could return.

Chris Young only made 4 starts in 2010 and won two of them. One wonders what might have been if he was able to stay healthy. For most of the season I thought that Young's absence actually helped the team by forcing younger starters to step up, become leaders and perform in pressure situations. After Kevin Correia's season started spiraling down hill, it would have been nice to have Young available, but it was not to be.

Over the past few years Young has suffered many setbacks due to injury. I remember a Padres employee telling me last Spring that he was excited about the Padres rotation, and I wondered aloud what it would look like after Young hurt himself in the first few weeks of the season. It turns out that that's exactly what happened.

If you're unfamiliar with his injury history just think of him as Samuel L. Jackson's character in Unbreakable. To date it is unclear if any of the injuries were a result of his apparent gigantism.

Remember how excited we were when Kevin Towers stole Adrian Gonzalez and Chris Young from Texas in 2005, assuring that the Rangers would never make a post season appearance in our life times? Now Young is gone, Gonzalez probably won't be far behind and the Rangers just played in the World Series. Weird.

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I haz sad

But i’m not surprised by this.

"Since we only live once (that we know of) we should focus on enjoying our lives, not stressing to follow every single thing and trend that society impose upon us." - Thom Yorke of Radiohead

by Jonathan Holmes on Nov 3, 2010 4:26 PM PDT reply actions

Sucks, but expected

The guy just isn’t an 8 million dollar pitcher anymore. I’d love to see him back, but you never know what the off-season may bring. All I can do is wish him luck if he can’t come back (and cross my fingers that he doesn’t join an NL West team).

"Well, it's just ineffable." "Oh, so I'm not 'F-able'?" "No, no, ineffable means it can't be explained." "So I'm stupid?"

by Friar Fever on Nov 3, 2010 4:41 PM PDT reply actions

2 starts?

You will always hold a special place in my heart, Chris Young.

"Get your hopes up. That's what hopes are for by the way, to get up. You don't get your hopes down, you get your hopes up." -Jeffrey Tambor

by Ketchup on Nov 3, 2010 5:32 PM PDT reply actions

4 starts

two decisions.

http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/stats/individual_stats_player.jsp?c_id=sd&playerID=432934

by BeantownFriar on Nov 4, 2010 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions

This is where an incentive laden deal could really help both sides.

I can’t imagine anyone is going to give him a multi year deal with his injury history. I’m curious to see what the market will pay him for a one year deal. Once we find out, I’d like to offer him a base salary 750,000 with maybe 4 million in incentives based on starts and innings pitched. I love his competitive spirit, it’d be nice to keep him in the rotation next year. One good year might put him in the running for a multi year deal somewhere else. Good risk for both sides.

"Never have a motto, that's what I always say" - Me

by padmadfan on Nov 3, 2010 6:20 PM PDT reply actions

This is where a payroll starting with a 9 could really help.

"Get your hopes up. That's what hopes are for by the way, to get up. You don't get your hopes down, you get your hopes up." -Jeffrey Tambor

by Ketchup on Nov 4, 2010 8:47 AM PDT up reply actions

I'm guessing they work something out

unless someone else gives young a big crazy risky deal. Damn, are the nationals and astros still crazy like that? hope not..

I hope they work out a reasonable 2 yr deal or something, there’s a chance he actually stays healthy this year…

by TJB on Nov 3, 2010 9:26 PM PDT reply actions

Young really isn't much more than replacement level at this stage.

And completely undependable due to being made of glass and all.

My name is Guybrush Threepwood, and I'm a mighty pirate.
"How appropriate! You fight like a cow!"
Faceless slider-tossing goofs FTW.

by Zach (maestro876) on Nov 4, 2010 8:39 AM PDT reply actions

With Garland and Young gone

This leaves us with a rotation of Latos, Richard, Luebke, Stauffer, and LeBlanc.
LeBlanc will probably stay in the ’Pen as a long reliever, Luebke might stay in the Minors for most of next year, and Stauffer, I think, has earned a spot on the rotation, so this really leaves us with Latos, Richard and Stauffer.

Who do you think Hoyer should go after, pitching wise?

"Since we only live once (that we know of) we should focus on enjoying our lives, not stressing to follow every single thing and trend that society impose upon us." - Thom Yorke of Radiohead

by Jonathan Holmes on Nov 4, 2010 10:22 AM PDT reply actions