Padres News: Padres Roster Moves- Thayer, Maurer, Lindsey & Bud Norris
The promotion of Colin Rea from Triple-A El Paso is not the only move the San Diego Padres made on Tuesday afternoon. With the arrival of Colin Rea, the Padres have designated long time Padre reliever Dale Thayer. Also the team claimed veteran right-handed pitcher Bud Norris from the Baltimore Orioles and designated minor league second baseman Taylor Lindsey for assignment. Also the team put Brandon Maurer on the 15 day DL with shoulder inflammation.
A really busy day for Padres management. The loss of Maurer is big, hopefully his shoulder is just sore from being over used. The Padres were pitching Maurer too frequently, he had never thrown so many times in a season. He is very young and at the age of 25, you really do not want to do anything to jeopardize his future. The team will surely take it slow with him, and the will not bring him back until September call ups at the earliest.
The designation of Thayer really surprises most Padres fans. He has been very consistent in his Padres career and his season has not gone terribly wrong. His ERA this season is 4.06 in 37 innings. He has had some really rough outings this season, but has thrown five consecutive innings without allowing a run. Thayer was only making $1.375 million this season and is still arbitration eligible until the 2018 season. If be claimed by someone, the move could turn out to be a bad decision for the team. Thayer isn’t fantastic, but he does do his job well and could be useful for a Major League team.
The signing of Bud Norris brings the Padres a veteran starting pitcher. Early indications from the team are that Norris will pitch out of the bullpen for the team. This seems really strange and one could think a trade might be coming. Why would you DFA Thayer a quality reliever for Norris a starting pitcher? The team says Norris will pitch out of the bullpen, but some suspect the team is near a deal to move James Shields or Ian Kennedy. Who knows, perhaps the team is auditioning Norris for a potential roster spot for next season.
Norris is in the last year of his contract, and his $8 million dollar salary is being paid by the Baltimore Orioles. They released him after he posted a 2-9 record with a 7.06 ERA in 61 innings. Norris is due for free agency after the 2015 season, perhaps working with Daren Balsley will rejuvenate his career.
Taylor Lindsey was also released and his value just nose-dived after he was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels with Jose Rondon and R.J. Alvarez for Huston Street. Lindsey was once considered a top Angels prospect but has not been able to advance. He is described as an average second baseman defensively with no tools except for his bat. Lindsey has always shown the ability to put the bat on the ball without striking out, however he has failed to walk sufficiently. Lindsey and his once touted bat have also suffered as Lindsey has struggled to hit over the Mendoza Line this season in the minors. In 238 at bats he is hitting .197 with four homers and 16 RBI’s. A lot of moves were made on Tuesday are more are sure to come. Stay tuned.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.