Padres and Kyle Blanks Avoid Arbitration

In a somewhat surprising move, the Padres agreed to a $605K, 1 year contract with Kyle Blanks. The oft-injured slugger missed most of the 2012 season and was arbitration eligible for the first time. Some expected Blanks to be released to make space on the 40 man roster in much same way the Padres dealt with injured pitchers Tim Stauffer and Dustin Moseley. Instead, the club will give their 2004 42nd round draft pick another chance.

Blanks still retains an option year, so if he can't win a job out of Spring Training he can still go mash balls in Tucson for a year. The case for keeping him around another year is that if he does stay healthy and hit again he provides some injury insurance at 1B, LF and maybe even RF with realigned fences. Another upside is that even if all he does is rake in AAA, maybe the team can flip him for something potentially useful at another position. They recently did something similar with Blake Tekotte and the year before with Aaron Cunningham.

Kyle Blanks

#88 / Left Field / San Diego Padres

Height: 6-6

Weight: 270

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Sep 11, 1986

Size Category: Enormous

Promise: Unfilled