via Big League Stew

While agent John Boggs characterized the two-hour lunch meeting with Hoyer as ''cordial,'' he said it was more a get-acquainted session than a formal negotiation.

The Padres placed on the 40-man roster right-handed pitcher Craig Italiano, outfielder Chad Huffman and left-handed pitcher Steve Garrison.

Fangraphs seems to think Ben Davis is worth a shot on a minor league contract... I love the last line, too! You could carry 1 catcher!

"Ben Davis, RHP

You may remember Davis as a busted catching prospect. These days, he's working on a late career comeback as a knuckleball-throwing pitcher. While he's new to the craft, his first impression on the mound was a strong one. He pitched well enough in independent ball in 2008 to catch on with the Reds last year, and he pitched well in nine games for Sarasota out of the bullpen. He even racked up 14 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings, which is not something you usually see from knucklers.

Knuckleball pitchers are lottery tickets - for every Tim Wakefield, there are a bunch of Charlie Zinks. But there's always a chance that Davis' knuckler is better than the guys who wash out in the minors throwing the pitch, and if it is, he could be a pretty decent innings eater for a major league club. Plus, he could always serve as an emergency catcher."

After a boring day without any legitimate Adrian Gonzalez rumors, MLBTR discusses the other Padres...

See how they match-up with James' predictions

Think we'll get Peavy back in the deal???

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A Q&A with Padres general manager Jed Hoyer